For a web developer, Flash is undoubtedly a powerful tool. But it is a fact that it cannot be used to resolve every kind of problem. Here we will try to understand Flash with the help of its merits and demerits. After that you can easily reach on to a conclusion whether it is productive to go for Flash website development or not. Of course, our ultimate target is to benefit the visitors by good information.
Advantages of using Flash in website:
- Flash is friendly to nearly 95-98% of the Web browsers. If you have applied Flash to build a website then it is surely going to be viewed by every user who has Flash plug-in. It is not dependent on browser or operating system.
- In today’s world, if you are going for animation then Flash is must. It has wider application in the field of animation.
- Most applications that are based on flash are easily picked up by video players like Quick Time
- There are no bandwidth limitations and browser support issues if you are going for Flash games.
- During Flash website development, vector graphics can look smoother and appealing. There is a facility of image replacement as well for the special fonts. The process of image replacement can be done with a technique known as sIFR i.e. Scalable Inman Flash Replacement. Besides the above mentioned features, Flash applications can also perform the task of script actions and data collection.
Disadvantages of Flash website:
- Slow speeds are a nightmare for flash websites since they rarely load fast enough to meet a user’s expectations.
- With Flash websites The ‘BACK’ button is
- You need a really good screen reader to read flash images and these are hard to locate
- If you are going to have a flash website, make sure you use HTML since the language is necessary for the algorithms of search engine to pick them out for search results.
- Most people, believe it or not don’t understand the use of flash applications and they think they are only for visual appeals. Thus the main purpose is not achieved.
Conclusion: So now you know all the pros and cons of Flash website development and it’s up to you to decide what is best. Flash offers numerous benefits but customer’s dissatisfaction and SEO inaccessibility are the prime drawbacks associated with it. When it comes to site navigation then it is highly recommended never to use Flash.
2009-7-1