Create Flash Banner

Ever been to a website that asks you to download Macromedia Flash? Have you ever seen a Flash button in a website that had lots of entertainment and it seemed Very high technology? If so, you may have wondered what exactly Flash. Flash technology is not new, but still used in many different ways on the Internet today.

Flash may refer to the Macromedia Flash Player, and to refer to the program used to create Flash content. Some may wonder what exactly Flash does. Flash is a program used to create games and movies that can be put on the Internet. Interactive websites are also made with Flash. Most Web browsers support Macromedia Flash. Flash supports vector, raster graphics, and ActionScript, a scripting language. Lastly, Flash can play audio and video simultaneously.

Flash was first introduced in 1996. At that time, most browsers do not have the ability to Flash. However, the amount browser compatibility with Flash increased dramatically in a very short amount of time. Companies started to pay web designers to design sites using Flash. Flash is commonly used with Web pages to make them more interactive and more professional in some cases. Some websites have encouraged the introduction flash. The ads also have been created in Flash. Flash files are usually given the extension. SWF file and can appear on a website or can be played in Flash Player.

Many people prefer to use Flash to other technologies in building web sites. Some people use animated GIFs. GIF images are actually loop and thus not have that much memory. However, many people prefer Flash because the user can control the animations. GIFs are limited to 256 colors, while Flash can have millions of people. Java applets are other means of Flash and other animations. However, some find the programming language very difficult. Flash programming is very easy people compared with other types of programming, so most inexperienced can make interesting animations with Flash.

Macromedia Flash must be purchased. A while often heard complaint is that the software is very expensive. However, there are programs other than Macromedia that can create banners and flash animations. These are often less expensive and may be a good alternative for budget-minded webmaster looking for a cheap and easy to create a banner or Flash animation.

About the Author:

Maxine Winters recommends Flash Text Animation Builder to easily create an attractive flash banner. See http://www.antssoft.com/swftext/index.htm for more information.

Article Source: ArticlesBase.com - Flash 101 - The Basics

How To Make A Flash Banner For Your Website