What is Flash?
Flash can be and has been called many things in recent past, e.g. “Oh yeah, that banner ad that popped out over the article I was trying to read.. that’s Flash” or even “You mean that little animation I have to wait to finish before I can get to the menus of that restaurant site.. that’s Flash”. But in reality, “Flash” as a term has as many interpretations as does “machine”. While a machine can be a car, dishwasher, robot, or even a toaster, Flash is a platform used for anything from animated movies to desktop applications that run on any computer. Backed by the software giant Adobe, Flash is as ubiquitous as the PDF and is constantly being improved.
What’s it good for?
Oh plenty. For starters, the flash player is installed on just about every computer in the Universe, meaning your content will get delivered to your audience the way you want, without restrictions like browser compatibility or users’ installed fonts. Flash has an evolving and powerful scripting language behind it, AS3, which can allow for robust applications and effects to be developed, making your content more easily accessible or richer.
What do we use it for?
The Ministry has developed almost all kinds of Flash projects, from statistical prediction engines to 3D websites, with a few custom online games in between. We understand that Flash is not the end all be all for web applications or sites. Applications need to store data, requiring a database server, and plenty of projects need a server side based application back end, to handle more secure or delicate business transactions and information.
