Develop the Web

By Kevin Naia

Setting Up Apache, PHP, and MySQL On Windows -- The Real Way
Written By: Kevin Naia (With some text borrowed from the PHP website and install file)
Level: Intermediate
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Before You Redesign Your Web Site
By Greg RS Kihlstrom
Published: April 2, 2006

It's a familiar story. Your Web site was designed around the time when an upstart named Google was just getting their foot in the door of the Search Engine market. At the time, it was a great Web site. It might have even had some cool new features like some JavaScript rollovers or maybe even some Flash.

Unfortunately, times change. Those image rollovers that you used to think were innovative are now horribly outdated and your competition seems to have redesigned their Web site about every 6 months since yours went live several years ago. It's time to redesign.

It sounds like such a great project that it couldn't possibly go wrong, but trust me--the best of intentions can sometimes lead to costly business mistakes. The entire redesign process would take several of these articles to properly explain, but I'd like to talk about my 4 basic rules to remember BEFORE you start the process of a Web site redesign:

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Is FLASH Appropriate in a Business Web Site?
By David West
Published: April 2, 2006

The short answer is maybe. The long answer is that the question might be better asked, "Is a 100% FLASH web site appropriate in business?." The answer to this question, in my humble opinion is, absolutely not. In fact, we have had several clients come to us this year who have 100% Flash web sites that are going to completely remake their web sites because they simply do not work for them. They are having issues with search engines and with clients who can't see their web sites.

Of course, they do work in terms of visuals. If you visit a Flash web site you will see it. Just because a visitor can see the web site doesn't automatically mean that the web site is working for your business.

What is Flash?

Flash is technology developed by Macromedia, a leader in web development tools. Flash movies are a compilation of many images, elements and text that is then compiled into a nice, tight little digital file that then gets put on the internet. Some designers build entire web sites using this technology. Graphic designers quite like the technology because it gives them a great opportunity to show how talented they are by developing interactive, moving, and quite honestly some very entertaining web sites. Remember though that the purpose for your business web site is to communicate with your existing and prospective clients, not to show everyone what a talented designer you hired.

What is Flash Good For?

Flash is great as an add-on element for some graphic components of a business web site. Recently the ability for web masters to compile digital audio and video into flash movies has been simplified and using flash to stream a video is a great example of a perfect use for Flash in a business web site.

Another example of where Flash is well used and well received is on web sites that are about presentation and not information. For example a rock band, kids web sites with little games, a photo gallery, a movie clip are all places where Flash is particularly well suited.

Does Flash have a place on the internet? Absolutely it does, but as a web site purchaser though, you have to ask yourself the question, "does Flash have a place on my business web site?"