A Little More About Flash

Adobe Flash (previously Macromedia Flash, previously FutureSplash) is a multimedia format created especially for the Web. Flash gives you the ability to create full-screen animation, interactive graphics, integrated audio clips, even scriptable games and applications, all at remarkably small file sizes. Some sites use Flash instead of (X)HTML for their entire interface, content, and functionality.

Flash has a number of advantages:

Because it uses vector graphics, files are small and the movie can be resized without loss of detail.
Real-time anti-aliasing keeps the edges smooth.
It is a streaming format, so movies start playing quickly and continue to play as they download.
You can use ActionScript to add behaviors and advanced interactivity, allowing Flash to be used as the frontend for dynamically generated content or e-commerce functions.
The Flash plug-in is welldistributed, so support is reliable.

On the downside:
The fact that a plugin is required to play Flash media makes some developers squeamish.
Content may be lost for nongraphical browsers. However, Flash has many features to improve accessibility.
The software required to create Flash content is often expensive, and the learning curve is steep.
Flash is not appropriate for all sites and it is not poised to replace (X)HTML. However, when used well, it can create a big impact and a memorable user experience.

For more information, look for “Adobe Flash” at Wikipedia.org.