Flash is the leading vector technology for designing high-impact, low-bandwidth Web sites that attract, engage, and retain site visitors—providing a richer, more compelling Web experience.

In March 2000, NPD Research, the parent company of MediaMetrix, conducted a study to determine what percentage of Web browsers have Flash preinstalled. The results show that 89.9% of Web users can experience Flash content without having to download and install a player.

What is Flash?

Macromedia Flash is the solution for producing and delivering high-impact Web sites, as well as resizable and extremely compact full-screen navigation interfaces, technical illustrations, long-form animations, and other dazzling site effects. Graphics and animations anti-alias and scale based on the viewer’s screen size, providing high-quality viewing.

Flash uses vector graphics technology. Unlike bitmapped images that are optimized for a single resolution, vector images can adapt to multiple display sizes and resolutions. This is ideal for displaying Web sites uniformly on set-top boxes, hand-held computers, or PCs. Unlike bitmapped images such as GIFs and JPEGs used on the Web today, vector images—graphics, charts, maps, and animations—fit into compact, efficient files that speed over the Web.

Flash content is created with the Macromedia Flash 4 authoring tool or Macromedia FreeHand 8 print and Internet design tool. Flash 4 enables Web designers to import artwork from their favorite bitmap or illustration tools, apply transparency, create morphing effects, add interactivity and sound, and animate them over time. Flash content is then saved and published as a Flash