Comments on: Why Flash is Mostly Bad http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/ Usable Web Applications with Web Standards Thu, 18 Feb 2010 14:38:09 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Why I Don’t Like Flash | TRIGGERS & SPARKS http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-1093 Why I Don’t Like Flash | TRIGGERS & SPARKS Thu, 14 Jan 2010 22:35:14 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-1093 [...] as they are, there really is very little excuse for it anymore. There are all sorts of reasons why Flash is bad: it’s horrible for search engine optimization, it mucks with usability, [...] [...] as they are, there really is very little excuse for it anymore. There are all sorts of reasons why Flash is bad: it’s horrible for search engine optimization, it mucks with usability, [...]

]]> By: Richard Jahmarkt http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-695 Richard Jahmarkt Mon, 02 Mar 2009 09:52:08 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-695 I totally agree. Flash is WAY overused! Still, can't argue with their market penetration: http://www.statowl.com/flash.php As long as it is deployed intelligently, it can be a very useful development tool. I totally agree. Flash is WAY overused! Still, can’t argue with their market penetration:
http://www.statowl.com/flash.php
As long as it is deployed intelligently, it can be a very useful development tool.

]]> By: The Death of Flash | severelimitation.com http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-433 The Death of Flash | severelimitation.com Mon, 31 Mar 2008 17:19:51 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-433 [...] will make it no secret that I am not fond of Flash, and a lot has been written on the web fro many years about the subject. I will not comment on weather or not Flash is good or bad, but I will say that I [...] [...] will make it no secret that I am not fond of Flash, and a lot has been written on the web fro many years about the subject. I will not comment on weather or not Flash is good or bad, but I will say that I [...]

]]> By: Jeremy Walsh http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-134 Jeremy Walsh Thu, 10 Jan 2008 05:03:01 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-134 <p>I enjoyed reading this article, and will be sure to get around to reading more. My apologies for the delay - I know I told you I'd read it a while ago but I wanted you to know that I enjoyed it and will keep checking for updates.</p> <p>I can see that a lot of wisdom was put into this article and I totally agree with it. I particularly enjoyed when you said flash takes on characteristics more like television and less like the internet, being that it's not as interactive. As you may know (being that you know me personally :-D) I am very passionate about providing systems with easy navigation, straight forward layouts, and ease of interactivity, as I'm pretty sure you are as well.</p> <p>I will be sure to keep this article handy and in mind. Thanks for showing it to me!</p> I enjoyed reading this article, and will be sure to get around to reading more. My apologies for the delay – I know I told you I’d read it a while ago but I wanted you to know that I enjoyed it and will keep checking for updates.

I can see that a lot of wisdom was put into this article and I totally agree with it. I particularly enjoyed when you said flash takes on characteristics more like television and less like the internet, being that it’s not as interactive. As you may know (being that you know me personally :-D ) I am very passionate about providing systems with easy navigation, straight forward layouts, and ease of interactivity, as I’m pretty sure you are as well.

I will be sure to keep this article handy and in mind. Thanks for showing it to me!

]]> By: Paul W http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-82 Paul W Thu, 08 Nov 2007 18:14:24 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-82 <p>Nice article. I agree, most flash implimentations on the web today are bad. Addressing the valid user experience issues you list requires greater skill and effort than most flash developers seem to posses and/or apply. Perhaps it is like swimming upstream, a fish can do it, it is just harder.</p> <p>Paul W</p> Nice article. I agree, most flash implimentations on the web today are bad. Addressing the valid user experience issues you list requires greater skill and effort than most flash developers seem to posses and/or apply. Perhaps it is like swimming upstream, a fish can do it, it is just harder.

Paul W

]]> By: Josh Walsh http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-63 Josh Walsh Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:45:45 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-63 <p>@Domenic:</p> <p>Your points are all valid. Flash as a technology is not bad. In fact, there aren't bad technologies, only bad implementations of the technology. I pointed that out a few times through the post, but your comment helps me make that point clearer, thanks for your thoughts.</p> @Domenic:

Your points are all valid. Flash as a technology is not bad. In fact, there aren’t bad technologies, only bad implementations of the technology. I pointed that out a few times through the post, but your comment helps me make that point clearer, thanks for your thoughts.

]]> By: Domenic http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-62 Domenic Sun, 28 Oct 2007 21:38:10 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-62 <p>Your article's title is unnecessarily dramatic and functionally untrue. After reading the content of your article, I can't understand how you came to the conclusion that Flash is <em>mostly</em> bad. (although perhaps the title was just to pique interest?)</p> <p>-Say No to Flash Intro: A flaw of the designer if it's useless; but it could be theoretically useful. Perhaps a small animation coupled with a localization choice that sets a cookie so that the splash doesn't appear on subsequent visits? Even so, the splash screen is a choice of the designer, not something inherently bad about Flash.</p> <p>-Flash Encourages Bad Design Practices: This is like saying that CSS encourages bad design practices. It's axiomatic that just because something /can/ be done doesn't mean that it /should/ be done. It is a flaw in reasoning to say that Flash is the cause.</p> <p>-Flash Breaks Important Browser Functionality: +Back button: Correct back button functionality can be implemented by a competent designer. This is a non-issue.</p> <p>+Link colors: Also can be implemented by a competent designer. Non-issue.</p> <p>+Adjustable text size: Also can be implemented by a competent designer. Non-issue.</p> <p>+Searchability: I don't have any specific experience here. This may be a valid complaint.</p> <p>Your complaints seem to be about the way most people design Flash, not about the technology itself. Saying "Flash is mostly bad" is a non-starter -- "Bad Flash design == horrendous for usability" is perhaps a more apt title. Flash is no different from any other web tool like HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP, .NET, or even plain graphics. Done well, technology enhances usability; done poorly it breaks usability.</p> Your article’s title is unnecessarily dramatic and functionally untrue. After reading the content of your article, I can’t understand how you came to the conclusion that Flash is mostly bad. (although perhaps the title was just to pique interest?)

-Say No to Flash Intro:
A flaw of the designer if it’s useless; but it could be theoretically useful. Perhaps a small animation coupled with a localization choice that sets a cookie so that the splash doesn’t appear on subsequent visits? Even so, the splash screen is a choice of the designer, not something inherently bad about Flash.

-Flash Encourages Bad Design Practices:
This is like saying that CSS encourages bad design practices. It’s axiomatic that just because something /can/ be done doesn’t mean that it /should/ be done. It is a flaw in reasoning to say that Flash is the cause.

-Flash Breaks Important Browser Functionality:
+Back button: Correct back button functionality can be implemented by a competent designer. This is a non-issue.

+Link colors: Also can be implemented by a competent designer. Non-issue.

+Adjustable text size: Also can be implemented by a competent designer. Non-issue.

+Searchability: I don’t have any specific experience here. This may be a valid complaint.

Your complaints seem to be about the way most people design Flash, not about the technology itself. Saying “Flash is mostly bad” is a non-starter — “Bad Flash design == horrendous for usability” is perhaps a more apt title. Flash is no different from any other web tool like HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP, .NET, or even plain graphics. Done well, technology enhances usability; done poorly it breaks usability.

]]> By: rewdy.com » Designing Interactive » Why Flash is Mostly Bad http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-10 rewdy.com » Designing Interactive » Why Flash is Mostly Bad Fri, 07 Sep 2007 21:33:21 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-10 <p>[...] Designing Interactive » Why Flash is Mostly Bad [...]</p> [...] Designing Interactive » Why Flash is Mostly Bad [...]

]]> By: Josh Walsh http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-8 Josh Walsh Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:24:34 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-8 <p>Danny: I agree. The problem, as with most design problems, is in the designer, not the technology.</p> Danny: I agree. The problem, as with most design problems, is in the designer, not the technology.

]]> By: Danny Sedor http://www.designinginteractive.com/design/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/comment-page-1/#comment-7 Danny Sedor Sun, 26 Aug 2007 04:08:46 +0000 http://www.designinginteractive.com/2007/08/25/why-flash-is-mostly-bad/#comment-7 <p>I agree wholeheartedly that flash has a tendancy to overwhelm the user experience. I have learned from first hand experience, however, properly placed flash can add an important functionality to sites were Video and/or animation are a crucial aspect to the message the site is trying to convey, for example the old Macromedia site and the current "splash" at the beginning of adobe.com.</p> <p>As with anything, Flash can be a useful tool when used properly and not the sole utility used in a page design.</p> <p>Cant wait for the next version where some of the changes you have mentioned come to reality.</p> I agree wholeheartedly that flash has a tendancy to overwhelm the user experience. I have learned from first hand experience, however, properly placed flash can add an important functionality to sites were Video and/or animation are a crucial aspect to the message the site is trying to convey, for example the old Macromedia site and the current “splash” at the beginning of adobe.com.

As with anything, Flash can be a useful tool when used properly and not the sole utility used in a page design.

Cant wait for the next version where some of the changes you have mentioned come to reality.

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