Unfortunatly when dealing with all the US gov’t it has to be compliant. So I agree with “how would a blind indivdual use photoshop”, or “the analogie of a website being like McDonalds, and McDonalds has access so so should a website”
What is all comes down to when designing for the gov’t, which I do, it has to be compliant with 508. So creativity goes down the drain. Thought of flash are never in my mind. Perhaps in a couple years when the technology catches up with the legislation I will be able to utilize it. But until then it is just basic HTML.
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lenore
What is wrong with basic HTML websites? Have we gotten that far into technology that we cannot accept that creativity and design can also be incredibly simple? The technology doesn’t make the design. I mean, great movies that use amazing CG doesn’t make it a better movie than one that does not. I think we should try to make the web content accessible to as many as possible – this also included reducing the browser-dependent page designs. And while we’re making all these presumptions about what those with various disabilities would like to access on the web, has anyone thought to ask them? I would argue that even though one cannot see does not mean that he or she could not successfully use Photoshop – every visual person definitely cannot use the program. Didn’t we get over segregation years ago? Compliancy to section 508 and making websites accessible does not exclude creativity – it just actually makes you think more and use technology less. I find it an almost welcome change – how many terrible dhtml/flash websites have you seen? I don’t have anything against the technology other than when it stops being accessible or even used in a way that makes it cool for everyone. Numerous Javascript popup windows have killed my taste for personally using Javascript although I appreciate it when others do it well without taxing my user experience.
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Sally
If anyone is having trouble using the “Feature Grid” link in the article, try this one http://dynamic.macromedia.com/bin/MM/software/trial/hwswrec.jsp?product=vpat but be prepared to fill in a questionnaire if you can’t/won’t login…
The Macromedia site is of course shockingly inaccessible and the link to the HTML version is buried so well I only found it by accident. Bah.
I just made a flash banner 468×60 and when i tried to publish it into .gif file it comes out over 200Kb to about 600Kb. But the .swf file comes out to about 6Kb.
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Brandon Blackmoor
Your problem is that you are using Flash to do what should be done with standard, open formats. Is it text? Use text (HTML or XHTML). Is it a graphic? Use a graphic (PNG or JPEG). Is it interactive? Use a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (aka “DHTML”). Flash is destroying the web one URL at a time, and it’s long past time that we as web developers took a stand and refused to use, view, or recommend it.
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ks
Hi, Is anybody out there know about the Flash captioning tool? I read an article saying that it will be out as a freeware from Macromedia in June but I can’t find anything from Macromedia website.
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Back to the ArticleMarchdoe
Unfortunatly when dealing with all the US gov’t it has to be compliant. So I agree with “how would a blind indivdual use photoshop”, or “the analogie of a website being like McDonalds, and McDonalds has access so so should a website”
What is all comes down to when designing for the gov’t, which I do, it has to be compliant with 508. So creativity goes down the drain. Thought of flash are never in my mind. Perhaps in a couple years when the technology catches up with the legislation I will be able to utilize it. But until then it is just basic HTML.
Good Day
lenore
What is wrong with basic HTML websites? Have we gotten that far into technology that we cannot accept that creativity and design can also be incredibly simple? The technology doesn’t make the design. I mean, great movies that use amazing CG doesn’t make it a better movie than one that does not. I think we should try to make the web content accessible to as many as possible – this also included reducing the browser-dependent page designs. And while we’re making all these presumptions about what those with various disabilities would like to access on the web, has anyone thought to ask them? I would argue that even though one cannot see does not mean that he or she could not successfully use Photoshop – every visual person definitely cannot use the program. Didn’t we get over segregation years ago? Compliancy to section 508 and making websites accessible does not exclude creativity – it just actually makes you think more and use technology less. I find it an almost welcome change – how many terrible dhtml/flash websites have you seen? I don’t have anything against the technology other than when it stops being accessible or even used in a way that makes it cool for everyone. Numerous Javascript popup windows have killed my taste for personally using Javascript although I appreciate it when others do it well without taxing my user experience.
OMiranda
I have a qestion.
How can may I make alpha blending and motion tweening a bit more eye catching for a 3 minute animation?
Sally
If anyone is having trouble using the “Feature Grid” link in the article, try this one http://dynamic.macromedia.com/bin/MM/software/trial/hwswrec.jsp?product=vpat but be prepared to fill in a questionnaire if you can’t/won’t login…
The Macromedia site is of course shockingly inaccessible and the link to the HTML version is buried so well I only found it by accident. Bah.
continuex
If anyone know this please let me know!
I just made a flash banner 468×60 and when i tried to publish it into .gif file it comes out over 200Kb to about 600Kb. But the .swf file comes out to about 6Kb.
Can anyone tell me what’s the problem??
Brandon Blackmoor
Your problem is that you are using Flash to do what should be done with standard, open formats. Is it text? Use text (HTML or XHTML). Is it a graphic? Use a graphic (PNG or JPEG). Is it interactive? Use a combination of HTML, CSS, and JavaScript (aka “DHTML”). Flash is destroying the web one URL at a time, and it’s long past time that we as web developers took a stand and refused to use, view, or recommend it.
ks
Hi, Is anybody out there know about the Flash captioning tool? I read an article saying that it will be out as a freeware from Macromedia in June but I can’t find anything from Macromedia website.
jasan
code of flash with keyword
byteshift webdesign
Brandon,
ever heard of browser quirks when implementing DHTML?
(there are, even with gen 6/7 browsers.., NN7 is quite ok, NN6 is not!)
Besides, DHTML can’t do what open format SVG can;
as long as SVG is not widely available it’ll be Flash for sophisticated animation, I guess.
Marek
byteshift webdesign
Brandon,
ever heard of browser quirks when implementing DHTML?
(there are, even with gen 6/7 browsers.., NN7 is quite ok, NN6 is not!)
Besides, DHTML can’t do what open format SVG can;
as long as SVG is not widely available it’ll be Flash for sophisticated animation, I guess.
Marek