A post that is a long time coming.

I've been meaning to make a post lately entitled, "I hate Flash" or "If you have a flash based web site, I probably hate it." But everytime I find a doozy of a Flash nightmare, I usually end up so irritated and head-achey that blogging is the last thing I want to do.


So--- I have a big announcement. Today, for the first time, I found a flash site that is actually... quite fantastic!

It actually has NAVIGATION (which apparently is something some web designers think they are too cool for?)and uses flash animation in a way that enhances the site WITHOUT interfering in its functionality.

And guess what? Its a GOVERNMENT site! So, huzzah and kudos to the Department of Health and Human Services, for putting out an excellent example of how to use Flash for Good instead of Evil.

Ironically, it was Microsoft who put together this EVIL, EVIL Flash site which makes me want to bang my head on a wall.

I mean, I guess if you're into the pseudo-dominatrix Librarian with a horse whip type of thing, this might get you a little excited about your next web search. But for the rest of us, this is just a flagrant misuse of "fancy." I don't know if I should be offended by, or just plain angry at "Ms. Dewey". Is it just me, or does she remind you of your really cool guy friend's new girlfriend? And he's all into her at first, because she's pretty, but you KNOW that she's going to be THAT girl who drives everyone crazy and slowly wedges herself between him and all of his friends because she is so needy, jealous and childish? And you really want to tell him, but you can't because you're trying to be more supportive and less cynical?

No? It's just me? Why do I hate her so much? Is it the over the top flash that interferes with the sites usability? Is it the fact that you really have no idea what the site... IS or DOES (it is a search engine)? Is it the insanely uncontrollable scrolling that you have to endure to browse your search results? Just a bad actress? Whatever it is, I no likey.