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Adobe Flash Explained

Flash is a vector-graphic animation technology platform used to create interactive, animated, audio and movie-capable web files. The technology was originally named FutureSplash, until purchased by Macromedia in 1997 and then later puchased by Adobe. Flash technology is comprised of three components: the authoring program, used to script Flash files, the .swf Flash file format, and the Flash player. Flash is scripted by ActionScript, a programming language syntactically similar to JavaScript. Flash files, or Flash movies, run on a Flash player software called a plug-in, which often comes pre-installed on most web browsers or else is readily available for download. Studies by NPD Research Group have shown that 99% of internet-using PCs have a Flash plug-in installed. This enormously high penetration rate makes Flash technology a worldwide standard for creating and delivering online movies, audio, and animation.

Features

Flash scripting language ActionScript combines the dynamic content capabilities of JavaScript with additional features like class implementation (object-oriented grouping of related variables and functions, like movies), interfaces (integration capabilities between software, hardware, or users), and static typing (type errors are checked during compilation). ActionScript is the key to making Flash movies interactive, allowing a movie or object within a movie to respond to user input and take different actions accordingly.

Other noteworthy features of Flash include its streaming media format, which allows a movie or audio file to begin to play while the file is still downloading. Flash movies are in vector format, are fully scalable, and can be resized or re-proportioned to fit any browser without losing quality. Flash file content is comprised of basic shapes and text so file sizes are small and run on low bandwidth. Flash animation is multi-browser friendly.

Overcoming the Negatives of Flash

Incorporating artistic and tasteful Flash designs can boost a site's aesthetic appeal by making it more professional, attractive, and memorable. However, Flash content can also hinder a business advertising strategies due to the file's lack of search engine "searchability." Because Flash content is animated and interactive, text for the site is in a dynamic, not static, format. This means that any text in a Flash section of a website is considered a graphic, and cannot be seen or read by search engines. If a website is created entirely in Flash, a search engine may not recognize that the site even exists. This can be a detriment to any business aiming to attract new customers by appearing in search results. One solution involves creating a hybrid site, a static website with some flash elements, like a flash banner. A hybrid site combines the aesthetic appeal one gets with Flash, with the search advantages of fully searchable text on a static website.

Many pop-up and banner ads utilize Flash animation, which has begotten an array of ad prevention software that blocks pop-ups by disabling Flash content from appearing on a user's web browser. If a website is entirely dependent upon Flash, users may be prevented from viewing the site. A way to ensure site usability by all users is to create two sites under the same URL, a dynamic Flash-based version, and a static, no Flash alternative. A splash page, with plenty of descriptive indexable or "searchable" content asks the user to select which site version to enter, and then directs the user accordingly.