Flash or Html For Portfolio?

[bunker]

Hello I made my portfolio entirely in flash but I’m not really convinced of it, what do you think??? Which technology is better to show my stuff?

[Chung Dha]

If depends on how you want to present or how often you like to change things.

If you like to change things or add fast html is easy. Flash sometimes is easy but if you need to animate allot than its bit more work.

Most flash portfolio changes between few months time total new and ad things and delete old. Mostly depends on how much animation work you want to put in it.

Html are daily and weekly updates.

Hybrid between both is also daily weekly updated. But the flash is than just used for the banner and menu.

[onesummer]

unless you're seriously a professional flash designer and/or it is actually "necessary" that you have to use flash for a particular situation, then okay. Otherwise HTML is the way to go for a bajillion reasons.

[bunker]

Hey Paul, nice new avatar it looks way more professional than the other one.

Yes I think the same as you. The thing is that I been working with flash since flash4 and I’m not so used to build html sites, but is time for me to put my fingers on xhtml+css and leave old complicated tables behind.

I’m making a template and I will post it in the ”Works In Progress” and let you guys help me!!!!

[onesummer]

thanks. yeah, the more i saw the old one I had, the worse it got. it was downright ugly actually. simple is usually better.

yeah, css is great. www.alistapart.com is a wonderful site. I'll try to drum up some of my better css/xhtml links and let ya know.

[bunker]

thanks. yeah, the more i saw the old one I had, the worse it got. it was downright ugly actually. simple is usually better.

yeah, css is great. www.alistapart.com is a wonderful site. I'll try to drum up some of my better css/xhtml links and let ya know.

Great link, I’ll put my fingers on it and start whit this once and for all!

[dumbdesigner]

Last time I send one of my potential client to take a look at my flash portfolio he returned back and told me.....Dude this is in flash, I am on dial up. Since then I have a flash version as well as an HTML version for my portfolio....just to be on the safe side.

[VYFX]

People here have some good points.. In my opinion a Flash portfolio will make you look very professional and like a solid designer. At the same time an HTML portfolio can do just the same, assuming it's setup in a positively-aesthetic way. I've had HTML portfolios before and now have a Flash portfolio, and I've experienced a greater deal of quote requests coming ever since I switched to a Flash portfolio.. I don't know why, but it's been the case.

Having a Flash portfolio isn't too hard, either. While most graphic designers I know are able to setup an HTML page, only a small handful can design in Flash. I use a script called ImagevueX for my portfolio. I paid $54.00 for it and the license is an unlimited license and I am free to edit or modify any portion of the script I please. It is 100% automated and all I have to do to add logos to the portfolio is drag them into a folder using FTP. All other functions are carried out by the script. It all boils down to how you want to present yourself. Flash, to me, gives maximum impact and tells the client you mean serious business. But HTML portfolios can always give off the same vibe.. So whatever is easier for you right now, go with that option. You can always change later.

[Dalisca]

I personally prefer HTML just because of its quick editing capabilities. As a student, that's important. But, flash typically gets a lot more "oohs" and "aahs". Flash works especially well with portfolios because they usually don't contain a lot of text as main content. For text-intensive sites, HTML will usually be the favorite.

But, then again, I've seen some really amazingly beautiful sites just from HTML and CSS. If everything's chopped properly, and images and formatting used well, I think an HTML site could get just as much as a positive result.

I'm personally a big fan of HTML sites which contain flash elements.

[bogglins]

html is better i think.. i don't know if this affects the google/yahoo indexing (pages crawling)..

[Inky]

If you nest your flash site inside an html page, or publish your flash as both .swf and .htm, you can add meta tags and descriptive text to your site. This allows the spiders to read and match your tags. I built my site all in flash and I find no problems with quick edits.

[DustyChair]

It's basically all in how you build the Flash site, as to how easy it would be to update. I found, the more designing and animation you can do using Actionscript, the easier and quicker it is to update the content (basically because if you're heavily using Actionscript, you're probably pulling content from another source, such as XML). If you're going to update the site a lot, know this starting out, and design for it.

[NextExile]

Everyone is lately pushing towards clean sites, whether its flash of CSS+HXTML. I believe that best way would be to go hybrid and create your site in CSS+XHTML with a flash slideshow of sorts displaying snapshots or parts of your designs.

[jesse101]

I think that you can have both, and if you know action scripting prety well, you can create a script where you just have to dunp your new images in one folder and it will update automatically. I currently have an html portfolio, but am creating a flash one.

Also, a lot has to do with the clients you work with and that you are targeting. I target outreach programs at universities where connection speed is high and wait time for flash is small. So flash is not a problem with me.

I am however,going to keep my html site, just as a back up if clients have problems viewing the flash.

[brand7]

There are some scripts out there that mimic Flash but they are more php driven or xml driven.

Its still animated but its not as seamless as Flash, it really depends on if you are going to update frequently, because then you will have to go in remove the frames. I have not worked with Flash but I have talked to plenty of people that have, it can be a pain but it also is a great way to protect your work from people downloading it and trying to copy it or use it. If its HTML there is always a way to crack code to get the source file and steal the image. So there are a couple of reasons why someone might choose flash over HTML. I just like HTML because its easy to code.

[Fillzy]

You must prefer a X(HTML) and CSS. and make your portfolio with web-standarts. It will be quick loading and currently browsing site, so people with different connection speed and browsers can see your portfolio.
As for me, I don't like flash, I hate all this pop up banners, so I got a turned of shockwave application in my browser))

[Fillzy]

brand7

There is a lot of SWF Decomplilers in the internet. Using this programs you can get a source file from any flash site or flash aplication and steal whatever you want.
So thats not a reason to use flash))

[sbradshaw]

CSS and Xhtml is really becoming used in wide ranges on web sites. Even I am starting to learn to use CSS and XHTML to design web sites. I started at Deviant Art learning to design Journal templates in CSS coding. I'm still trying to figure it out Lol its not easy, but its the progression of the web site building industry. You have to be able to keep up! Html seems easy but clients also want updated scripting language correct??? I'm still pretty new to web designing as profession!

[LutFi]

No matter Flash or HTML portfolios, you should tweak your META TAG in html in order to ease people find your protfolio/services when they search using search engine.

[onesummer]

While I myself still use meta tags, they aren't as widely important these days. there are other ways to get yourself high rankings in search engines, like backlinking. here's an article that further discusses SEO. http://www.seomoz.org/blog/my-person...hese-4-factors