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Interactive Web Sites – History of Flash

Throughout the short history of Web design, few applications have made as big of an impact as Flash. For those who remember, or those who are learning it for the first time, here is an excerpt from The Art Institute of Pittsburgh, Online Lecture, “What is Flash?”.

Flash was introduced in 1996 by Macromedia and since has become one of the most popular tools for creating animation and interactivity. Many versions and upgrades later, it is now owned and distributed by Adobe Systems, most well known for the digital imaging program, Photoshop, and many other tools.
Flash was originally best utilized for fast web friendly graphics. Flash uses a type of graphics known as vector graphics that can be delivered very quickly over the Internet. Vector graphics differ from raster graphics, which are more like photographs, because they are based on lines, shapes, and colors. Using math instead of pixel-by-pixel definitions, Flash reshaped the way people used the Internet.

In the early days, Flash was used to fly images and shapes around the screen, often seen as animated introductions to a web site. Elaborate button rollovers were created to make web pages more fun and interactive. Animation was popular and perhaps it was overused.  Critics like usability expert, Jakob Nielson, pointed out that it was nothing but web junk and provided little utility. He said it encouraged design abuse and constituted a usability disease (link).

Despite doubts about it utility, Flash continued to evolve. Adobe acquired Macromedia and began integrating it with its other products.  It’s ability to work with raster images, video, and audio increased exponentially as it became easier to import and integrate many different types of file types. With the introduction of ActionScript 3.0, Flash has nearly become a full-fledged object-oriented development environment. Additionally, using Flash-related tools like AIR and Flex has taken a once meager scripting language to even greater levels of interactivity.

By combining visuals, interactivity, audio, and intelligent programming, Flash is reshaping the way you use the Internet.

What Can You Do with Flash?

Interactive web sites make up a good share of places where Flash is being used today. To view Flash content users must download a Flash Player plug-in.
The good news is that the majority of viewers out there either already have it installed on their browser or can easily add it with a fast and simple download.

Large companies like Nike, Ikea, and others use Flash to take static web pages beyond the limitations of HTML and CSS. Buttons pop, sound and music enhance, videos capture attention, and graphs and charts literally fly off the page. Flash may be inserted into sites as small interactive components, or the entire site might be a full-scale interactive assault.  Movie and television production companies are notorious for creating full-scale experiences where the user can jump right into the story and encounter the plot from a new perspective. The rich-media capabilities of Flash make these kinds of things possible.

Games

Flash has taken web games to a whole new level. Virtually anything is possible as shooters, arcade, puzzle, multiplayer, strategy and other games are rampant on the Web.  Sometimes games are just small parts of a larger site, or others come in collections where you can waste your day away.

Art

Some Flash pieces are created as an artistic expression. Innovative interfaces create new visuals and metaphors that show off what Flash can do. Static artwork is possible, but authors have created dynamic displays integrating audio and video. Interactivity such as mouse-clicks, keyboards strokes, and other input devices give users control of how the art is even built, offering a real-time creation experience.

Education

Flash makes an excellent teaching tool. From children’s games to demonstrations of planetary alignments, Flash can teach on several levels. Through audio narration, video demonstrations, and unique interactions, users often control the pace of their learning. Companies often demonstrate features and uses of new products to help educate consumers on their buying possibilities.

Cartoon/Animation

As Flash started a primarily a vector, line-based, graphics system, the natural result was a wide array of vivid animation.  Stories are told through animations much the same way traditional pencil and ink animations were done in the past. Not only do you see animation on the web, these Flash movies are shown as T.V. series as well.  Humorous and fun animations are out there as well that make fun of politics and other subjects.

Web 2.0

Flash has been used to create new mediums of interactivity. Web 2.0 is about the different types of interactions the connect people via the Web. You can be sure that there are several Flash applications that help advertise, communicate, and increase our social-media experience.

And More…

What should be asked is if there is anything Flash cannot do? Innovators every day are integrating art, animation, typography, 3D, motion graphics, and more to tell story, create interactions, to educate, to sell products, to organize information, and just to have fun. Flash can take you there.