Please, No more Flash!

This week I received a new client interested in a search engine optimization service. Since he already had his website developed, we opened it to check it out.  Big disappointment! All his web site was created in Macromedia Flash.

Yes, the site is pretty and with enough sounds and effects to rival a town fair (fireworks included), however it's completely useless to subscribe to search engines, and for anything else, for that matter.

Don't take me wrong, I like a good flash animation as much as the next guy and I've seen fabulous works in video, games and business presentations with this tool. The problem is that it is abused, forgetting the most basic elements that are required when developing a website. What is a good auxiliary tool becomes the principal purpose of the project. From my point of view, those designers that use only flash for a web page don't know what they are doing.

Why am I so negative about this? Let me explain:

1. It is expensive. Generally, flash design requires more time from the designer, which translates in more cost to the client. If you choose to use flash for your site, prepare to pay more for the same. Also, this time will affect the release of your project

2. Difficult modifications. Since a flash site needs more attention to detail, each modification made by the designer will have to be reviewed carefully to avoid any mistakes. Of course, this is more time, and more money for you.

3. Can't be indexed.  Search engines can't read flash code, so all your precious work (and fireworks) will go to waste. Optimization for a flash website is almost null.

1. Load time. There is nothing more annoying than waiting for a flash site to load. Think of your clients trying to check your products and services while looking at "loading… please wait", and how many of them will simple close their browsers and go to your competitor's website.

2. Expensive maintenance. Do you want to change a phone number? Need to place a new product or change a price? Be ready to pay a princess ransom. Again, it will take days to make what it would take mere hours in HTML, and it will cost you triple that.

3. The code gets lost. Sounds stupid and it is. The most common problem with flash websites is when the code gets lost, either because nobody can find it, the designer no longer works at the company you hired or simply the files are corrupted and no longer useful. If you had made your site in HTML you would only need to copy all existing information and make a new page, with less money and in less time.

Do you think your site doesn't have these problems because you only use a flash screen (one of those obnoxious short presentations that run when entering a website) and everything else in HTML? Let me tell you that your flash presentation bores after the second time, and I would rather use other sites that won't make me waste my time.