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Pros and Cons

Where and when to use Flash?

As any software development tool Flash has it’s own limitations. It may be successfully used in many cases, but sometimes it would be better to prefer another techniques.

Several clear advantages of Flash:

• Browser Independence. Designer doesn’t need to worry anymore about Netscape and Explorer difference and also current and future versions of the browsers. Early Internet paradigm dictates that the goal of it is to exchange information where information was presumed to be the text content sometimes illustrated with images. Later when DHTML (Dynamic HTML) techniques were introduced with the purpose to make content dynamic, more interactive and visually appealing, it revealed many incompatibilities of the browsers. So, in traditional Web design - the more complicated (read – attractive, interactive) page is – the less chance that it will be working flawless. In contrary the part done with Flash is an independent object which is embedded into HTML page and run not with the browser itself, but with independent Flash Player. Because of that Flash content work consistently with various browsers.
• Rigid positioning. As the Flash product is contained in the separate object, which has the certain size and shape, content is definitely positioned. Where you placed your title, button, text picture, there they stay. Neither size no position changes. Compare with traditional HTML design, which let the browser to decide how exactly to display the information they supplied. If you change the browser resolution in most situation traditional HTML page will look differently.
• Embedded fonts. You are not condemned to Arial, Times, and Courier anymore! In traditional HTML designers cannot use funny and artistic fonts, because there’s risk they are not presented on all client computers. With Flash situation is different. If your site is about zombies – use Zombie font! If about Matisse - use Matisse font! Chinese, Hebrew and Russian will work as well. Fonts become a part of Flash object.
• Animation effects. It doesn’t need to be explained. You’ve heard of course that you may make anything moving with Flash. Movement is the heart of Flash and there is no competitors that can do it that easy yet effective
• Sounds. Highly compressed streaming sound could make site “alive”. And sounds also becomes a part of Flash animation, so you don’t need to keep them in separate files

However, we need to mention some disadvantages of Flash.

• Blurred text. Texts are vectorized in Flash and cannot be re-rendered on client’s computer to optimize them for the screen… Small fonts don’t work well for Flash – it’s difficult to read them. There is an option to use client fonts but… then we need to rely on the simplest fonts as we are doing with HTML… <
• Constant size of the page. Flash object, embedded into the HTML file has certain dimensions (for example 300X300 pixels). You cannot make one part of animation larger and other smaller – still it will occupy 300X300 pixels.
• Aggregating information inside one file. Information, which is traditionally separated into several HTML, GIF, JPG and other files, is loaded as one file. It may take a longer time to download
• Need for the plugin (patch). User must pass the procedure of Flash plugin installation at least once for every new Flash version. It’s fast and safe, but still some user’s may resist to do it.
• No System messages (inside Flash object). Flash file is “mute”. There is no explanations while something doesn’t work well (like “javascript error” or “file not found” which is not so friendly, but sometimes it’s better than nothing).

So, there are several cases when Flash is a tool of choice not only for small embedded “jumpy” animations, but also for creation of full-size websites.

• When information must be classified and presented in small fragments (modules), with short explanatory text, small graphics.
• When animation effects are relevant or necessary
• When site does not “grow” page by page, since authomatic update by client is difficult to achive

It takes into account most of advertising and entertainment websites.

On the other hand – sometimes it is better to chose another tool – like traditional WYSIWYG tools which generate plain HTML with scripting.

• When pages include the long text
• When it’s intended for printing
• When design is meant to be very simple
• When frequent updates are necessary

It embraces most of “informational” sites – where user’s intention is to find, read and research the information.

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