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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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/
Posted by: Aldo Bucchi | August 31, 2008 2:10 AM
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.
Posted by: Rob | August 31, 2008 8:51 AM
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.
Posted by: Martin Edic | August 31, 2008 9:54 AM
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/
Posted by: Johan Ronnestam | August 31, 2008 10:52 AM
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.
Posted by: smerball | August 31, 2008 11:03 AM
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
Posted by: Heimetli | August 31, 2008 2:23 PM
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/
Posted by: Eric Holter | August 31, 2008 2:46 PM
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.
Posted by: TractionOKC | August 31, 2008 4:44 PM
^^^ ewwww "click here" buttons!
Posted by: designer | September 1, 2008 4:11 AM
gooddbye smerball, more people should use flash!
Posted by: webmaster | September 1, 2008 8:15 AM
Thank you very much for this information.
Posted by: sohbet | September 1, 2008 10:55 AM
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)
Posted by: Mihaela V | September 1, 2008 1:11 PM
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.
Posted by: Rob Cottingham | September 1, 2008 4:13 PM
How about web applications that are delivered entirely by Flash. I'm thinking of the newly released Lumifi search portal...
Posted by: Peter Murray | September 2, 2008 7:04 PM
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.
Posted by: Dean Peters | September 2, 2008 10:36 PM
thankss youuu goood web sites.
Posted by: balkon camlama | September 9, 2008 2:24 PM