Is Flash Right for You?
by: Brian Lee
A lot of individuals these days believe that flash design is the only way to go on website. This statement can definitely be true for some websites, but not for others. The following article will explain some of the pros and cons of applying flash design to your page.
Cons of Flash
1. Flash designed introduction can be a pain. Many find it to be a major time waster. Also keep in mind that not all internet users have the connection speed as you, so it might take a long time to load such intro pages for them. And if it takes more then a few seconds, chances are you just lost a potential client.
2. Even though the majority of net users do have macromedia Flash installed, there is still a small percentage of the population that does not. Yes it may be small, but its still potential clients none the less. For websites heavily dependant of Flash, it will ask if the user would like to download the software. This may work at times but chances are slim. People usually dont like downloading things into their hard drive that they are unsure of or never used.
3. In frequent cases the Back button design from Flash does not function properly and of course visitors dont like that. Also, sometimes the links remain the same color even after visiting it. This can get confusing since the client will not know which link he looked at and which he didnt. Again, visitors will consider this a waste of time and leave your website.
Pros of Flash
1. Flash designed websites offers a lot more interactivity then regular HTML websites. If you make it right, a Flash site can load just as fast as any other site. And obviously Flash website is more enjoyable to look at.
2. Consistency is also a factor when applying Flash. No matter of your on Windows or Mac, computer or laptop, what you will see with Flash will always be identical. On the other hand, HTML based features can vary from system to system.
In the end, Macromedia Flash is a fun feature to add to your page. But remember, this software isnt for everybody so if youre perfectly content with your html site and business it doing great, Flash design might not be necessary.