Anthony,
The flash has been around for a while. you had to add the flash player app to your page. It still is click-to-play though, no auto-loading flash.

Did Facebook just put out a press release about the Flash and FBML apps, because another FB blog reported on these “new” apps yesterday?

Anyway, to the topic of the post, I think being able to add flash to Pages is great. More customization, variety of content, you can even use a Flash or FBML app in place of the profile pic on a Page. Right now individuals can’t put these apps on their Profiles, thus eliminating the possbility of FB becoming MySpace 2. With them limited to Pages I think we can trust companies/bands/artists/politicians to use it tastefully, otherwise they reduce the value of their FB presence.

Anthony,

Flash has been around for a while as noted above. What’s interesting here is the fact that FB began a marketing push of Pages the past couple days…something I found the blogs didn’t pick up.

Take a look:

http://www.digitalperspectiveblog.com/2008/02/2...

Anthony,
The flash has been around for a while. you had to add the flash player app to your page. It still is click-to-play though, no auto-loading flash.

Did Facebook just put out a press release about the Flash and FBML apps, because another FB blog reported on these “new” apps yesterday?

Anyway, to the topic of the post, I think being able to add flash to Pages is great. More customization, variety of content, you can even use a Flash or FBML app in place of the profile pic on a Page. Right now individuals can’t put these apps on their Profiles, thus eliminating the possbility of FB becoming MySpace 2. With them limited to Pages I think we can trust companies/bands/artists/politicians to use it tastefully, otherwise they reduce the value of their FB presence.

Anthony,

Flash has been around for a while as noted above. What’s interesting here is the fact that FB began a marketing push of Pages the past couple days…something I found the blogs didn’t pick up.

Take a look:

http://www.digitalperspectiveblog.com/2008/02/21/behind-the-cover-facebook-adds-pages-marketing-material/

[...] Facebook is enabling Flash to be used on profile pages, according to a report on All Facebook. What’s that all about? There seems to be a general fear that the introduction of Flash will [...]

I’m a Facebook Flash dev myself and I for one hope that user profiles never have flash automatically loaded. I think it’s fine for the company “pages” where they will more likely (hopefully) pay attention to the user experience but most users (and not to mention developers) don’t and won’t and we’ll end up with another ugly MySpace mess. It was a good decision to keep it off when they made it and it’s still a good decision.

Flash does not imply a dynamic website, it implys a broken usability model delivered over HTTP.

Dynamic suggests that the site would interact in some meaningful way with users — not simply change color when presented with a MouseOver event. Dynamic is achieved through server-side interactions that add value, not by enabling blinking widgits.

Worst of all, suggesting that a flash can be used to create “well thought out interesting pages” misses the point of the Web. The Web is a collection of linked Hypertext documents that make use of a phenomenaly successful and effective usability tool: the hyperlink. Flash destroys this by attempting to corral the user into a movie-like linear and enclosed world rather than operating within the expected rules of the browser.

Don’t get me wrong; Flash can be a useful tool or element on the web — though I prefer not to be tied to a single vendor for my browsing tools and non-Adobe Flash is essentially unusable. But Flash should only ever be an element of a page, similar to an image or an embedded movie. Flash should never be essential to the viewing of a site and should certainly never be used to create an entire web page.

Please stop suggesting that there is an appropriate use of Flash web pages.

I’m a Facebook Flash dev myself and I for one hope that user profiles never have flash automatically loaded. I think it’s fine for the company “pages” where they will more likely (hopefully) pay attention to the user experience but most users (and not to mention developers) don’t and won’t and we’ll end up with another ugly MySpace mess. It was a good decision to keep it off when they made it and it’s still a good decision.

Flash does not imply a dynamic website, it implys a broken usability model delivered over HTTP.

Dynamic suggests that the site would interact in some meaningful way with users — not simply change color when presented with a MouseOver event. Dynamic is achieved through server-side interactions that add value, not by enabling blinking widgits.

Worst of all, suggesting that a flash can be used to create “well thought out interesting pages” misses the point of the Web. The Web is a collection of linked Hypertext documents that make use of a phenomenaly successful and effective usability tool: the hyperlink. Flash destroys this by attempting to corral the user into a movie-like linear and enclosed world rather than operating within the expected rules of the browser.

Don’t get me wrong; Flash can be a useful tool or element on the web — though I prefer not to be tied to a single vendor for my browsing tools and non-Adobe Flash is essentially unusable. But Flash should only ever be an element of a page, similar to an image or an embedded movie. Flash should never be essential to the viewing of a site and should certainly never be used to create an entire web page.

Please stop suggesting that there is an appropriate use of Flash web pages.

I somehow suspect that autoload will come. And how are businesses defined ? On MySpace, everyone seems to be selling something. How long before large numbers of users complain that they’re excluded from putting these apps. on their profiles - same rules for all?
The crux about Flash is that it’s great, but only when tastefully used & in a limited way. Flash everywhere is a big put-off.

I somehow suspect that autoload will come. And how are businesses defined ? On MySpace, everyone seems to be selling something. How long before large numbers of users complain that they’re excluded from putting these apps. on their profiles - same rules for all?
The crux about Flash is that it’s great, but only when tastefully used & in a limited way. Flash everywhere is a big put-off.

Any web-based technology implemented with thought and experience is well delivered. Flash provides a well entwined method to distribute amazing visuals, integrated server-side benefits and compelling user experiences.

Auto-loading any content should be the choice of the end-user, consumer and well thought out by the developers providing the infrastructure by which Flash & Facebook will integrate and deliver additional rich content to Facebook users.

All businesses want their consumers to experience compelling user-experiences. In this case Flash implemented with thought and experience will do this and Anthony LaFauce, it will not end up in the realm of dancing hamsters and flying toasters.

The auto click will arrive, but with hast Maggy. An intuitive thought sends “Flashes” of user preference by default to halt the auto load, otherwise where used with Facebook Pages. Isn’t this already happening? Or are we all falling short envisioning Facebooks subtle enhancements and handling of web-technological biases.

Micahael White, I think that Flash does not enclose the user into a little dead-end world (to be frank) I feel that there is no reason why any links within a page can not be integrated into a Flash application. Look at it like this, if you are travelling along a highway and stop at a Flashy garage to refuel; restock, be informed, entertained, overwhelmed and enlightened. Well - you’re in your own little world, well at least until you get back onto the highway. It’s not a moment of, I only want - and don’t want this - or that.

That is a little biased, and with Facebooks new and improved use of autoloading regarding Flash, that garage is open if you want it to be, when you want it to be, and where you want it to be.

Any web-based technology implemented with thought and experience is well delivered. Flash provides a well entwined method to distribute amazing visuals, integrated server-side benefits and compelling user experiences.

Auto-loading any content should be the choice of the end-user, consumer and well thought out by the developers providing the infrastructure by which Flash & Facebook will integrate and deliver additional rich content to Facebook users.

All businesses want their consumers to experience compelling user-experiences. In this case Flash implemented with thought and experience will do this and Anthony LaFauce, it will not end up in the realm of dancing hamsters and flying toasters.

The auto click will arrive, but with hast Maggy. An intuitive thought sends “Flashes” of user preference by default to halt the auto load, otherwise where used with Facebook Pages. Isn’t this already happening? Or are we all falling short envisioning Facebooks subtle enhancements and handling of web-technological biases.

Micahael White, I think that Flash does not enclose the user into a little dead-end world (to be frank) I feel that there is no reason why any links within a page can not be integrated into a Flash application. Look at it like this, if you are travelling along a highway and stop at a Flashy garage to refuel; restock, be informed, entertained, overwhelmed and enlightened. Well - you’re in your own little world, well at least until you get back onto the highway. It’s not a moment of, I only want - and don’t want this - or that.

That is a little biased, and with Facebooks new and improved use of autoloading regarding Flash, that garage is open if you want it to be, when you want it to be, and where you want it to be.

This will most likely leak to the rest of Facebook. The student populace of Facebook has already become a mass of fancy little windows and applications that, for the most part, are of little use or have any practicality. I can open a friend’s site right now, and scroll for a good thirty seconds before I find the communication tool. I have the good fortune of discovering what quizzes she took, the little pictures she finds humorous or meaningful, at least four different music players, and more crap to come as I scroll up and down - up and down trying simply to find the communication tool carefully hidden within the rest of the Vegas-like site.

I would prefer the flash actually. At least then there could be some more interesting applications. I would imagine that there would be a flood of incredibly useless and annoying ones as well, but like I stated above, that seems to be the current case anyways. Bring it on!

This will most likely leak to the rest of Facebook. The student populace of Facebook has already become a mass of fancy little windows and applications that, for the most part, are of little use or have any practicality. I can open a friend’s site right now, and scroll for a good thirty seconds before I find the communication tool. I have the good fortune of discovering what quizzes she took, the little pictures she finds humorous or meaningful, at least four different music players, and more crap to come as I scroll up and down - up and down trying simply to find the communication tool carefully hidden within the rest of the Vegas-like site.

I would prefer the flash actually. At least then there could be some more interesting applications. I would imagine that there would be a flood of incredibly useless and annoying ones as well, but like I stated above, that seems to be the current case anyways. Bring it on!

I have to agree with alan…
Facebook already looks a mess. I stopped looking at peoples pages long ago, but I do use 1 or 2 select apps now and then.

>>The Web is a collection of linked Hypertext documents…

True, but the days of Lynx and VT100’s are also thankfully long gone. While no one wants to see facebook slide into a Myspace-style mess, facebook is all about communication, and if Flash offers an additional tool to do so, then it’s use is a good thing here. Really, what it brings to the table is video. And has been pointed out, there are plenty o’ crappy non-Flash applications to pollute pages with already.

I usually don't like Flash, except in movies (Youtube) or online games.
A website completely bound to Flash is just unusable, from my point of view.

About the autoplay, I might be wrong, but when you open a Youtube video from Youtube webstie (isn't made with Flash?), it starts automatically. And the same happens with other movie sites or online games.

Thanks for sharing.

Logan
http://xtonlinegame.com

Dunno what your browser platform is, but flashblock for Firefox works great. It replaces flash apps with a little icon you can click *if* you want to enable them.

It’s one of the first things I install on a new box…

Cheers

For those who don’t know, “Flash” has been the punching bag for every self-exalted web analyst since the day the first flash file was released.

It’s an “old boys club” of opinion and gets you face time and “instant kudos” when someone wants recognition of their web longevity and “expert wisdom”. Ironically, these “wise experts” completely ignore flash development–somehow thinking letting companies such as Microsoft strongarm their own dictates into standards is superior to letting users and creative developers do it through their own content and application use.

Adobe with Flash is now able to interact with asp, mysql, php, java and javascript and is also developing ways to refernce pages for search engines–some practices and standards are already created there.

Perhaps it isn’t Flash which has “broken” the web–its the “web” failing to adapt. Going back to text and static images and being completely at the mercy of changing browsers is a step back–not forward.

I use serverside scripting and databases and various web compliant coded pages but here’s something for you: Some things are better done through flash. Some web content needs to be server independent and as importantly I’ve never had to fear that ten people will see ten different versions of my pages or sites because they use ten differnt browsers or like to play with wonderful things like font sizing.

Not everyone using flash is just a gamer or making a sig for MySpace and flash developers are not all “stupid people who can’t code”. Get off your high horses.

Flash, when well used, adds appeal and usability to a site. A compliant standard web page is a dice thow if it is feature rich. Half the people using it will have a problem with some part of it due to their browser and settings which they may not even know how to change. For businesses or designers, flash avoids that.