To Flash or Not To Flash

This is one of those popular debate topics in web design forums.What types of web sites should use this new technology and what types of sites should not?

The Downfalls: It is not advised for E-commerce sites to use Flash Technology. The purpose of an e-commerce site is to sell items to consumers that visit their site. The visitors want to see the products and get the information quickly and easily. By implementing an e-commerce site in Flash, that company is limiting the amount of consumers that go into the site, and could potentially lose sales because of this.

The Good Side of Flash: Yes, Flash does have its good points. Flash is very beneficial to Entertainment web sites. Sites that are mainly for entertainment purposes and do not run the risk of driving sales away are ideal for Flash Technology. Informational sites are also starting to use Flash in parts of their sites to depict moving images and sound as a guided tour or clips of information that make the site more interesting.

Flash is also great for children and game sites. With Flash Technology, your site can interact with the visitors in the form of games or funny cartoons. It adds fun and excitement to the web with sounds of music,voices, and colorful moving images and pictures. So yes, Flash can be very good for some sites.

Bottom Line: If you have an E-commerce site, do not limit those that can view and purchase from your site. If you own an Entertainment or Artistic site that needs the technology of Flash, but that will not hinder the purpose of your site, then by all means, Flash like there's no tomorrow.