[Hidden-tech] Restaurant websites built using Adobe Flash?

[Robert Heller]

At Thu, 22 Jan 2009 14:58:05 -0500 Tom Adams- Reelife Productions <tomadams at gmail.com> wrote:

> 
>    ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** If you did, we all thank you.
> 
> 
> would this be an acceptable use of flash on a homepage?
> 
> www.reelifeproductions.com
> 
> (how's that fir creative cross/promotion/infoquest)
> 
> seriously, I welcome your constructive criticisms because one of the  
> things on my 2009 todo list is to overhaul the site...

No.  This is just the sort of page I would simply navigate away from
and probably never visit every again. There really is no good reason
for a page to *require* the use flash as part its basic navigation or
informational content. And web sites that *require* the use of either
a specific web browser or some third-party extension (which is what
flash is) violate at least the spirit of the W3W standards.  Even if
the site is all about videos, flash is not really necessary to convey
the basic ideas that the site needs to convey. For example, it is
entirely possible to *navigate* youtube.com without flash (and I in
fact do this)! 'Flashy' (in all senses of the word) graphics do not
really convey *informational* content and generally serve to 'hide' a
lack of *actual* content.  At least that is my reaction.  If you cannot
or are unable to explain what your business does with plain textual
content, then it implies (to me) that on some level you have not
clearly thought out what it is you are trying to say.

Please don't take this personally! It is meant to express my response
to this sort of site, one that comes up with the *impression* that its
content can only be expressed as a (flashy) video.  You site does have
a nice paragraph that explains what you do.  It is just that
effectively *for me* that is your whole site.  Clicking to the 'main
site' just gets me a blank area with a play button, which I have no
intention of ever clicking (I just don't have the patience to download
a flash object over a dial-up connection).  I guess part of my problem
is that I am a 'militantly literate' person.  I much rather *read*
about something than watch a video presentation. My main use of video
media is *entertainment*, not getting information. If I can simply read
about something, I can skim over parts and/or re-read parts.  It is just
not possible to do this well with video.

> 
> hope I don't need to start putting on my flood gear....;)
> 
> Regards,
> 
> Tom Adams, Director/Owner www.ReelifeProductions.com, (from iPhone 413.575.9707 
> )
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> 
> On Jan 22, 2009, at 2:33 PM, "Edbride-PR" <Ed at edbride-pr.com> wrote:
> 
> >  ** Be sure to fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's  
> > area.
> >  ** If you did, we all thank you.
> >
> >
> > The sound is coming in, regardless of whether you play it or not, so  
> > you're not saving bandwidth by turning off the sound. But you're  
> > probably lowering your blood pressure.
> >
> > I join the chorus of those who despise Flash on a home page. Finding  
> > the Exit or Next button to escape from Flash isn't exactly my  
> > definition of sticky. Spending 20 seconds looking? Wow...that's some  
> > qualifier: it assumes visitors are so captivated in their search  
> > that they will endure this wait, and Flash, looking for "just their  
> > info." Sounds like the brand is all about testing customers' patience.
> >
> > Ed
> > ----- Original Message ----- From: "Tom Kopec" <t_e_k at comcast.net>
> > To: <hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net>
> > Sent: Thursday, January 22, 2009 1:24 PM
> > Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Restaurant websites built using Adobe  
> > Flash?
> >
> >
> >>
> >> At 09:52 AM 1/22/2009, Info @ WinansCreative.com wrote:
> >>
> >>> We had cases where SEO wasn't that big a concern to our client,  
> >>> and we explained the risks/benefits of using Flash well in  
> >>> advance. The goal was to get people to spend more than 20 seconds  
> >>> on the site looking for just their info, so that they could really  
> >>> experience what the brand was all about.
> >>
> >> IMHO, this is a serious problem. You are wasting my time for your  
> >> (client's) goals. In general, if I get stuck in eye candy when I'm  
> >> looking for information (MY goals), I will go somewhere else if  
> >> possible.
> >>
> >> While I'm ranting, I generally surf with sound off because of all  
> >> the noisy websites out there. I'd really like to be able to leave  
> >> sounds on, but it is just too distracting and annoying, not to  
> >> mention a waste of bandwidth.
> >>
> >> Just my $0.02, foe what it's worth..
> >>
> >> ...tom
> >
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