So I am curious about using Flash in my website, but really don’t know much about the topic. (And don’t want to spend forever reading about something I may not want.)
Some basic questions…
1.) So Flash is basically like making a movie and then saving it in a file that will play on a website (e.g. sorta like an animated GIF), right?
2.) How complicated is it to learn to create and use Flash?
It seems like it could be a major undertaking - almost like going into video production?! :-/
I see a lot of websites use it on their home pages to show off what looks like a series of “Flash Cards” of features on their websites. (e.g. The radio station KLPX back home in Arizona does this.)
3.) Is there an open-source way to create Flash?
I don’t have the $$$ to go spend a couple grand on an Adobe Dev Suite?!
4.) How beneficial is Flash in 2011?
Is it old-school?
Do users expect it? Hate it? Indifferent to it?
Is it a good place to invest my time and effort on a new website?
(My #1 focus is on content, however, I do want to jazz things up a bit on my home page and catch people’s attention to important areas of my website.)
1.) So Flash is basically like making a movie and then saving it in a file that will play on a website (e.g. sorta like an animated GIF), right?
Yes but unlike a gif it has interactivity and can integrate multiple sources of media e.g video,audio,images
2.) How complicated is it to learn to create and use Flash?
Similar in scope to learning javascript. However, good flash developers also need to understand elements of animation and multimedia terminology and technology.
3.) Is there an open-source way to create Flash?
Yes, Flashdevelop and other code based ides. There’s not a free equivalent however that also has timeline based animation as far as I’m aware.
4.) How beneficial is Flash in 2011?
Although web standards purists and apple zealots like to hate on it, it still offers the best ROI in most cases for development of any complex multi media/interactive devices that need to work cross platform on the web. For a lot of simple use cases that flash used to be used a lot for such as slideshows, there are equally easy and more accessible alternative such as using jquery.
How long would it take me to learn to do a slide show like in the link I provided?
A slideshow is fairly easy to do, but you’d probably be better doing it in jquery that way you don’t need anything other than a text editor.
What does that mean??
Timeline animation is a visual way of editing an animation. The free software available that outputs flash doesn’t have that.
Also, aren’t you at a greater risk that your user will have JavaScript off than not be able to see Flash?
It’s about similar. I wouldn’t worry too much about it, jquery overlays on top of html so images will still show without it, just not animated.
So what do I need to do to build a slideshow with JavaScript?
Can you help get me started?
First off, do I need to create images for each slide? (Or can I use something dynamic like HTML/CSS?)
If I do need to make a picture for each, what is the best way to do that?
$$$ is tight, so I’d want to go open-source.
Would Gimp or Inkscape work?
My business objective is to have maybe 5 slides that have key selling points on each. I am trying to convey a message more than pretty pictures, although I want this to look professional. Basically, the slideshow is supposed to be a “teaser” to get people to think and then want to read more of my website…
I definitely could use help getting started on this one~
