Flash
Animation |
What
is Flash? |
|
| Flash
is actually a brand name for software produced by
Macromedia that produces high-quality animation.
Pretty much everything you see on the Web that looks
amazing involving animation uses Flash. This includes
high-end, popular sites such as msnbc.com, which
uses Flash on the pop-up menu navigation bar. The
image to the right is an example of a simple, fast-loading
Flash animation. |
But
do all Computers Have the Ability to View Flash? |
| To
view Flash animation on your computer, it's necessary
to have a Flash Plug-in. This is a small download
that now comes with all new versions of Windows
since Windows 98 (for Mac users, since Mac OS 8.x).
89% of browsers out there have Flash right now.
That means 89% of the viewers are ready to view
Flash, with no downloading of plug-ins necessary.
Occasionally there will be a user out there with
a very outdated version of a browser who won't be
able to view Flash without getting the Plug-in.
This is why a good website will allow the user to
opt out of the Flash portion. Or, if your entire
site is in Flash, the user can choose to look at
your site in quick-loading HTML. |
Why
Use Flash? |
| Effective
use of Flash can make for a stunning and unmistakably
professional-looking website. There will be no doubt
your company is serious about attracting customers
and providing the best products or services available.
A good Flash designer can also integrate original
Flash designs with your company's logo or existing
photos to create a million-dollar look for your
website. |
What
About Download Times? |
| Flash
movies don't have to be huge, so they don't have
to take long to download. They can have preloaders
so they maintain their appearance even though someone
might have a slow connection. However, if you want
to have a really in-depth Flash movie with a lot
of Flash animation, you can give users the choice
to skip over the Flash and go right to the heart
of your site (the quick-loading HTML portion). |
| |
Examples |
| Flash and Html Site www.keysvacationrentals.net |
| Full Flash Site www.1-brs.com |
| Flash Virtual Tour
/www.keysvacationrentals.net/tour.htm |
| |
