Non-Conventional uses of Flash

[gStudios]

Hello, I am wondering what kind of uses people are using flash for in non-conventional ways. I don't mean Flash Cartooning, or web based projects. What got me thinking about this is, that I recently did a project which involves an Interface made with Flash. And has nothing to do with what most people use flash for. It is essentially a restore disc with several directories that have 300+ files in each one on the CD. The user puts the disc in the CD-Rom, the Flash UI comes up, the user selects one out of 18 options, and that starts NSIS (NullSofts Scriptable Installer) which copies the files from the disc, to the appropriate directory, without any other user intervention.

Now I don't know if I shouldnt use Flash in such a way. Or if I should even use Director instead of Flash. But it seems to work just fine this way. Anyhow, I'd like to hear other people's experiences on using Flash in Non-Conventional ways. :)

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savIRC ::: The Multi-Platform IRC Client (http://www.mercato-mania.com/saverio/savirc/)

[tg]

if it works, use it. new and inovative uses of flash is.. um... how would martha put it? oh ya. "its a good thing".

[zoomfreddy]

mmm... the starting animation in Windows millenium was made with flash, also, the interfase on the "Neo...something" browser.

I think flash will be a standard to make graphical interfases in the coming years.

:cool:

[MixMatch]

Neoplanet???

[zoomfreddy]

yeah... Neoplanet ....so long ago :)

[20 Ton Squirrel]

The use of Director and Flash in "non-conventional" ways has been around for a while. I've seen Director content used in the same manner as gStudios described on several occasions, it's really a neat way to make an otherwise BORING install interesting.

There is a site called VR Professionals (http://www.vrprofessionals.com/site.htm) that makes CD-ROM business cards that contain great demos build in Flash or Director. Check that link out, they rule.

Back in the days of F4 I used it on several projects as an ActiveX component in Access and Excel rather than those crappy looking standard buttons. It worked great.

I agree that Flash and Director will become more mainstream in the GUI world as time goes on. I can't wait to see what new doors FMX opens.

[caffrey75]

I've been doing 'unconventional' things with Flash for the last two years and, bar a few hiccups, find it both simple and amazingly flexible when it comes to creating items that veer off the beaten track from what Flash was originally designed for.

The most recent 'innovation' is 'Devon UK, The Complete Interactive Guide to Golf Courses in Devon'. The whole thing was built using a combination of Flash and a tiny bit of Jugglor and, to be honest, it works a whole lot better than other programs in a similar vein, such as 'The AA Guide to Golf Courses in Britain' (Automobiles Association NOT Alcoholics Annon!).

If anyone is interested in taking a look at a selling CD-ROM program created in Flash take a look at

http://www.golfexpodevonuk.co.uk

I must admit that I feel somewhat of a cowboy sometimes, doing stuff the way I do, but considering the end results comply exactly with what I want I feel no need to change right now and Director is just a pain in the arse to try to learn:(. Flash provides a great way for creative people who find programming difficult (ie:-me) to show what they can do.

The way FlashMX has turned out, it seems that Macromedia has started to introduce more features exclusive to Director into Flash, which is a bloody good thing.

I think this is a really interesting debate and if anyone else experiments with Flash in a similar vein I'd love to hear about it and swap some tips. :D

[dunnright]

My company made a "Graphics Capability" CD a little while ago, and it was an example of one of those many "Bad Flash" interfaces.

But it gave me the idea to make a similar one for a guy that I'm doing some work for. It's a project that's been on the back-burner for a few months, but maybe this might inspire me to pick it up again. Especially the Installer interface idea.

Not that a CD interface is all that unconventional. I just wanted an excuse for my first post to sound good! :p