Some sort of conspiracy? (Macromedia Flash 5)

Member Name: johnpaul

Product:	Macromedia Flash 5
Date:	06/05/01 (63 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Eventual output can be good, The only viable program to create .swf files

Disadvantages: Atrocious stability, Terrible interface, Large ommisions in usuability/features

I find it truely amazing the amount of people who can wax lyrical about the wonders of Flash.

True enough, it has revolutionised the way we can see the internet, and has been used and abused in many entertaining ways - but the very fact that Macromedia has this market all to itself (apart from Adobe's current non-starter LiveMotion) seems to dictate that they don't give a monkeys how the actual authoring application works.

Having had to use flash proffesionally I am horrified at how hopelessly inadequate it is. There are gaping holes in it's workflow, and, unless your are doing no more than a 20k banner animation, the stability of the program itself is shocking - even after installing all available updates.

What about copying scenes Macromedia? Or all the simple ways of managing the timeline in director that you, in your infinite and arrogant wisdom, decided to 'omit' from Flash?

There are too many obvious things missing from this app to mention here - the best thing that can happen is that someone else could muscle in onto Macromedia's turf and give them a kick up the arse to create a credible piece of software - in a similar way to Quark and InDesign.

I dread having to use this program now, and when the results - eventually - can be so good, that's a real shame.

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