Adobe Flash powers most of the multimedia and interactive features of modern Web sites, yet it still doesn’t work on many smartphones. Many people complain about the iPhone’s lack of Adobe Flash support, but the iPhone is hardly alone. The Palm Pre and the BlackBerry Storm don’t have Flash support, and neither do most Android devices (except the HTC Hero). Nokia’s S60 and the Windows Mobile browsers provide limited, scaled-down Flash support.

Source: PC World

I am constantly amazed at how many websites are  entirely dependent on Flash – a technology which has long been known to frustrate both users and search engines.   Now more than ever, website owners should avoid this blunder.   Flash websites don’t work on the increasingly important mobile web.

Flash has its place.  It’s great for games and multi-media – but even then alternatives should always be provided, where ever possible.   Storynory has always had a flash player for its audio.  It’s also always had a simple html download link.   It’s the simple link that works anywhere, anytime.

Flash websites are for “brand conscious’  businesses that don’t understand the net. They buy websites like some people buy cars – for their image.  But the first job of a car is to get from A to B along any reasonable road.   The first job of a website is to deliver content on any reasonable platform.    So it’s important to run on a ‘go anywhere’ technology – e.g. (x)html.