Comments for Cartoon: Flash Intro Screens

Cartoon: Flash Intro Screens

2008-08-31T08:49:11Z

Just when we thought the damn things were dead and buried, I ran across another Flash intro screen the other day. And like practically every other one I've seen, it was half useless puffery about the organization behind the site, and half lookit-this-kewl-effect self-indulgence by the designer.

But they can't all be bad... can they? Has anybody seen a Flash intro that doesn't have you scanning the screen desperately for the "skip intro" link?

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Comment from Aldo Bucchi on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T09:10:38Z

Hmm good point, heh.
However, a little well-crafted flash is never bad as a first impression, as long as it doesn't get in the way ( as a banner inserted in the homepage, for example ) to give depth and a sense of aliveness.

Anyway, if such an intro exists, chances it made its way to the FWA

http://www.thefwa.com/

Comment from Rob on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T15:51:50Z

nick.com and a few other kid sites do it without the into, but their site still takes a little bit to load. I actually recently came to a mutual agreement with a client that I should not work on their site. I was fighting with the logic that they actually wanted the loading screen to make it look cool. I just couldn't do it.

Comment from Martin Edic on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T16:54:22Z

Several years ago Jupiter Research released a study of the top ten things that cause people to leave sites and guess what was number one? That's right, Flash splash pages, which cut traffic by a whopping 50%.
Why would anyone place something at the front end of their experience that chases away half of your prospects? Because too many agency creative types think they are 'cool'. All you have to do is visit marketing, advertising and PR agency sites to see where this affliction begins.
Number two scarer? Auto-on sound which often accompanies these Flash animations.
Utterly stupid.

Comment from Johan Ronnestam on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T17:52:05Z

Hmm, posted a little piece on the subject just before I left my office to have some weekend. Flash used the wrong way is really the worst thing you can do for a site.

http://www.ronnestam.com/2008/08/29/after-all-were-only-dogs/

Comment from smerball on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T18:03:11Z

i have uninstalled the adobe flash browser plugin from my linux machine for the dangerous, vulnerable, spyware that it is. that means no youtubes or any other flash garbage. get a clue webmasters.

Comment from Heimetli on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T21:23:22Z

Worst of all are sites which have no link to the content, except maybe in the Flash intro.

People who don't want Flash (like me), can't even get to any possibly useful page !

And I refused to buy from a shop where the whole catalog was built in Flash. (In spite of the friendly salesman who offered to walk me through the installation process for the plugin :-)

Webmasters who insist on using Flash should at least make sure that the site ist usable for people without Flash

Comment from Eric Holter on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T21:46:50Z

Recently wrote a post against the use of splash pages directed specifically at advertising agencies who are among the most consistent and worst offenders.

http://agencycritique.com/uncategorized/agency-website-mistakes-splash-page/

Comment from TractionOKC on 2008-08-31

2008-08-31T23:44:36Z

Our reason to dish up a quick Flash intro on www.coppermarkbank.com was to divide content like interest rates offered locally and rellevant news content. It is quick and simple and sets a cookie so the next visit is even easier.

Comment from designer on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T11:11:28Z

^^^ ewwww "click here" buttons!

Comment from webmaster on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T15:15:03Z

gooddbye smerball, more people should use flash!

Comment from sohbet on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T17:55:16Z

Thank you very much for this information.

Comment from Mihaela V on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T20:11:24Z

Flash splash screens still exist, even abound on European websites, but on plenty of U.S. sites, too.

I hate them with a passion and I echo Nielsen's kind & temperate advice: "SPLASH SCREENS MUST DIE!!!"

Now, as he says, if you have controversial content on the site and need to warn people, go ahead, do that, but don't make me look at a trance-inducing never-ending Flash animation!

(I'm referring to this Nielsen book: http://bit.ly/3uI9Fz)

Comment from Rob Cottingham on 2008-09-01

2008-09-01T23:13:57Z

Thanks for all the comments. Nice to know I'm not the only one!

Just so we're clear, it's Flash splash screens I loathe, not Flash itself - which I've seen used to glorious (and useful) effect in everything from user interfaces to games to video. (By the way, @smerball, can you elaborate on your concerns about Flash and privacy?)

@TractionOKC, I'm thinking more of the sit-passively-through-this-movie splash screen; your example isn't so much splash screen as an initial menu - the same sort of choice we often have to make in Canada, with two official languages. (I trust that people who visit the site who don't have Flash enabled get a text-only version of that selection.) But for what it's worth, I'd be tempted to present the information that's common for people from either state (or from outside both states - job-seekers, for instance), and give people the opportunity to make their choice only once it's relevant.

Comment from Peter Murray on 2008-09-02

2008-09-03T02:04:24Z

How about web applications that are delivered entirely by Flash. I'm thinking of the newly released Lumifi search portal...

Comment from Dean Peters on 2008-09-02

2008-09-03T05:36:47Z

It's not just you Rob ... in fact I wrote about the very same malady back on the 25th of August.

It appears this affliction is 2x as contagious within the realm of church websites.

Comment from balkon camlama on 2008-09-09

2008-09-09T21:24:45Z

thankss youuu goood web sites.