If a flash element on a page requires an obvious load time at standard speeds, then odds are you’re using the wrong platform and trying to do too much with it. This is unless it’s supporting a medium that people “expect” to take time to load, such as a game, video, audio file, etc.

It impressed me that they fit so much rich video & audio content in there with very short loading times. I suggest you check it out! Very slick, and modern for an otherwise outdated design (outdated: not talking in terms of video, or accent flash)

I agree with pretty much all your “points”, however, I don’t agree that all of those examples fit those points. For example, I find #2 very simple, and pleasant to navigate, I don’t find it complex at all.

Also, there may be many designers who don’t mind being more creative/experimental in their navigation- I think that’s fine if they are tailoring their work to a specific audience, and as long as they are aware that some people might be inclined to close the window quite quickly!

Niki- perhaps you should do a follow-up post of HTML/CSS based sites that make really great use of FLASH as an accent? Or even really well-designed usable FLASH sites?

Congrats on spelling ‘experience’ correctly in your blog post… too bad you couldn’t bother to on your portfolio site.

@jlern i dig this site. didn’t seem to have any trouble navigating it. .shrug.

…

I actually really liked the all in one design idea with http://www.jlern.com/ its just a bit crazy to navigate with the rotating!

Scrolling can be done like this:
http://www.fl-2.com/2009/index.aspx#/work/

As an old friend once told me, “You cannot argue with stupid people because they will bring you down to their level and win with their own experience”.

1 – Pardon my spelling error.. but even so, you didn’t get the joke.
2 – Standard? This dude’s talent isn’t standard. When you are FAR better than standard.. you go outside the box.
3 – AS2 –> AS3 was a difficult hurdle for most Flash developers. It is far more strict in its requirements for code and most users still opt for the fastest and easiest solution to develop. Kind of like the navigation you insist is the best.
4 – Most sites? If you want to reference flash as a failure, pick a mainstream CORPORATE level Flash portal and attack that. Not some artist or small design house startup. Serious.. Go To blitzagency.com. AKQA.com, or tequila.com, or ANY site those guys have ever made.
5-You are compiling about taking more time? Even if its done well? I dont get it, if the animation is done will, its almost visceral and adds to the user experience.
6-You are confusing me with not a good web designer.. but a cookie cutter sweatshop designer. Besides, I am not a designer but a DEVELOPER.. I do whatever the creative director tells me. And if one of my amazing portfolio pieces is 1280px wide and its loading inside my portfolio.. I refuse to allow it to look like crap because you don’t want to expand your browser. I didn’t DESIGN the site, I just built it. It looks great so I am going to show my work the way it was meant to be seen.

I tell him to F-off because he is spewing hate at one of the web’s greatest technologies. He didn’t do any real homework as to what is new, modern and mainstream. He generalizes and pigeonholes Flash to “Video, animated cartoons, motion design, Video Tours” when, If you open your eyes, you will see that FLASH is the future of rich design. Its EVERYWHERE and so seamless you probably don’t even notice it.

I dont understand this latest craze to pick on flash either. That topic died long ago. If Flash is so fail.. WHY does ADOBE spend over 35% of its budget dedicated to Flash and Flex technologies?

When the web evolves into an even Richer possibly 3D user experience, all you wordpress lovers are going to be stuck in your netscape browers wishing you had DSL or cable broadband… oh wait.. flashback to the 1990s again.. cause thats when this hate crap died..

1. LRN2SUREF? Really? Learn about the internet, leet speak went out about 5-10 years ago. Now its just used by noobs or as a joke.

2. 1 dimension… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dimension Standard website layouts are easiest to navigate and when designing a portfolio the easiest navigation is generally the best.

3. Why make it harder? If you can impliment it with AS3 – do it!

4. Most sites dont allow this, its a valid point that its a usablility issue.

5. Things flying around, whether it’s done well or looks crap, simply makes whatever its happening take more time.

6. A good webdesigner caters for all common browser resolutions. I feel sorry for you.

7. I have run accross this many a time. Its not often that people “add the checkbox”.

F-off? You come to his online “house” and insult like that. Its people like you that wreak the internet.