Full Flash websites

What do you guys think of websites made almost completely out of Macromedia Flash MX? I'm concidering making my new Friends website out of it, but need to know if it's a good idea.

I know it may take a bit longer to load, but it should look nicer if I can get it all looking how I want it to. And I don't think I'd be stopping many people from visiting it. I think around 97% of my current website's users have it, but i've not checked the stats in some time.

I think they're fine as long as they're not Memory or CPU reliant too much.

It would also be best to have the text etc loaded from external files. Other than that it should be fine. Computer Arts and magazines alike have sections on making flash only sites. Worth a read I say.

I'm not a fan of the things myself. I can't see why there is a need for it. In what ways does using flash for the bulk of the website benefit it?

Fair enough for the interactive stuff and pretty pictures but for plain text it seems pointless.

No, but you can get the text from XML or a database. All that should really be in the flash file is animations and little bits and pieces for fun.

You compliance people need not worry you can still convert IE people to Mozilla muffs. rofl. muffs. what a funny word.

nowt to do with that. It'll work in both so long as they have the plugin.

It's just I don't like things that are totally flash based when HTML would do fine - see any site on moonfruit for examples.

Yes but they're pointless. They're not utilising Flash to it's full and proper potential.

There is rarely any good reason to use Flash. Webmasters think it makes their sites look stylish, but users just find it an annoying waste of time.

It depends what it's for. Flash has a purpose and many people can use it for that. Other like that moonfruit nonsense are just pointless uses of it.

Flash is good for animation, but people have to update every time a new version comes out. The computer I'm on - not my own, remember - has version 5 of Flash Player. That means I can't see the flash header at The TV Room, because that requires version 6! That's the only annoying thing about it really.

well IE at least automatically updates flash using twisted logic with that code Macromedia generates. Flash Player 7 (currently in BETA and very very good) checks by itself and doesn't need the rest f the code it seems.

The TV Room currently won't update your player as it doesn't have the full code on it.

It's hardly massive though - the update is only about 200k and only comes maybe once a year. Flash Player 7 is - if you believe Macromedia - meant to improve performance by up to ten times.

Exactly, I don't know why people bother moaning about this. Flash is like an industry standard now along with your whatever coding compliance.

Digiblah your not raising a valid point yet again so I'd maybe rethink your little line of arguement.

Bad for Dial-Up users good for Broadband users

I think alot of the time its useless but it can look stylish when funky animations are used in menus. like at Quantic Dream, but tacky flash animations are just the worst. like at aaarrrggg.com although aaarrrggg is funky, its a full flash website.