Flash final format question

[rainman::|:|]

Have a couple of questions, would love to get thoughts...

First, I'm finishing up a website, it's entirely flash (please hold all expletives until the end)... Although I didn't intend it to be a scaling site, I've been testing it using just the .swf, so it does scale, and I like that. How can I preserve that behavior in the final index.html file?

Also, since I know there's a huge contingent of People Opposed to Flash Anything, I'd love any advice on how to make an entirely flash site really accessible. Creating a separate HTML version isn't possible, client won't pay for the hours. I've heard there are ways to make it spider friendly... There isn't a ton of content, and it won't change often...

 

[snickelfritz]

Adobe.com has a comprehensive article on flash liquid layouts in the developer section.

Watch the "publishing tricks" video:
http://www.freeflashtutorials.com/

 

[InLikeALion]

Just a nit-pick, but its People Opposed to Flash EVERYTHING. Flash has it's place as a media player, and other various elements, but it is used in many instances were it makes initial development overly complicated, upkeep or revisions too time consuming/difficult, accessibility issues, and SEO problems like you're experiencing. Those reasons are why people are championing web standards over flash. People often use flash for things that don't even need to be flash - menus and the like can be almost always 100% recreated in html, css, and some tasteful/creative javascript.

That said, I'm not attacking you for using flash, and haven't even seen your use. Standards proponents generally just want to spread awareness. SEO for flash 'can' be done, but it's not too simple or as efficient as non-flash.

 

[snickelfritz]

Personally, I find anti-Flash sentiments by HTML/CSS developers to be tiresome.
Most of the time, these people simply don't know enough about proper Flash programming and implementation.
They are essentially parroting old urban myths.

Apple has had to contend with this sort of thing for the past 20 years, but I'd say they are doing pretty well with their "non-standard, non-compliant, incompatible" computer systems and software!