16 replies to this topic

[Bazz]

See here:

http://www.modaco.co...=asc&highlight=

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Bazz, I agree with you about long loading times and crap, pointless sites. I on the other hand I use flash to build web APPLICATIONS, all optimised for 56k.  
Take for instance the Contact management system I am working on at the moment. Now here we have a solution that is better organised and easier to use than Outlook, with the main criteria for the project is that it calls and manipulates data FASTER than Outlook. So now I have a CRM that can work faster over a 56K line on an SQL database than Outlook can on a local database!!! (Sorry, can’t post a demo URL at the moment).  

And yes, there’s an SPV version coming… PHP this time….  

It’s a shame flash has so many talent less, FrontPagers churning out utter crap giving it a bad name!  

Have a look at this one (Bearing in mind its 100% flash), and see if it fits in with your views of flash.  

www.mita.co.uk  

And just for interest, most of the sites i produce come in under 150k. (data loaded on a need-to-know basis).  

PS Thanks awarner, that was the first site we ever produced! Getting better all the time, oh and it really is testing connection and system speed at the beginning! Nice.

I like www.mita.co.uk!! The best use of Flash I've seen. most of them are just flashy ads (excuse the pun). That's fine it that's all the site is (and some sites are just ads and have good reason to be), but useless if the site contains more info which is impossible to get at.

However... (and you knew that was coming didn't you!). Is there anything on that site (after the initial intro), which can't be done on html/javascript/cgi? I can't right click to open in another window, I can't go back.. etc. You've broken the basic rules of web browsing!

My thoughts. However as I said I am impressed with what you can do with flash if it is done right!

Comments, thoughts?

[awarner]

I do like flash and what it can do, but and this is a big BUT, just like you
said If you have a slow connection they can be nothing but a pain :evil:

[ClintEastman]

Mita was an exercise in taking the best bits of html and flash and merging them into one product, so on the flash side of things there’s the menu system, fully animated that also provides the main color for the nav/top bar (click on the different section buttons, the main colored ones, and the bars change color, it was a real pain to do across frames!!) there’s also the pre-built news player that was just “dropped-in” from code that was built 6 months before. Now the best thing about HTML to me is the way it streams in, so the main pages are built to stream in the same way, no waiting to see content.
As for a back button look at the top of the screen!
(We have even developed a method of using the back button in a single frame flash movie! Look at www.legseleven.net (lap dancing!!))
Now for page size! Because you are used to seeing loading bars and heavily un-optimised flash sites you are under the impression that SWF’s are bloated, there not! This site is MUCH smaller than there original site it replaced, this site weighs in at 2MB, the original was more like 12MB and that had no control over the way it streamed in!

And I haven’t even posted a URL for one of our flash applications yet!

Comments?

And before someone else says about loading times flash is REALLY small when you know what you are doing! Think of it this way, if I made a HTML site with one pic at 4MB it will take an age to load, because ‘I haven’t optimised it’ my fault, not HTML’s.

[Bazz]

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As for a back button look at the top of the screen!

Proves my point! You changed the way I'm used to browsing and I didn't see it. ;-)

It is a very good site and, as I said, open my eyes a bit to what flash is capable of, but I still maintain this could be done just as well in HTML and therefore would be instantly familiar - and useable on the SPV (for example).

[ClintEastman]

The SPV comment is fair, and there's nothing stopping me having the tool bar at the top, apart from the client!!
And you assumed the back button wasn't there, but it's where it sould be, and looks identical.

Did you have a look at www.legseleven.net?

If you could tell me what you think that would be great.  

[Bazz]

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Look at www.legseleven.net (lap dancing!!)

At work at the mo with a strict internet policy so the lap dancing comment worried me! Will check out tonight.

Barry

P.S. And yes I'm sure I shouldn't be spending as much time here as I do during work hours ;-)

[HelloDave]

Personally I'm not a big flash fan, as most of the sites are sadly made by "talent less, FrontPagers" and do take an age to load! One thing that really bugs me is site intros - why bother? If you want to return to the site more than once you have to sit through the intro again and they very rarely impart any useful information whatsoever. Yes, before you say it I could click the "skip intro" button but why should I have to? (And half the time the buttons never skip the intro anyway, they just reload the same sodding page with the intro on it! )

[ClintEastman]

I agree with your points on intros, 99% of the time they have no use AT ALL! The one place that we have willingly used an intro is on our own site, which if you think about it is a showcase to potential customers what we can do with flash. The problem part is the customers, if they wont one they get one, after all they pay the bills!!

Saying that our intro is quite nice.

PS “You’re my wife now”

www.netsource-solutions.co.uk

[someone]

The most beautiful flsh site in the world: http://www.2advanced.com
I've never seen a site more beautiful than this one...

When you are at the first page klick on "enter 2advanced studios" and enjoy what you're gonna see.

Just klick on some buttons and follow the movements.

It's just incredible!

[chewie]

^ yeah 2advanced are the masters, but for pure actionscripting genius check out http://www.yugop.com

On the note of flash, i'm a flash developer myself, i dont like intro's on movies, especially if you have to wait for a site to load, then wait for the intro to finish.

I say preload it up and then let em straight into the site

[salvi]

have a loock at these site


:shock:  :shock:   http://www.derbauer.de/  :shock:  :shock:

[neilg]

Anyone got a good intro/guide/book they can recommend for flash?
I basically have no artistic skill whatsoever but I have found lots of site with free samples - just want to have a play puting some things together.

[jtsaint]

i NEVER use flash, but that is given my client base.

I think that the sites you have all given look fantastic. The full screen one from Clint is very impressive. I especially like that art on the www.debraure.... one.

Why do I not use flash - cause if the user does not have it installed they are stuck with a massive download which, to be quite honest,  users will be unwilling to do. I will not accpet any argument saying that they will cause I have seen how bad at using computers people are and how impatient they are with the internet.

Rememeber that the competition is one click away, so a user that does not have flash will simply go to the next site. Although you can make static sites along with flash ones, the link to the static site is often not well positioned making your average lame user getting lost.

What is the score with ActioScripting. I build java based webservices but the presentation stuff with flash is rather impressive.

Again love that full screenstuff that is a very very usefull thing to no how to do.

[jtsaint]

And by the way having actually been to Legs Eleven, I ca thoroughly recommend it. £5 a dance on Satruday night last time I was there and only £3 for a beer.

[jtsaint]

I hear through the grapevine that Flash on 3G is going to be big and realised through J2ME. And like u said grad it will be amazing for games. Interesting stuff looking forward. ...l