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Macromedia Flash

Most images on web sites are in GIF or JPEG format and (with the exception of animated GIF files) are 'static' - i.e. they do not move or interact with the user (or the user's mouse pointer on the screen).

Flash is a piece of software made by Macromedia which can create animated, interactive images suitable for inclusion in web pages. In order to view Flash files, you (and anyone else who visits the web site site on which the Flash file is held) will need to have the Macromedia Flash Player 'plugin' installed.

To create Flash files you will normally need to have the full Macromedia Flash software - having the plugin alone does not enable you to create Flash files.

Alternatively, if you have Macromedia Dreamweaver you will be able to insert some simple Flash animations, such as buttons and animated text, into your web pages.

Use Flash carefully

Bear in mind the if you make your site dependent on the Flash elements in your page - for example, if someone cannot navigate around your school web site unless they have the Flash Player then you may exclude some people who either do not have the Flash Player orcannot use it for technical or other reasons.

As an example , if you do include Flash elements as the navigation buttons of your web site, then it's important to provide another method by which users can navigate around your site. This could be a series of GIF images as 'normal' buttons or simply some links make with HTML text to enable users to find their way around your web site. A utility such as the Moock Flash Player Inspector will test whether or not a user has the Flash Player and can substitute alternative content (which you must prepare yourself) if the Flash Player is not available.

The Macromedia Flash Deployment Kit allows you to do something similar to the Moock Inspector, although it is more concerned with encouraging you to upgrade your player than substituting HTML content.

We would always recommend offering alternative content to any Flash elements in your page - and as such will not make a site Web Site of the Week if it uses Flash for something essential such as navigation but offers no alternative way of navigating the site.