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What is Flash and How Does it Work?
By Maxine Winters
Ever go to a web site that looked extremely professional and hi-tech? Did icons move, animate, and make sounds when clicked? Ever see one of those funny online cartoons? If you have, then you have had the privilege of seeing flash animation in action. Macromedia Flash, or more simply, "Flash," is a software product that is used to design and deliver presentations, animations, and web sites. Flash has helped web designers around the world create visually appealing web sites that come alive when accessed. Furthermore, much of the greatest online political satire today has been made using Flash technology. Macromedia Flash has changed the web and allowed designers to create sites they were previously unable to make with simple HTML code.
Currently, Flash players can be found in over 90% of computers around the world. Many huge, global companies make use of flash on their home pages. Some of these web sites are enhanced by the unique ability Flash has to stream audio while animating and responding to action. The software product supports vectors, raster graphics, and ActionScript, which make it highly versatile in use. With the correct knowledge, creating a movie or web site with Flash is considered to be fairly simple. Many Flash users maintain that Flash web sites are substantially superior to web sites backed by old-fashioned HTML code. Additionally, people simply browsing the web maintain that Flash web sites are often more exciting and more interesting to visit than HTML web sites.
Macromedia Flash can do some very amazing things. As a result, many may have the perception that Flash has extremely complicated inner-workings that only the best and brightest in civilization could ever understand and subsequently master. This way of thinking could not be further from the truth. Flash web sites, animations, etc. are all created utilizing a programming language called ActionScript. Like almost any programming language, ActionScript can be complicated to learn at first. However, with a little determination, almost anyone can master the mechanics of ActionScript and start to make beautiful Flash-supported movies and web sites. It is interesting to note that many programmers cite many similarities between ActionScript and Java. Flash files are saved with a .swf extension. SWF stands for Small Web File. Some users of ActionScript have complained about the secrecy of their source code because the .swf file format can be decompiled rather easily. ActionScript was first utilized on Flash Player 2. Naturally, as technology had progressed, the code has become more advanced and can now accomplish more tasks. Macromedia Flash has been around since 1997 and has changed the face of the web community. Deciding to utilize Flash in your site is the first step to making a wonderful web site that will impress almost anyone.
About the Author
Maxine Winters recommends Flash Text Animation Builder to easily create an attractive flash banner. See http://www.antssoft.com/swftext/index.htm for more information.
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