Flash Websites ...

A few of my comments about Flash:

Firstly, Flash can be used to create tiny web sites that loader faster than HTML equivalents. This is because they reuse the same elements-only 1 button can be reused many times for different things.

Another way to look at it it to imagine the roof of a house. Only 1 tile is used over and over again to create the image of that roof.

The problem is in the designers who can't help themselves. They have spent so long learning Flash, they can't resist overkill.

A classic example is the intro page.
Intro pages are basically self-indulgent and serve no purpose. But they are also old fashioned now and on the way out.

As far as sound goes, Flash is the best option for streaming sound virtually instantaneously.
Sound as in talking, not music.
Talking is beginning to take off with Real Estate and interactive apps.

Split tests have shown voice on a website INCREASES sales on a website, on an ebay sales item and on email. It adds credibility.

Flash has the highest penetration of any plug-in on the net, even higher than Java. The last figure I saw from macromedia had a 98.3% penetration, which is no doubt higher now because Windows XP comes standard with Flash.

This means for all intents and purposes, everyone can view Flash.

For high price products where you need to look professional, slick and at the top of your game, Flash is a definite edge.

I sell a service to tradeshows for $2500.
A white page with copy isn't going to work.
They want to SEE what they get.
That's what you can do with Flash. You can morph before and after pics to graphically show the difference, add speech and build a demo where the user experiences something.

If you are selling $20 booklets, it doesnt matter.

It's all relative.

For some applications Flash is a powerful presentation tool that can also be taken offline.
I have embedded movie clips etc on a CD Rom which gets sent out to prospects. It's a great showcase.

In my opinion, Flash is unstoppable because it can do so much, online and offline. It is in the latest operating systems and browsers. More applications are Falsh compliant, and with each new version it becomes more powerful and can do more.

I think soon it will be all pervasive.

My 2 cents worth.

Cheers

Tom B.