Fri 9 Feb 2007
Doubt on Flex as the best option (4): Dilemma on Follow HTML style
Posted by luar under Doubt Flex (aka Thinking in Usability)Main concern: most outsiders challenge Flex: I can create the similar site with AJAX/HTML/CSS, why I have to use Flex? I do not want Flex to create HTML-like application, but turn out too much such Flex applications in the market already, why Flex developer cannot find a new mindset to design a good RIA? How Flex solve the UI problem differently that HTML cannot solve?
My doubt series have not finished yet, but I am too busy on my working project. I saw the blogsphere had started concern on what I thought, and they have good analysis on this topic already:
- One of the nicests Flex apps so far
- Overcoming design laziness
- Do all Rich Internet Applications technologies suck?
- Is RIA design degenerating into ’skinning-the-functionality’?
- Is RIA design degenerating into ’skinning-the-functionality’? (Take 2).
- But It Looks Too Much Like Flex
- Site Smackdown: Flash c. 2000 vs. AJAX c. 2006
- Is Technology Really the Answer to the UI Problem?
When Macromedia promote RIA since Flash MX, their own site become one of the experimental place for their own dog food, e.g. the only full Flash version corporate site (appear for a very short period, and convert back to HTML later) and exchange. What I saw is a HTML style RIA, we, and our client, and our client users will challenge, why this “html” site breaks my browser function? If we use Flash to reproduce a HTML site without any gain in experience or functionality, but losing lot of usability. It has no strong reason to use Flash.
For what I saw and above bloggers saw, Flex is just a tool for replace HTML style applications. We worry to see lesser innovative use in Flex application after Flash Golden Age, check FWA: The 10th Anniversary of Flash, too.
But, we see Ajax dare to try new, dare to innovate now (OK, you can said they are copy old Flash style), I see innovation on Ajax is coming more but on Flex is coming lesser, except fewer pioneers.
February 9th, 2007 at 4:30 pm
I can’t hear you, your mouth is full of shit.
(IP: 213.93.90.221 , e90221.upc-e.chello.nl)
February 9th, 2007 at 5:15 pm
Seriously, I don’t know what you are going on about.
Is there a reason behind your obvious Bias? are you looking for attention? Maybe you are just don’t ‘get’ Flex.
I haven’t had any problems, I have solved Back/Forward/Deep Linking with SWFAddress, I have just this week created an Invoice Print function (looks like a real invoice (stretches to fit Portrait or Landscape)- I am not printing what the user sees on screen either!) - granted improvements to add Print Preview on Windows.
February 9th, 2007 at 5:36 pm
[...] Doubt on Flex as the best option (4): Dilemma on Follow HTML style [...]
February 10th, 2007 at 7:23 am
Flex shouldn’t be used to replace an application that works better in HTML. If you’re looking at many paragraphs of text, you probably want to stick to the native browser. On the other hand, if you have many forms, lots of drag and drop, graphic visualizations such as charts or treemaps, or any sort of advanced interactivity, Flex might be the tool you need.
May 19th, 2007 at 11:28 am
[...] Browse MXNA, know Adobe exchange have convert to HTML version, another good act after Edge newsletter convert back to HTML version. It is not only me happy on this new (1, 2). This is not a bad symbol for failure of SWF application but a good symbol for give up all bad usability applications! I always noted in the past, build a HTML-like SWF application, cannot gain any great user experience but lost all benefit in a simple HTML text application, it is not worth to do, it is not a wise decision and a hurt to user. Users hate bad usability HTML application, users hate bad usability AJAX application, but users hate bad usability SWF application most, because is it possible to use Greasemonkey to improve SWF application? [...]