To Flash or Not to Flash???

by JoMo

Posted: 13 years ago 13 replies

INTERNET MARKETING

I like creating Flash content for my sites, but with so many people using there hand held devices to access the net these days does it make sense to use Flash in your sites any more? Some of the newest Androids can handle Flash, but no iphone can. And from what I gather Steve Jobs hates Flash. So the iphone may never support it.

-joel

#flash

Dan C. Rinnert 13 years ago

Is Flash necessary? I have a client whose former web designer used a lot of Flash on their website. When I redid it, I eliminated all of the Flash. In their case, I was able to accomplish everything they had and wanted without the use of Flash.

That may not always be possible, depending on what you need to use Flash for. But, I'd see if the stuff you want to do can be done without Flash and only use Flash when absolutely necessary.
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JoMo

13 years ago

No it is not necessary. I just like using it, but here is SO much Flash on the web right now. Do you think that Apple will be forced to adapt it in the future, or is Flash on its way out?

-joel

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Dan C. Rinnert

13 years ago

Originally Posted by JoMo

No it is not necessary. I just like using it, but here is SO much Flash on the web right now. Do you think that Apple will be forced to adapt it in the future, or is Flash on its way out?

Hard to say. Will have to see what HTML5 brings us.

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Istvan Horvath 13 years ago

Originally Posted by JoMo

No it is not necessary. I just like using it,

That's not a good enough reason. Do your visitors like it? Does it add real value to your sites?

Can the SEs see what is inside your flash? (or you don't care?)
Those are the real questions not what Apple will do...
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E. Brian Rose 13 years ago

I don't think you will see Flash on the iPhone anytime soon. I gather that from some of the interviews that I have read. I am not a fan of Flash and never have been, although I did like Sherif Rosco P. Coltrane's dog.
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Ti 13 years ago

Flash is good when it comes to videos, but when talking about navigation or anything other than animated video, I would say skip it.
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JoMo 13 years ago

Yes my visitors like and use it. Yes it does add value to my sites, but that wasn't my question. I was asking specifically about Flash being viewed on mobile devices in the future.

If mobile devices will be supporting Flash more in the future then it is worth my time, but if they won't then I need to moving away from it.

And I don't think that Apple will absolutely never let Flash be used on their hardware. If they feel they are losing enough customers because their competition supports it then they will change their plan. Steve Jobs isn't stupid, he's just a jagoff.

-joel
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TheBrainchildGroup 13 years ago

Our main website is built in Flash and has been up since 2007, but I'm swapping over to WordPress and using it as a CMS system. Flash has many downsides.

If you're stuck on using Flash, include certain elements on your website that, if not appearing, won't hurt you.
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- tim413 13 years ago
  
  I think using flash now is ok!!! It looks like Youtube is going back to flash. This is probable because MP4 videos used for commercial use will have to pay royalties in 2015.
  
  Also, I have an iphone and use the Skyfire app to watch flash video. I am able to see almost all flash videos with this app.
  
  Google chrome at this time does not plan to support HTML 5 videos, so the next couple of years will be interesting as companies fight over video codec.
  
  Tim
  
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Bannaz 13 years ago

Use flash - just not for your content. Include back up images that replace the flash if the user does not have this installed or is using an iPad etc.
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- Victor 13 years ago
  
  Flash has so much power and I notice a lot of people are condemning it so easily. I could go on a rant about it, but I will just answer your question in regards to Flash and it's future on smart phones.
  
  I say you develop using a combination of Flash and HTML5. The limiting factor about HTML5 right now is that it's in the infant stage. Meaning, it is not very powerful and has a few years to go before it really "works". It also doesn't support fullscreen viewing like Flash video does.
  
  I would use Flash for video and incorporate HTML5 video as a backup to Flash if it fails. Failure meaning...if for example, a person visits your site with an iPhone, you can run a script or something that will detect this. Have the script figure this out and display the HTML5 video instead of the Flash video.
  
  Adobe is way ahead of the curve here. So I don't think Flash is a failure or "old School". Flash has a huge following and Adobe is already developing a packager that will convert Flash code into HTML5. They came out with a iPhone App packager that converted Flash to Xcode. It was banned on the App Store.
  
  No doubt that Apple is pushing HTML5, but try running most current HTML5 on an iPhone, iPad or any other device and you will be greatly disappointed.
  
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gmscreative 13 years ago

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Neil Morgan 13 years ago

When deciding on this, I'd advise not getting too hung up on the specific technology because it's all really just a means to an end.

Consider your audience. What do you need/want them to see? What if they can't? Can you provide an alternative?

Web designers and developers have been battling with all this since day one with things like browser wars, javascript enabled/disabled and now Flash, Java, .Net, Air etc.

You've just got to make your content work for the widest audience with particular focus on your target market. It's not really possible for every single person to be fully catered for with one version of your content.

Cheers,

Neil
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To Flash or Not to Flash???

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