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Are Flash files too big and
slow?
It is sometimes assumed that
using Adobe
Flash animation will slow down a website's performance. A similar
assumption is that Flash files are larger than regular image files.
Certainly, some complex Flash animations can put a drain on a computer's
processor and perform poorly, especially on an older or less powerful
computer. But, in comparing simple animated images side by side,
Flash wins hands down against animated GIFs and even static JPEG
images when it comes to file size. And remember, the smaller the
image file, the faster the web page loads.
|
|
|
 |
| Animated
GIF, 57K file size and very choppy animation. |
|
Flash,
4K — less than one-tenth the file size of the GIF, and
much smoother animation! |
Why is the Flash file smaller?
Because Flash files are vector graphics,
while JPEGs, GIFs and PNGs are raster images.
Vector files win hands-down when it comes to small file sizes for
drawn objects like the red ball.
The lesson? When used wisely,
Flash files can actually improve a website's performance. It's
only when the Flash animations become extremely complicated that
file sizes can get out of hand and user experience may suffer.
Of course there is much more
to the debate about html verses Flash than the file size issue,
not the least of which is the fact that Flash content cannot be
displayed on Apple iPhones, iPods and iPads. But when it comes
to efficient file size for animated graphics, you can't beat Flash.
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