>I fail to understand, at the moment at least, why people bother to
> "detect" (as in javascript) flash when all you need is a small, small
> flash movie that directs itself to what you want to show IF they have
> Flash and if they don't you also have a HTML header redirect (with longer
> times setting) to the HTML only page. No scripts, works with most
> browsers and is easier to implement.
> If there a rationale for detect scripts, I would like to hear about it.
> What am I missing?

Are you talking about meta refresh?  JavaScript can make a decision that
doesn't require the viewer to do anything.  A meta refresh cannot make a
decision, it just changes pages based upon a time setting.  I am not sure
how that will help.

Using the meta refresh to redirect has another penalty.  Several search
engines automatically ban websites that use meta refresh.  In their opinion
the webmaster is trying to pull some kind of slick trick or the webpage is
possibly a "gateway" page and they don't endorse that concept.


For this reason, it is important to not only detect whether someone has the
Macromedia driver, but that it is current enough for the webpage.
JavaScript  is the most popular method of doing this.  It is also important
to include a:

<.NOSCRIPT><.A HREF="alternate.html">  Click here  <./a> </NOSCRIPT>

So that people with JavaScript turned off can also select the alternate
webpage.

Most people have the Flash plugin.  You can build some nice looking websites
with it with some nice features.  Not all Flash websites are 15 minute long
movies with wierd effects that have nothing to do with the website's primary
focus.

Paul Wilson
webguroo(at)tampabay.rr.com

• Web Designer Courses
• Off the Shelf Training Courses

HWG hwg-techniques mailing list archives, maintained by Webmasters @ IWA