Joe, > use a clumsy workaround for testing which browser people are on
To make sure that all browsers can see Flash you have to use non-standard HTML. Either that or if you really really want your HTML to validate, you can use messy JavaScript to inject the HTML. > hoping ActiveX is enabled on IE That's a moot point: you've got to hope the same thing for Flash, or you won't get that either. > that any new browsing stuff people use supports it True, but the majority of modern browsers correctly implement the appropriate standards. And those that don't *cough*IE*cough* have proven workarounds. And if you build your AJAX application on a suitable abstraction layer (such as Prototype) then you can bet that support will be available sharpish, or you can make the changes yourself. > that they're not on a mobile (hi, Flash Lite!). Now you've got me on that one, but all AJAX implementations should have a fall-back mode for those clients that don't support JavaScript anyway (unless you know that the clients accessing it are controlled, such as on an intranet), and a new stylesheet will see you good. For our team at least, using an AJAX solution to a problem over Flash has a number of advantages (at least for our team): - all code can be source controlled, diff'd and quickly deployed without any need for building [I like the pretty colours on the Trac diff tool ;) ] - CF developers can understand JS and get up to speed with it to allow quick development. Flash authoring is another kettle of fish entirely; - it's much easier for our development team to to make a quick change to a JS file than to get a Flash developer to make the change and make the new build, test and deploy; - We have more CF developers than Flash/ActionScript developers, so any development/maintenance etc is easier/quicker with an AJAX solution. - debugging an AJAX application is a (relatively) simple task if you've just one developer. When you throw in a Flash developer it becomes much more complicated. Yes, you should have unit testing, but it still happens... Of course, these sort of restrictions will be removed once Flex 2 comes out, but at the moment an AJAX solution is preferable to a full Flex licence! And if you can control exactly who's using the site and with what, then even better! Tim. -- ------------------------------------------------------- Badpen Tech - CF and web-tech: http://tech.badpen.com/ ------------------------------------------------------- RAWNET LTD - independent digital media agency "We are big, we are funny and we are clever!" New site launched at http://www.rawnet.com/ ------------------------------------------------------- This message may contain information which is legally privileged and/or confidential. If you are not the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any unauthorised disclosure, copying, distribution or use of this information is strictly prohibited. Such notification notwithstanding, any comments, opinions, information or conclusions expressed in this message are those of the originator, not of rawnet limited, unless otherwise explicitly and independently indicated by an authorised representative of rawnet limited. ------------------------------------------------------- ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~| Discover CFTicket - The leading ColdFusion Help Desk and Trouble Ticket application http://www.houseoffusion.com/banners/view.cfm?bannerid=48 Message: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=i:4:222047 Archives: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/threads.cfm/4 Subscription: http://www.houseoffusion.com/lists.cfm/link=s:4 Unsubscribe: http://www.houseoffusion.com/cf_lists/unsubscribe.cfm?user=11502.10531.4 Donations & Support: http://www.houseoffusion.com/tiny.cfm/54
