services: flash development
Oooh, Look… Sparklies
the ironic part about this display piece is that we’re not using flash; it’s a jQuery plugin. there’s more than one way to skin a web site.
Lots of companies out there bill themselves as Flash experts; some of them actually are. We’ve been developing in it since it was FutureSplash. Which, now that we consider it, means we’re old.
We’ve built Flash banners, Flash image rotators, Flash splash pages, Flash marquees, Flash applications, Flash media players, Flash navigation, Flash games, 100% Flash sites, Flash contests, Flash logos, Flash buttons, Flash front ends... We even built a Flash-based mammal tracking system for the Government of the British Virgin Islands, so you could track whale sightings in real time.
Nothing draws the human eye like motion. And nothing enhances a website like motion – if used appropriately.
Suffice it to say we’ve worked with the stuff a bunch. We like working with the stuff a bunch. And we know when you shouldn’t work with it at all. We’re not going to sell you an expensive piece of animation just to sell you an expensive piece of animation. And we’re not going to tell you that artistically, your navigation system has to be Flash or we’re facing a species extinction event in the western hemisphere. We’ll let you know when we think Flash would really help bring your site to life.
So Tell Me About This Flash Stuff
Does Flash Have a Downside?
Yep. Without some effort, Flash can’t be searched by the engines. And although Adobe has opened Flash so that search engines can walk it, the technique isn’t [just this moment] 100% reliable or instituted across every search engine. So if you’ve got a Flash-based navigation system, spiders won’t find pages without pulling some tricks – and you’ll need to take other measures to boot. If you’ve got a 100% Flash site, your content isn’t going to be out in the wild. Any content you put into any Flash application isn’t going to be readily searchable. And mobile devices can’t see Flash as well – so if your navigation schema uses a Flash app, that nifty new iPad you just bought won’t be able to navigate your site.
To top it off, working within Flash ups your development time and reduces the ease of updating. Simply put, take the time necessary for an update on a normal page and double it, at least.
To top it off, working within Flash ups your development time and reduces the ease of updating. Simply put, take the time necessary for an update on a normal page and double it, at least.
Does Flash Have an Upside?
You betcha, Sparky.
So long as you’re talking about set-top [think desktops and laps] you’ve got what amounts to ubiquitous penetration. And, unlike the fun things you can pull with JavaScript libraries, HTML5, CSS3, Webkit and Canvas, you don’t have to worry about cross platform & browser compability nearly as much – or, really, at all. If it works in Flash, it works in Flash; you just need to make sure you test what version the incoming user has onboard. Your application doesn’t have to be tested in fourteen browsers on three platforms for compatability’s sake.
Flash also has greater capabilites – at least in terms of animation – than the new technologies on the block. It can quite simply do things that can’t be done with other techniques.
So long as you’re talking about set-top [think desktops and laps] you’ve got what amounts to ubiquitous penetration. And, unlike the fun things you can pull with JavaScript libraries, HTML5, CSS3, Webkit and Canvas, you don’t have to worry about cross platform & browser compability nearly as much – or, really, at all. If it works in Flash, it works in Flash; you just need to make sure you test what version the incoming user has onboard. Your application doesn’t have to be tested in fourteen browsers on three platforms for compatability’s sake.
Flash also has greater capabilites – at least in terms of animation – than the new technologies on the block. It can quite simply do things that can’t be done with other techniques.
So What’s Dynamic Flash?
We saw the future, and the future was plastics dynamic Flash. In part. Particularly since we’d been doing it for years.
Specifically, what you have is Flash that’s capable of picking up data from another source and building itself around that information. This means you won’t be invoking a macroencephalitic geek of doom in order to rearrange picture order in your banner, at the low range. And it means you can build full-fledged applications at the upper range.
Coupled with intelligent design and placement, you end up with an enhancement of your site – and not a disadvantage. Our experts can help you determine exactly what makes sense in terms of your web presence, so you’re enhancing the user’s experience. And not costing yourself rankings or money.
Specifically, what you have is Flash that’s capable of picking up data from another source and building itself around that information. This means you won’t be invoking a macroencephalitic geek of doom in order to rearrange picture order in your banner, at the low range. And it means you can build full-fledged applications at the upper range.
Coupled with intelligent design and placement, you end up with an enhancement of your site – and not a disadvantage. Our experts can help you determine exactly what makes sense in terms of your web presence, so you’re enhancing the user’s experience. And not costing yourself rankings or money.
So What’s the Future of Flash?
And right there, you’ve got yourself a multimillion dollar question.
If the ÜberSteve has his way, Flash will well and truly be dead in the water. Preferably with its feet firmly encased in concrete Reeboks. Cranking off Apple is no longer the laughing matter it used to be, particularly in the mobile/consumer electronics environment – even if Apple starts the cranking.
And the problem isn’t just there. Mobile devices on the ground that can cope with Flash are few and far between, and it looks to stay that way for while. Google’s Android has issues as well, Blackberry don’t walk that side of the infobahn and Windows Phone 7 is just, well, sad. As usual with products from Redmond these days.
And the smart[phone] money is on the future of computing going mobile. When you’ve got 65 year old hausfraus buying Kindles, you’ve got a definite trend.
The real question is where Adobe is going to take Flash and what technology base they’re going to do it in. As soon as we know, we’ll let you know – but for now, our recommendation is to use Flash as sparingly and as appropriately as possible, not just because you like things to move on the screen.
If the ÜberSteve has his way, Flash will well and truly be dead in the water. Preferably with its feet firmly encased in concrete Reeboks. Cranking off Apple is no longer the laughing matter it used to be, particularly in the mobile/consumer electronics environment – even if Apple starts the cranking.
And the problem isn’t just there. Mobile devices on the ground that can cope with Flash are few and far between, and it looks to stay that way for while. Google’s Android has issues as well, Blackberry don’t walk that side of the infobahn and Windows Phone 7 is just, well, sad. As usual with products from Redmond these days.
And the smart[phone] money is on the future of computing going mobile. When you’ve got 65 year old hausfraus buying Kindles, you’ve got a definite trend.
The real question is where Adobe is going to take Flash and what technology base they’re going to do it in. As soon as we know, we’ll let you know – but for now, our recommendation is to use Flash as sparingly and as appropriately as possible, not just because you like things to move on the screen.
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Value. Liquid Anvil’s value for money spent is unequaled. We don’t have fancy offices or vice-presidents pulling salary and perks for playing golf. What we do have is a dedicated core of seasoned professionals who produce - and that keeps your [and, frankly, our] costs down.And please rest assured that one of the cost-cutting measures we have not implemented is offshoring. All of our work is done right here in house - and we won’t have it any other way. You’ll never have to worry about “Bob” the Technical Support Guy ordering curry off-mike in Hindi.
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What Our Clients Are Saying…
We’ve been working with the staff at Liquid Anvil for several years now. We’ve completed a bunch of projects together, and we’ll continue to bring new projects to their office. Why? Timely delivery, prompt support, honesty and accountability, deep experience and technical expertise, fair prices, cooperative attitude, and great results. What else can you ask for?Joe Politano,
Twin Ponds Marketing, Inc.
Twin Ponds Marketing, Inc.