What is Flash?

March 05, 2003 | Comments Closed

While we’re on the Macromedia tip — stumbled upon a rather interesting site today: What Is Flash? (via Hollowcube - via Josh Dura’s Journal Project ) The purpose of the site is to “To define Flash through a manifesto written by leading members of the Flash community and to educate designers and developers of all levels by demonstrating best practices methods in Flash design and development”. Pretty cool. I myself often wish I had more opportunity to work on my Flash skills, at times I feel it’s passing me by. I think the last thing I’ve done is my 2002 site.

As I’m sure most of you don’t know, as this blog is not all that old, I used to work building user interfaces with Flash for a number of different applications for Connexion by Boeing. I worked on Kiosks, control centers, CD demos, Web sites, Web applications, all with Flash and usually tied into Cold Fusion. It was great fun. When the airlines started to go down I lost my job. But that is a whole other story.

I seldom have a reason to use Flash anymore, although there are a few things in work at the hospital and I’m planning on doing some “art” type stuff on my own when I find the time. Anyway, when I was browsing What Is Flash? I thought back to my own definition of Flash, and how I used to explain it to people who thought it’s only use was making boring, long, drawn out, slow loading, tedious intros. I used a metaphor, and here it is:

Put simply Flash is a tool. Like any other tool, say a screwdriver for example, it’s effectiveness is only as good as the skill, intelligence and know-how of it’s user, as well as the appropriateness of the task to which it is set. If, for instance, you needed to drive a nail into a wall, you could use a screwdriver in a number of ways, and it may work just fine. However, using a hammer, who’s primary task is driving nails into things, would probably be a better option. Any carpenter knows this. The same goes with Flash.

A caveat. In the year 2003 Flash has grown to be a very flexible tool, it can do a great number of things and do them well. The days of “Flash is 99% Bad” are long gone, and seem rather silly when you look at what can be done with Flash today.

Like I said, it’s a tool. It represents one way of doing something, and sometimes it’s great and other times, not so great — its up to the person using Flash to determine the rest.

Filed under: Web General