[Web4lib] Flash applications on library websites

[Patricia F Anderson]

A tag-along to Vince's 'rant'. :-) Some people try to use a Flash-detector 
and reroute the user to a different page if Flash is not installed. This 
does not always work. I have seen pages where I could NOT get into the 
site's content because of a Flash barrier. For one, I was required for a 
review I was writing to get to the content. I ended up using a search 
engine to search for words on that site, trying to get to an internal 
page. That worked, but I doubt the typical patron would think of it. The 
website was for a charity, and I rather thought this problem was 
unintentional. I mentioned what happened to the webmaster, who informed me 
that the experience I described was not possible. ;-) Flash -- strengths 
and weaknesses both, so please, please, please provide obvious and 
accessible workarounds for anything done in Flash.

-- Patricia Anderson, pfa at umich.edu

On Fri, 16 Dec 2005, Vince LaMonica wrote:

> On Fri, 16 Dec 2005, Amy M Ostrom wrote:
>
> } enhance the library website somehow.  I am curious if any other libraries are
> } currently using Flash for either interface (not just moving logos, maybe a
> } comprehensive navigation system) or learning objects so I can get a feel for
>
> Just a word to the wise, and perhaps you are already planning this, but
> please do make sure that you give patrons a secondary, and easily visible,
> way to navigate your site, if you decide to use Flash for navigation
> elements. Though few, there are those that disable Flash, or don't have it
> installed, and making something as important as site navigation available
> only via Flash-based links, may cause some people to ignore your site
>
> If this was already part of your plan, then you can ignore my mini-rant.
> :)
>
> /vjl/
>
> -- 
> Vince J. LaMonica       Knowledge is knowing a street is one way.
> vjl at cullasaja.com  <*>  Wisdom is still looking in both directions.
>
>      When there's nothing else to read: http://w3log.vjl.org/
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