Flash or HTML websites?

Halcyon · 12-09-2009, 15:48

I'm about to re-design my website that has been offline for a long while and am wondering whether to make it completly in flash or to stick with a html site with elements of flash.

A complete flash website would allow me to use more multimedia content and make it more fun.

Does this appeal to you or do you prefer standard websites?

Thankyou.

Tezcatlipoca · 12-09-2009, 15:52

I despise Flash websites.

dilli-theclaw · 12-09-2009, 15:57

I find /most/ flash sites unusable

BenMcr · 12-09-2009, 15:57

The only time Flash is needed is for Video and/or Games.

For a whole website soooo nooo

Plus as has been said there is the accessability issue

Halcyon · 12-09-2009, 16:07

Thanks. Looks like flash is loosing in the polls at the moment then.

admars · 12-09-2009, 16:13

html - if I go to a website for info, i want info, I want it fast, right in front of me, easy to find, I don't want to have to wait for fancy menus to open, pretty videos to display. One of the reasons wikipedia is so good. Even if multimedia would be relevant, say If I'm after info on a band, I'll go to wikipedia's page on the band to get the raw info, then if I want to hear/see more I'll go to the band's site or some other music page which could use flash.

Flash is good for actually entertaining the viewer, i.e. with music, video, games etc, but just to display info, it's generally used poorly.

Raistlin · 12-09-2009, 16:33

I voted for HMTL, but my actual answer is more complicated than that.

I'd say that if you're a flashy media type, trying to sell your flashy media wares, to support your flashy media business, then Flash is the way forward - marketing idiots with deep pockets, big chequebooks, and little understanding of or care for accessibility are likely to be impressed (provided you do it correctly) and will (maybe)[1] pay you good money as a result.

If, on the other hand, you're trying to make your content available to as wide an audience as possible, and if you care about making your site accessible to people with additional needs (screen readers, clear fonts, etc), and if you care more about quality of content than you do about your own perception of what other people think is 'fun', then I would suggest staying away from a wholly flash web site.

People will find 'fun' in a well constructed, well thought out, well designed, site with good content, that is relevant to them.

If you build it right, they'll have 'fun'.[2]

[1] This post does not constitute any promise, either by the author or his family or agents, that 'marketing idiots with deep pockets, big chequebooks, and little understanding of or care for accessibility' will be prepared to pay you money, 'good' or otherwise. Any failure on your part to persuade those 'marketing idiots with deep pockets, big chequebooks, and little understanding of or care for accessibility' to part with their cash is entirely your own. The value of my interest can go down as well as up. Any likeness of characters in this post to persons either living, dead, or made out of cheese, is entirely purple monkey dishwasher.

[2] This was as close as I could get to 'If you book them, they will come.' - you get the point

punky · 12-09-2009, 16:40

Further to what Rob said, if you do want to impressive idiot executives and get them to throw tonnes of money at you then i'd create a HTML only site and then create a complete Flash-based sub-site to show off with. That way the user gets to choose. Never foist Flash on them.

I visted a site recently that was Flash-only, took an age to load (about 1% per second, so about 1.5 minutes) and was easily capable of being written in HTML + javascript.

Halcyon · 12-09-2009, 17:37

Thanks for the comments so far.

The site will mainly be for showcasing my music projects and photos and a news/updates section.

I'm currently thinking maybe to stick to HTML and have certain flash parts embedded.

Raistlin · 12-09-2009, 17:38

Quote:

Originally Posted by punky

Further to what Rob said, if you do want to impressive idiot executives and get them to throw tonnes of money at you then i'd create a HTML only site and then create a complete Flash-based sub-site to show off with. That way the user gets to choose. Never foist Flash on them.

Now that's blue sky thinking

AntiSilence · 12-09-2009, 22:11

I hate websites that are all Flash. They take away basic usability such as copying text, and are slow on older PC's and even not viewable on systems where Flash isn't allowed to be installed like on works PC's etc.

I like Flash elements in web pages though. Makes for good menus and other bits and bobs.