Shockwave Flash vs. Javascript

Always a fun debate to have... (for us geeks that is).

On wiwih.com, a guy from TVTrip.com - a meta search engine out of the EU - was saying that "I just dont get it: most of 'cool flash effects' can be made with Javacript."

So here's my reply:
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New Javascript apps needs to be tested thoroughly to make sure they are compatible with all browsers and don't break up the page. Flash is - for lack of a better phrase - "self contained".

Functionally, Flash can do as much as Javascript if you know how to use ActionScript well (which is kinda like Javascript in any case).

Javascript is AJAX; the buzz word for the last 2 years. I see that your site - TVtrip - uses that extensively, as a Web 2.0 should. :-) AJAX is a better way to handle large amount of data streaming in. I am planning to use that for our booking engine interface next year.

Flash is easier to develop. Yep, any web agency can whip up a flash anime in a ... flash (hehehe). But most of them have very limited Javascript expertise beyond select boxes.

I noted that you use Flash for your destination map on your homepage as well, so functional flash has its place. But obviously once you hit the Google Maps, it's Javascript and AJAX or the highway.
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For the new Millennium & Copthorne site, we use Flash for the promotion banners on the main country homepages. However, if you look at the bottom, there are 4 slider bars. When you click on them, they slide up and displays info relevant to that slider tab. This is done using javascript layers. Each layer is like a new page and can have any components including Flash and video.

.... and probably NOT very SEO friendly either. You just can't have your cake and eat it too.

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