Flash website critque

[simplepop]

Just looking to get some critque on my site, Flash isnt everybodys cup of tea, but my portfolio is content managed with my own built flash CMS, and thanks to recent breakthroughs ala google, flash is now search engine freindly (if done correctly)


www.simplepop.co.uk

I like the looks of this forum and im sure youll see plenty more of me, thanks for looking, comments very much welcome!

 

[Stationery Direct]

Hey Simplepop

Welcome to the forums :icon_smile:

As mentioned on my other thread, you have a nice flash based website but where is the indexable content? When I view the source I see nothing but code, am I missing something?

 

[chris_17]

Design wise it looks quite nice, however I can't see any reason for using flash rather than HTML, just because it makes fancy animations isn't a particularly good reason IMO. If a customer with a slow internet connection tries to get on and it takes ages to load they'll just leave, I can't see why the content area is so small, and there is a massive white area at the top.

Most things on the site could be done with HTML and Javascript.

I don't like Flash, can you tell? :icon_tongue_smilie:

 

[simplepop]

mmm, i can tell., and i must say it does bug me when people so blatantly go "why use flash", well i would of thought thatd be obvious.

Im a Flash designer, i do work and everything flash. so...Having a CSS website might make sense for the bog standard allrounder in websites, but i aim to pick up work using flash and expect to recieve jobs working in flash.....If i was to use css for my site...id be missleading my clients right, or not advertising myself aswell as icould....

so..yes...thas why flash has been used....

oh and regards to the index'd content, you see with flash in modern day terms, google spiders and cravwlers are ablet o dive into your flash content, and take away with it, all your text thats loaded into flash, and even the links your flash buttons link to. Research up on SWF object.

Thanks..

 

[DougBarned]

I don't like flash either... But point well made in your defence

I like the site a lot! Some points:

Text hard to see/read on contact page (bits on the left that turn blue) unless moused over.
Home page doesn't seem to load until you click on Home.
Don't like Th'is Simplepop (this is?) but that could just be me liking proper English
Page doesn't expand fully if needed - see attached image, left hand side.
You have 9 code errors.

But I do really like it... even if it's done in flash

 

[simplepop]

Thank you!

Regards to the links that turn blue on the cotact page... i wasnt so sure at first i wanted to have the links there...so in the end ive decided to keep that subtle..for now anyway. I was thinking of adding in a "leave a comment section" (mostly to display the flexibitly of flash, and i was eager to hand build one from scratch using my new ..mm...bits of script) But, i dont think i will.

I dont think i will chance the size of the text on this website, i might actually look into finding a new...easier to read pixel font, staring at the screen with a large body of text and small letters does hurt your eyes.

And the 9 errors, mmmm...there actually beyond me, i know actionscript inside and out, and right now the sites being optimised for search engines. so, i think my only quibbles with W3C are just technicalities....

 

[DougBarned]

You mean it's actually being worked on for SEO right now? If not, I don't mind fixing your code quickly for you... but it's always good to read W3C yourself to gain the understanding and fix it yourself.

I didn't actually mention the size of your text. I was just pointing out that when my browser is maximised (1920x1200) then the background doesn't correctly go all the way to the left edge.

I kind of like the leave a comment idea - give your customers a chance to leave testimonial?

Maybe you could just make the grey a little lighter on the contact page links as they are very hard to even notice.

 

[simplepop]

Ah thank you!!, i didnt actually notice that the background didnt stretch all the way across, i thought i had all screen sizes coverd! lol some people are greedy on all those extra pixels with there screen size ( i know i am)

But, it did make me think about how tiny my site looked sat there in the middle.....mmm

Well, im taking my steps into going through some new ways of SEO, Ive used SwfObject, which allows spiders to crawl through my swf files. And it also allows a space for "alternative content" which is standard html, and only shows up as a fail safe when flash isnt avalible, by standard this information is Search engine freindly. (BUT, ive not put in the content for the alterntive text, as im waiting for more spiders to test my swfs, search engine freindlyness, without the alternative content kicking in)

Btw, i actually totally agree with you on the clicking of the home page, so i just changed it. Orignally, i was going to have a ..."quick preiview" of my work. But starting up streight from the home page seems quite nice anyway....and i could still put the preivew on here..

Oh and i couldnt tell you how much id appriciate the fix on the 9 errors! I noticed the the other day, but ive always got so much i want to do and try out - first off, im gonna change the colours for the freinds link, this is what crituqes are for. and, then i think im gonna have a good play around in making my own homebrew comment box. :icon_cheers:

 

[DougBarned]

This should do the trick for you (hopefully):

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Strict//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-strict.dtd">
<html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" lang="en" xml:lang="en">

<head>

	<meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=iso-8859-1" />


	<link rel="shortcut icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/x-icon" />
	<link rel="icon" href="/favicon.ico" type="image/ico" />

	<title>Simplepop - Joe White - Motion/Graphics/Website/Design 2009</title>


	<script type="text/javascript" src="swfobject.js"></script>
	<script type="text/javascript">
		var flashvars = {};
		var params = {};
		params.play = "true";
		params.menu = "false";
		params.quality = "best";
		params.scale = "noscale";
		var attributes = {};
		attributes.align = "middle";
		swfobject.embedSWF("index.swf", "myAlternativeContent", "100%", "100%", "9.0.0", "expressInstall.swf", flashvars, params, attributes);
	</script>

	<style type="text/css" media="screen">
		html, body, #containerA, #containerB { height:100%; }
		body { margin:0; padding:0; overflow:hidden; }
	</style>	

</head>

<body>

	<div id="myAlternativeContent">

		<a href="http://www.adobe.com/go/getflashplayer">
			<img src="http://www.adobe.com/images/shared/download_buttons/get_flash_player.gif" alt="Get Adobe Flash player" />
		</a>

	</div>

</body>
</html>

This ones for free :icon_wink: but you should probably get to grips with these basic bits - NO upper-case tags in XHTML Strict doc type and NO style elements inside your body tags.

Just out of interest, does SWF Object cater for accessibility issues as well as SEO optimisation in flash sites?

 

[simplepop]

:icon_notworthy:

I owe you big!

And will take the advice and remeber it, Its rare for me to being using dreamweaver, even at the most complex of times its only usually to embed a page into flash, and with other more strict CSS jobs, ive usually shared them before with a freind of mine.

But, im aiming to get this site up to 100% and this forums prooving to me a great help so far! i will definatly stick around.

Well, SwfObject, is one of many ways to help with SEO in flash, right now at the moment, i have room for 3 difrent methods which will help with SEO, but its really not my main area of work, and learning lots about it everyday. got a few things to read which focus in on flash and search engines, so i will let you know the sucess's, but through previous experince....

A flash site, with content pulled in through XML, will work really well with search engines.

This time around, im using text files. (strange yes) but theres good reason, they allow a oddly felexible approach to storing and chaning content of all types. But, for now, its the early stages and its actually looking suprisingly good.

Lastly, before i run away and boast about my new W3C standards complicancy. The accessabitly issue, mm with flash, and the right methods, all the issues can be solved, usually in much more interactive ways. its just. most flash websites, dont even get started on this sort of thing....

And alot of html website, are accessible as standard. Personally, i feel flash it just misused, abused and misunderstood.

 

[DougBarned]

Personally, i feel flash it just misused, abused and misunderstood.

I agree. As said, I like your site, but I agree with chris_17 in that it could have been done with HTML & JavaScript. Also though, as said above, you made a good point that you are a flash designer

In my experience people want flash because it's flash, not because it adds anything or because they need it.

Oh, I don' t know what it does, but could you try 'thanking' me using the button bottom right on the code post? It would be my first

 

[simplepop]

Exactly, Flash is great for all sorts of things, its brilliant for promotional content, photo gallerys ect.

The more complex a website is, the more complex the scripting becomes in flash, and so many people only go so far....Hence all the un-updateable un search-engine freindly flash sites out there. Which has one good side for me, i can fix that for those people who still want there flash site for the sake of being flash.

As web designers, we can respect the fact, that client might just want what he wants, because he thinks its cool, he might not care about all the SEO and stuff so much, some people do just want cool.... But, we should also try to inform our client on whats best for them. Its really just a case of getting to know your client, and many many times, ive passed off work to someone else, because ive known the clients site shouldnt be flash.

And haha, I do thank you! forgot this side had that lil function.

 

[chris_17]

I can understand why you did in Flash, I'm not questioning that, however if a client came to me asking for advice whether to go for a flash website or HTML coded, I would obviously say HTML, it has far more benefits over Flash, and you say it has it's advantages for photo galleries, it does but the majority of people use and find Lightbox or other JS galleries a lot better to use.

 

[simplepop]

If a client came to me and asked me asking for advice whether to go for a flash website or HTML coded, I would obviously state the most common uses for flash websites, and ask the client if that is something they would feel happy with and usefull for them, if not then i would recomend from a group of carefully chosen other designers to assist them with there CSS HTML websites.

You may say, HTML has far more benefits than flash, but could that be because your technical ability in flash, isnt well practiced? Im happy to admit that i dont have a great technical ability in HTML, but im fully aware of how usefull it is in this market. I Completly agree HTML should be used for a large majority of websites. But i wouldnt tell my cleint not to use flash, just because i didnt know how....

In this world today, there is a huge varity of people all wanting difrent and specific things, people who have learnt difrent and specific things. But just because you and i are from difrent aspects of web development, shouldnt mean you have the right to tell me what im doing isnt the "best" or "correct" way to do something.

(lightbox's are very over used - Usually by graphics designers(Not web designers), who need a nice lil portfolio site that they can design and build themselves, Web designers, should usually find there own method out of the many thousands to display an image....What ever happend to creativity?)

I came asking for critism for my website as a whole. it is a website, and it would be recognised as a website. CSS and javascript are also used to make websites. In this case it wasnt....I applogise. but you must understand, there is a HUGE market for Flash websites, Flash development, Flash animations, Flash actionscripting. All of which my portfolio demonstrates, and i push myself to get work in those areas....

IF i was using a CSS website.....then what would be the point in claiming to be a flash animation/developer/actionscripter?

 

[chris_17]

Sounds to me like you're arguing with yourself, I have given you my opinion on the site, and I'm not saying Flash is terrible etc. I have a basic knowledge of Flash, enough to integrate certain parts into a Website if needed, however I can find better and more effective ways of doing it, in my opinion. I agree that Flash websites can look very good, especially for promo sites for new movies/games etc. However I deal with 'normal' businesses and clients who require something to show their services or products and a HTML/CSS website is sufficient.

 

[simplepop]

When i posted this topic, i specifically chose to put "flash website critique" as opposed "website critique" not for the reason to gather information on weather people think flash is better than css. Because that is an argument which wont ever get solved and will always happen, its down to the people to use the right software for the right idea.

But! i posted with "flash critique" to hopefully make it clear that this is a flash website, to attract flash users to give a good comment on the more techinical points of my work. You wouldnt usually find me commenting on work in an area that im no practiced in.

Also hoped to make it clear, that im well aware the usual greeting when posting a flash website is "you should of used CSS" so i even wrote the line - 'flash isnt everyones cup of tea...'

But please dont tell me i should of done all my hard work, in a completly diferent method, because of certain downsides to using flash. Which i hoped would of been clear im aware of...and infact what i strive to figure out.

And i assure you, theres nothing abnormal about the business i work with... :icon_biggrin:

 

[chris_17]

Read it again, I never told you how to code your site, it you know how to use flash and that is the only way you know how to create a website then go for it.

 

[simplepop]

"I would obviously say HTML, it has far more benefits over Flash"

You told me this, before giving any sort of opinuon on the work that you should of been commenting on, Fair enough, you told me it was small and alot of white space. Thank you. Ive taken that into consideration. But the rest of what you said was pretty out of context, most of my replys were not aimed at you, but a general comment towards the way flash is taken on these days.

I Feel flash's reptuation has only been tarnshised, by the people who try to be allrounders in webdesign, and cover every base, The standard CSS XHTML freelance web designer will offer you, Flash animations, flash banners advertisments, even flash websites when they have to. But so what, there just trying to make there way forward. But these peoples passion usually lies elsewhere but with flash, so the work never has the same effort, as opposed to someone who endulges in everything flash. And because this, they most likly wont charge as much because its not there main work. And this ruins it for the people who have chosen there main carrer to be flash based. and , i wont offer someone a cheap html CSS website because im not all that good at it. Ill leave it to the people who will enjoy that work.