First off, this isn’t a “this vs that” post (It’s not about flash vs html/javascript, it’s about flash with html/javascript). If you’re looking for a flame war you might as well stop reading here.
At DigitalOctane we primarily build flash sites. It’s something we’re good at. At one point it was really the only thing we built. Over the past year we have been making a transition towards more html sites and html/flash hybrids. This is a good thing! Flash peeps stay with me! How did we get here?
Short History Lesson
It’s a pretty amazing thing if you think about it. For those of us who have been in this business for a while (I’ve been doing this since 1999ish). We went from iframes, nested tables and “spacer.gif. Not to mention the MAJOR browser compatibility issues, with browser dependent versions of websites based on the users browser.
All these factors pushed more designers, ui devs and, agencies towards Flash (not to mention the relatively low learning curve). Which worked across every browser and OS relatively the same way. Suddenly we had a web with an overwhelming amount of Flash. Too much even. I for one was guilty of “let’s make this crazy flash interface because we can”, not because we should.
Half the problem
One of the great things about flash is also it’s worst problem. A very low barrier of entry. This has allows years upon years of bad practice. From poor development fundamentals to poor usage of the tools in general. I for one blame sites / communities back in the day (I’m looking at you flashkit!) for allowing everyone to share code with out actually teaching correct implementation or usage. I cannot count the number of times I have interviewed potential hires and asked where they go for inspiration and tutorials etc to be told “Oh I just went to flashkit”. The snatch and grab implementation attitude has created a sour taste in the mouth of many a web user.
The times they are a change’n
Our team has a large amount of experience in the automotive industry. I find that the auto industry is a good barometer regarding future trends within our own industry. This is mainly due to the competitive nature of the automotive space. Requirements for SEO, Seach engine maketing, paid placement and “Social Media” integration are huge factors for this switch. Mobile versions of sites are another majors
Now we’re seeing the trend go the other way. We’re utilizing flash and html/js to create a better user experience for the end user; but not necessarily a full browser window flash experience. Not to say that there isn’t still room for that. Especially with product marketing sites, Movie & Videogame promotional websites that benefit from the features Flash has to offer.
The other Extreme
There are some extreme scenarios happening though. I see another round of “Just because we can” happening with Javascript. The specs for javascript haven’t really changed over the years. There have just been some really talented teams that have created a lot of frameworks which have become quite popular jQuery, Moo Tools, YUI, prototype, etc you name it. Without these frame works making things easier. I don’t think we would honestly be seeing the amount of javascript being done today.
html5, Flash and the future of the business
I’m not going to make some half hearted guess to the future of the web. But the short and long term vision for DO hasn’t really changed only the technology. We will continue to suggest the best implementation for our clients. As long as they aren’t requesting Real Player support I think we’ll be just fine.
Tags: Adobe, Flash, html/css, javascript, Rants
