INTRODUCTION TO

FLASH

WHAT IS FLASH?

Not this flash

Nor this flash

And definitely not

this flash

WHAT IS FLASH?
Flash is a multimedia graphics program specially for use on the Web .

Flash is a vector animation software, originally designed to

create animations for display on web pages. Vector graphics are
ideal for the web because they are so lightweight.

But this FLASH

Macromedia has made Flash more and more controllable via

programming, where they have it positioned as a competitor to
HTML to build interactive web sites and applications such as
an
e-commerce store.

WHAT IS FLASH?
Macromedia Flash is a technology that allows animations, interactive
forms, games and other features to be embedded in web pages
Vector based-many individual objects with individual properties (uses
points, lines, curves, and polygons to represent images)

FLASH GRAPHICS
Uses compact vector graphics. Created with lines and curves and
descriptions of their properties stored in mathematical equations
Does support raster images (also called bitmaps) which are created with
pixels

FLASH GRAPHICS
Bitmap Vs Vector Graphics

WHAT IS FLASH?

Why have this?

When you can have this one instead?

WHAT IS FLASH?
Adobe Flash, or simply FLASH, refers to both the Adobe Flash Player
and to the Adobe Professional multimedia authoring program. Simply
speaking,

Adobe Flash Professional (Adobe Flash CS4)

Adobe Flash Player

ADVANTAGES OF FLASH
Interactive content
Load faster than HTML
Small file sizes
Stability
Fairly simple to create
Universal ease of use & compatibility

WHAT IS FLASH
Flash technology was first introduced on 1996
Purpose: adding animation and interactivity to web pages, etc

WHAT IS FLASH
Flash files are traditionally called Flash movies or Flash games that
have

.swf
Flash video files have

.flv

file extension.

file extension.

HISTORY OF FLASH
Jonathan Gay in 1980

Charlie Jackson and Michelle Welsh

HISTORY OF FLASH
Shockwave - Shockwave, developed by Macromedia, is a family of
multimediaplayers. Web users with Windows and Mac platforms can
download the Shockwave players from the Macromedia site and use it to
display and hear Shockwave files. Shockwave is especially popular for
interactive games.

HISTORY OF FLASH
December 1996

APPLICATIONS OF FLASH
There are many applications of Flash
Rich Internet Applications
Mobile Devices

APPLICATIONS OF FLASH:
RICH INTERNET APPLICATIONS
Used for Creating interactive web pages
Animated Movies
Audio and Video
Games

APPLICATIONS OF FLASH:
APPLICATIONS
Flash for Mobile MOBILE
devices come in
three flavours
Flash for Pocket PC
Flash Lite
Flash Cast

APPLICATIONS OF FLASH:
Flash Pocket PCMOBILE APPLICATIONS
Flash Player profile that supports all the functionality of the Flash 7 player,
including XML and data loading

Flash Lite
Flash Lite provides scriptable animation and user interactivity

Flash Cast
The Latest Mobile technology from adobe, Allows distribution of rich media
services, like News, Animation, Games and Media over a dedicated mobile
network

EXAMPLES OF FLASH WEB SITE