Have you ever dried your hair by sticking your head out the car door? Have you used the oven to make toast or fashioned a belt with shoestrings?

Those methods all get the job done, but you have to admit they aren’t the best solutions. This is how I feel about Flash. Flash has been accomplishing things for the web that no other technology was able to for many years, but with advancements in JavaScript, CSS and HTML, where does it fit in now? When is it useful?

Flash can be useful for:

• Online games
• Interactive demos, graphs, etc.
• Complex 3D animations
• Interactive kiosks
• Educational tools

NOT entire websites. Not really on websites at all.

Today, if I was approached to develop a website using only Flash, I’d grab the cheeks of that person and say, “Why DO you wanna do that??!!!” As of now, Flash has many more failures in comparison to other technologies. If Flash chooses not to fix those things, then it will become your mom’s technology and cease to exist.

Why Flash fails:

• Must install a plugin to use it on the web. Many school and corporate business computers won’t allow you to do this.
• Very buggy causing browser crashes. John Nack from Adobe admits that Flash is flawed in a post on his blog, but there is never mention of how they will solve these problems.
• Flash files can be large and increase loading time.
• Updating files is more time consuming for developers. For this reason, content tends to be aged on Flash websites.
• Developers must purchase the Adobe Flash software to create or revise files.
• Developers must have the source file (FLA) to revise Flash on a website.
• Not compatible with most mobile devices.
• Bad for web standards.
  • The “Back” button does not work when navigating within a Flash object.
  • The “Make text bigger/smaller” button does not work. Users are forced to read text in the designer-specified font size.
  • Flash reduces accessibility for users with disabilities.
  • Flash integrates poorly with search.

We’re already seeing major players convert Flash components to newer technologies. Video sites like YouTube, Vimeo and Brightcove (provide video for the NYT and Times) have all traded their Flash players for HTML5 video. Google and Mozilla are both enabling their browsers to play full-screen embedded video files with HTML5. Many businesses, like Virgin Airlines, are forced to remove Flash, since so many mobile devices aren’t supporting it. Apple was probably the largest influence in these conversions when they announced that the iPad would not support Flash. None of Apple’s mobile devices, iPod touch, iPhone or iPad EVER plan on supporting Flash. I hope you love Legos! Do you remember when Apple left out the floppy disk drive on the iMac? It joined the “Zach Morris phone” in the prehistoric technology museum. According to Wired.com, this is Steve Jobs’ take on Adobe and Flash…

They are lazy, Jobs says. They have all this potential to do interesting things but they just refuse to do it. They don’t do anything with the approaches that Apple is taking, like Carbon. Apple does not support Flash because it is so buggy, he says. Whenever a Mac crashes more often than not it’s because of Flash. No one will be using Flash, he says. The world is moving to HTML5.

Will Flash choose to adhere to a standard-based web and find solutions to its flaws? Probably not. I suggest you find a better tool for the job.

There has been a buzz about it for quite some time now and the inaugural Phoenix Design Week is quickly approaching! Phoenix Design Week is “a celebration of the vibrant design community” happening October 21st – 25th. There is going to be a week full of design events, exhibits, speakers, learning, laughs, a film-festival, and probably some free food somewhere in there,  that you would be a super loser not to be a part of.

Check out more details on what’s happening on the events page.

Have you registered yet? I did. Start schmoozing your boss now and maybe he’ll pay for your entire office to go. Register for Phoenix Design Week here.

Also, check out these BAMF designers at phxlayers.com supporting PHXDW and layerin’ it down.

See you all at Phoenix Design Week!

Phoenix Design Week – The Sprinkler Invasion on 12seconds.tv

My boyfriend’s very clever response to a sweet Harvard rip-off. Thank you for making me choke on my soup today.
——————————————————————–
RE: sweetlady101 from Roommates.com

Hello Faith (Beauty),I’m doing quite awesome ass today (as we say in the states).  Im quite glad you found my email address and can’t wait to find out more about you.  I too have a Master’s degree, and I feel rather inferior to you as you have yours from Harvard!  I mean ASU gets quite the joshing because we do like to prance about in our knickers and toss back a few pints from time to time.  However, they frown upon those with poor grammatical skills.  I’m quite sure that Harvard looks beyond that though, and that you could provide us assistance in engineering a rocket, or inventing a new strand of marijuana.  I look forward to the possibilities.

The 3th of February?  Im sorry Beauty but I am not aware of when that date is.  What is threeth translated to in the states?  Please let me know so that I can ready your room for that date as we are currently using it to hold an underground squirrel breeding area.  Don’t worry, we are fully supported by PETA in our efforts and I assure you that all smells and stains will be removed prior to the threeth.

The initial cost to move in will be $1000 and I must receive the payment via Paypal, money order or cash.  I will also need a complete picture of yourself with your stats and answers to the following questions:

1. What type of employment are you seeking here? Considering nobody is getting hired (with poor grammatical skills especially) I was wondering if you were considering such occupations as pole dancing?  This of course could really bring in the rent and my roommate and I wouldn’t mind a show once in awhile.
2. How would you really be able to move in from Abu Dhabi or wherever you are in such a short time?  My concern is that I need to really clean the squirrel shit out of that room…and I might need more time.

3. You might want to go back to Harvard and get your money back, as roommate scams are something they highly frown upon in the business ethics class.

Hope to hear from you soon!

Sincerely,

Dan (The Beholder)
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sweetlady101 from Roommates.com

Hello Roomie,
How are you today ? After going through your profile i realised you are going to be a great  roommate and thats why i contacted you through your email address you left for me in the email, thanks for the mail, Well,  I am Faith Benson  (My friends call me Beauty ) born in England . I completed my O – levels and my A – levels at Headington school on Oxford , England . I have a Bachelor’s and masters Degree in Computer Engineering from Imperial college in London and an MBA from Harvard Business school . professionally , my experience is in Finance consulting and enterpreneurship .I started my career at citi bank , in London before joining Boston Consulting group .I was based in the London office but worked across the continents . I came down to Cote d ‘ivore french country Africa  in the year 2008 and joined my branch office here and now working as the software engineer /project manager .I am a very dedicated individual who is totally committed to human development, friendly, very trustworthy and value relationship above anything. I love travelling, sporting and enjoy meeting people. I dont smoke but do not mind people who do being around me. I am cool headed and easy going person with no criminal record and like to have a roommate who is very responsible and understanding, someone i can really get along with.

I’m a quiet and easy going person to live with. My families lives there in London and i have no friends in US except you lol. as i am currently in Abidjan City , but hope to end my current assignment by the 3th of Feb,  and should be in the states latest 10th of Feb, as i like to come over to explore my talent and hope to have a more profitable job.

I saw your advert in roommates.com and i am sincerely interested in the room advertised as i will like to move in as soon as possible. Please i will love to know the total cost for initial move in room and the utilities so as to arrange for you to get the payment  prior to my arrival, since i am currently in Cote d ‘ivore Africa , and will love to move into a comfortable place on my arrival.

Thanks and have a good time.
Please contact me if you are still looking for a mate
Regards
Faith

someone asked me yesterday which blogs i read to stay hip on visual trends and learn more about designing for the web. i thought you all might be interested in some of my favorites too:

1. Brand New a division of Underconsideration
   opinions on corporate and brand identity work. great for design inspiration.
2. Download Squad
   the latest tech news, web apps, online tools and time wasters.
3. Groundswell
   how people with social technologies are changing everything. great research and examples.
4. LinkedIn Answers for Graphic Design and LinkedIn Answers for Web Development
   ask those brain-wrecking questions and get responses immediately. it’s a great place to observe, learn and interact with individuals in the industry. lastly, if you’re freelance, it can be a great resource for work.
5. Nettuts
   web development and design tutorials. very thorough.
6. SEOptimise
   SEO, blog and search engine marketing news
7. Six Revisions
   web development and design information. great tools, inspiration and freebies.
8. Smashing Apps
   opensource, free and useful online resources for designers and developers. my fav!
9. Weird Resources
   freebies, useful web resources and design inspirations.
10. Woork
    web design, tutorials, resources and inspiration. one of my new finds. he created a great guide “the woork handbook” for css that you can download for free.

do you guys have any to add? i’d love to hear.

who wants to start the new year with a sparkly new website? i do! i do (can i trade the sparkles for some wood panels?)! check out my updated portfolio, learn about me and feel free to message me with my new contact form. i will be making a lot of additions and changes in the next few weeks, so check back often or add me to your RSS feed.

you are not lost! hopefully. my new website will be ready in the next few days. please visit my old site in the mean time.