Web boffins - Constructing a basic animated menu bar using Flash - Help wanted!

[Paleface]

Forget DDA. Some people _don't have Flash_ and, more to the point, _can't install it_. Google can't see text within Flash AFAIK, but it handles plain HTML fine. Also, I know a lot of people who aren't legally blind by any stretch, but they like to bump the text-size on some websites with tiny writing. A click in the menu bar of "text-size: bigger" will make everything bigger except, oh wait, the Flash.

Accessibility isn't just about the disabled, it's also about people with limited computers, other machine-driven services that would want to read it, and flexibility. That's why I'd avoid it for crucial navigation even on, say, a leading game reviews site or something like ESPN.

[in5ane]

Accessibility isn't the be all and end all of my argument against a flash menu. It would also suck because of the new tabs in firefox point, but also if its animating and changing colour and stuff, it's just going to annoy and slow down surfers. It could be done right, but to do it right would probably mean you had a ton of experience in design, Flash, Actionscript etc. which the original poster is lacking. It also wouldn't be a quick job!

Actually, at work I'm planning a major database driven flash menu system for browsing and viewing videos, but I will be also offering a HTML interface for those who don't like flash- which is the way forward really.