ers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the whi

Flash is cool but it takes a lot of time to download. No, Flash distracts the visitors. I disagree; Flash grabs the attention of the visitors. This is what web designers and website owners argue about regarding Flash. In this article you will learn the good things and the bad things about Flash and how to overcome the bad things.

First, let me explain why Flash considered a big jump to the World Wide Web information presentation. The key is that Flash uses Vector Graphics which are small in file size. It also mixes the use of text, graphics and audio which we can call multimedia. Now since the first time Macromedia introduced Flash, it has become revolutionary because it was hard for web designers to show multimedia on the web except for videos like Real Audio.

The major advantage of Flash against video or Real Player is interaction. Now you can make use of text, animation and audio in response to the visitors' actions. As a results, Flash is used for many things online that involves interactive multimedia like games, intros and whole websites. There are more advantages of using Flash as an interactive tool online but I will concentrate on the good and bad things and how to turn bad things to your advantage.

In order to make use of Flash you must know what you want from it to do. If you want to grab the attention of the visitor with a short presentation then make your site start with a Flash intro. If you want to go straight to the point and show your information, then use a normal website. If you don't have a lot of information on your website, then use a Flash site which has the menu and contents in Flash.

Now what are the disadvantages of Flash? The major disadvantage is file size which has its reasons. Remember when I said the advantage of Flash is using Vector Graphics and they are small in size. So, what makes your Flash file large? Here is a list of the most known factors of file size and how to make them to your side:

1- Audio: Try to avoid using many audio files. When you involve audio, try to change the export settings for audio in the publish settings. I prefer mp3 but you need to test your published file in balancing quality with size. If you build a Flash intro, I highly recommend using streaming audio for the background music by placing it in a layer. This will also make your motion synchronized exactly with your sounds and you can feel that while designing.

2- Fonts: When you use fonts and choose to include the fonts to Flash so that it shows up to every visitor, you should use one font. The reason is that Flash embeds the font in the file and each font is has its size. I know that many designers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the whit

ry because it was hard for web designers to show multimedia on the web except for videos like Real Audio.

The major advantage of Flash against video or Real Player is interaction. Now you can make use of text, animation and audio in response to the visitors' actions. As a results, Flash is used for many things online that involves interactive multimedia like games, intros and whole websites. There are more advantages of using Flash as an interactive tool online but I will concentrate on the good and bad things and how to turn bad things to your advantage.

In order to make use of Flash you must know what you want from it to do. If you want to grab the attention of the visitor with a short presentation then make your site start with a Flash intro. If you want to go straight to the point and show your information, then use a normal website. If you don't have a lot of information on your website, then use a Flash site which has the menu and contents in Flash.

Now what are the disadvantages of Flash? The major disadvantage is file size which has its reasons. Remember when I said the advantage of Flash is using Vector Graphics and they are small in size. So, what makes your Flash file large? Here is a list of the most known factors of file size and how to make them to your side:

1- Audio: Try to avoid using many audio files. When you involve audio, try to change the export settings for audio in the publish settings. I prefer mp3 but you need to test your published file in balancing quality with size. If you build a Flash intro, I highly recommend using streaming audio for the background music by placing it in a layer. This will also make your motion synchronized exactly with your sounds and you can feel that while designing.

2- Fonts: When you use fonts and choose to include the fonts to Flash so that it shows up to every visitor, you should use one font. The reason is that Flash embeds the font in the file and each font is has its size. I know that many designers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the whi

tention of the visitor with a short presentation then make your site start with a Flash intro. If you want to go straight to the point and show your information, then use a normal website. If you don't have a lot of information on your website, then use a Flash site which has the menu and contents in Flash.

Now what are the disadvantages of Flash? The major disadvantage is file size which has its reasons. Remember when I said the advantage of Flash is using Vector Graphics and they are small in size. So, what makes your Flash file large? Here is a list of the most known factors of file size and how to make them to your side:

1- Audio: Try to avoid using many audio files. When you involve audio, try to change the export settings for audio in the publish settings. I prefer mp3 but you need to test your published file in balancing quality with size. If you build a Flash intro, I highly recommend using streaming audio for the background music by placing it in a layer. This will also make your motion synchronized exactly with your sounds and you can feel that while designing.

2- Fonts: When you use fonts and choose to include the fonts to Flash so that it shows up to every visitor, you should use one font. The reason is that Flash embeds the font in the file and each font is has its size. I know that many designers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the whi

many audio files. When you involve audio, try to change the export settings for audio in the publish settings. I prefer mp3 but you need to test your published file in balancing quality with size. If you build a Flash intro, I highly recommend using streaming audio for the background music by placing it in a layer. This will also make your motion synchronized exactly with your sounds and you can feel that while designing.

2- Fonts: When you use fonts and choose to include the fonts to Flash so that it shows up to every visitor, you should use one font. The reason is that Flash embeds the font in the file and each font is has its size. I know that many designers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the whi

ers like to use special fonts to the titles or the menu, but here is a trick: When you choose to embed the font, don't embed all characters. Instead, embed the characters used in your titles and menu text. This will significantly reduce the file size. To embed the characters used in your titles and menus, you can gather them all in a text file then copy and past the text in the required characters in Flash font embedding window.

3- Duplication: Avoid creating Instances and shapes many times if you are going to use them again and again. Make one circle and use it for the eyes of the face by creating a circle then putting it in a graphic then use it as the white and black circles that shape two eyes.

4- Preloaders: If you have a long Flash intro, then it is a good idea to make a preloader where visitors see "Loading, please wait..." It is also recommended that you do not preload the whole movie which will increase visitors' waiting time. Instead, preload half or 70% of the movie and then let it start. The rest of the movie will be downloaded while the visitors see the beginning of it.

Finally, don't blame Flash but blame the designer. There are always some tricks to do that makes your Flash presentation full of music, action and interaction while maintaining the file size, preloading and therefore reducing the visitor's time waiting. So, grab that attention you want from your visitors using Flash the way it should be.