blixtsystems.com

Well, the word in itself maybe not, I just made that up myself.
But as you probably guess I'm talking about using Flash and AJAX together.

After my last post that also involved Flash and AJAX, "Right tool for the job...or right job for the tool?", I came across the following blog entry: Ajax and Flash Together
Some good examples of AJAX and Flash integration and I couldn't help to ask myself a couple of questions.

In what way does it affect me as a user if the buttons controlling flash is in the HTML page or part of the swf?

Looking at Yahoo finance and Google finance I really have difficult to see that the user would have advantages or disadvantages from an AJAX mix compared to only Flash.
The only case would be if there is browser incompatibilities with JS or that they lack the flash plug-in.
Obviously buttons is no good without graph and vice versa, so not having to rely on two separate technologies being available as expected is better. But to me it could just as well be one big swf...I would not notice any difference apart from when I right click.

On the google page I can agree that it's neat how it highlights the headlines to the left when you click the corresponding box in the graph. Using HTML for those headlines makes it possible to completely retain their visual identity, even if the result in Flash could be made very similar looking.

In what way would it affect me as a developer having to implement one over the other solution?

I cannot see that it would have any advantages when developing to move buttons to control the graph outside of the swf.
Anyone who can make the graphing app can in no time add the buttons instead of making a handler to respond to JS calls from the HTML buttons.

What have I missed?
In what way does combining Flash and AJAX help the user in those examples?
In what way does it help developers?

Tags: AJAX, Flash, Ramblings, RIA

Usually when people discuss Flash, AJAX and HTML there will be a lot of people saying "just use the right tools for the job, both have their strengths."
Seems obvious enough and makes sense.
But do we really have to learn to use all tools, and could one not turn it around to say that we should find jobs that fit our tools?

I many times been thinking I should have a look at AJAX because I might get a project where it would be a good solution.
The main reason I haven't bothered is that I have problem finding uses for it where Flash is in any way inferior. The only reason to go with AJAX that I can see is if you have a HTML page where AJAX could feel more visually integrated, but on technical merits alone I find it hard to see where AJAX would be a better tool.

The point I'm trying to make is not about if Flash is better than AJAX.
Regardless of the merits of using AJAX vs. Flash I really dislike having to deal with browser issues and a far from ideal development environment

Sure, if there was no demand for Flash and I had to make sure to put food on the table, then an AJAX job might seem tempting.
But as we all know Flash is higher in demand than ever, so why would I start using a technology that I don't enjoy working with that basically fills only fills some of functions as the one I already master?
To make sure that I can give the best solution to a customer who have a project that is one of the few where I think AJAX would be a better choice?
No thanks, if that situation would arise I'll be happy to send them on to someone who likes to deal with browser incompatibilities.

As long as I have the possibility I rather choose jobs where my skills is the right solution. Sure I like to keep up with new technologies, but only as long as they seem nice to work with and they bring new advantages. But to choose what tools to use according to the jobs on offer doesn't appeal to me.

So, what's your approach, choosing the skills that you find nice and useful to find matching jobs or adapting your skill set to the jobs on offer?

Tags: Ramblings

I'm glad to have discovered that someone made an effort making a script similar to my backbutton and deeplinking solution for Flash.
Maybe old news to many of you, but since I get some visitors here looking for such a solution I thought I mention it.

http://www.asual.com/swfaddress/

I haven't got a chance to try it out and only had a look at the info on their web page, but it seems to be a very good alternative to my own script.

Tags: Flash, JavaScript, Links, SEO