To Flash or Not To Flash
A few days ago, Jeffrey Zeldman linked to the Davidson Bicycles website, noting that Textura Design used valid XHTML 1.0 styled with CSS2. It’s great that they used standards and all, but why did they use Flash for the top navigation? I can understand using Flash if it contained an animation or dynamic content but it doesn’t; it only contains simple text and graphics. I have heard of Flash being used instead of text/graphics because it reduces the page download time, but how big could the difference be for a design like this?
Update: (3:16 PM EST) Byron, Senior Web Developer of Textura Design, writes:
We use Flash for the top navigation because it’s zoomable (for the visually impaired) and to combine all the text and graphics in one small file 16K per file, for the 2nd-level. By using Flash, we can compress each component of the banner individually maximizing quality v. file size and it’s much easier to manage than 7 buttons and a collage of jpegs. Additionally, our next rev will include accessible Flash features. I use Opera to navigate the site without flash and it’s annoying, but works. Opera hides the tag completely, so you can’t put a “flash goes here.”
Thanks for the explanation, Byron. I suspected it had something to do with the file size but overlooked Flash’s zoomable feature (right click on Flash - Zoom In). However, as we described in detail before, text can be made resizable, but it’s a painful process.
The real question: do Flash’s zoomability and accessibility features currently outweigh CSS/XHTML and images? Does “it depend” or is it more cut and dry?
- 8 Aug 02
- accessibility, flash, jeffrey zeldman, navigation
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Comments
Presumably a low vision user has a screen reader and/or a screen magnifier. Would such a person use the Flash zoom? When you zoom in, the second and third line (beginning with the word “Pricelist”) get fuzzy. If regular text was used in stead of Flash the type would remain sharp when scaled up.
Also, do the Flash buttons get read by a screen reader? (newb question, I avoid Flash interfaces)
Jack on 8 Aug 02