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What's wrong with weather web sites?

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 3:33 pm
by Isaac
For once i'd like a weather page that uses flash to navigate around the map. Something that's about as good as google maps.

weather.com... yahoo weather.. All of them are all crapy html,java, or realplayer sites...

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 3:47 pm
by CDN_Merlin

Re:

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:27 pm
by Isaac
my point, exactly.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:37 pm
by Genghis

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Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 4:42 pm
by Isaac
You're right! That is just another html page.

It bet it's going to be like independence day when weather pages discover flash.

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Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 5:13 pm
by TechPro
Isaac wrote:I bet it's going to be like independence day when weather pages discover flash.
As if that was the answer... :roll:

In all reality... many of those pages (including http://www.intellicast.com) do a fine job and work well for many systems. Sure Flash can do some cool and nice stuff... but Flash isn't the answer for some systems.

The point is... use what works for you. If you can't find anything that works for you... you have three choices
  • 1. Re-evaluate... is what you're after practical/possible... and could it be your system?
    2. Make one that works for you.
    3. Don't complain and use the best you can find.
My 2 cents. :wink:

Re:

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 5:45 pm
by Isaac
TechPro wrote:
Isaac wrote:I bet it's going to be like independence day when weather pages discover flash.
As if that was the answer... :roll:

In all reality... many of those pages (including http://www.intellicast.com) do a fine job and work well for many systems. Sure Flash can do some cool and nice stuff... but Flash isn't the answer for some systems.

The point is... use what works for you. If you can't find anything that works for you... you have three choices
  • 1. Re-evaluate... is what you're after practical/possible... and could it be your system?
    2. Make one that works for you.
    3. Don't complain and use the best you can find.
My 2 cents. :wink:
My problem is that they COULD use flash to display weather patterns, but don't! ONly god knows why they don't, but it WOULD be better.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 7:41 pm
by fliptw
considering weather maps are nothing but a slideshow anyways, how exactly would flash be an improvement?

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 7:52 pm
by Unix
It's pretty.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 8:08 pm
by Duper
Issac. With flash, and java, some network securiteis won't allow. it. They are interested in making themselves viewable to as many as possible. Personally, I'll take a html site over a flash site any day. :)

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Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 9:26 pm
by Isaac
Duper wrote:Issac. With flash, and java, some network securiteis won't allow. it. They are interested in making themselves viewable to as many as possible. Personally, I'll take a html site over a flash site any day. :)

So lets say you want to check out a single area. And you had 3 choices in user interphase:

1. you could type in your address in six different ways, till it recognizes what you're saying.
2. Click a box to zoom in, but have to refresh the whole page every time you make a movement.
3. Actually just zoom in on an area, with a click and a drag, to see what's happening there. Pan around a bit for fun and be done.

There’s no way html or java can beat a flash page, when it comes to viewing a map. I don't think you’re not telling the truth.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 10:57 pm
by Isaac
Look if logic cant make you all agree with me, this will.

Posted: Sat May 06, 2006 11:35 pm
by Kyouryuu
It's absolutely possible that an HTML page can beat a Flash page. Flash just gets in the way of information. Nothing is worse than using Flash just for the sake of using it. Weather pages don't need it. Their job is to report the weather and provide forecasts and statistics quickly and easily.

The most plausible reason the NWS site doesn't use it (http://www.weather.gov) is because the government has certain rules about web site accessibility. Yes, this is why a lot of government web sites seem \"boring,\" but it's in the interest of spreading information to as wide a demographic as possible. How can people who rely on screen readers or braille to interpret Flash? How can people who don't have Flash to begin with expect to keep up-to-date with the most recent versions? What about people like me who disable Flash because the crappy ads it renders outweigh the positives?

Oh yes, there are many reasons to not use Flash.

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:26 am
by Duper
Thank you Kyouryuu. My thoughts exactly, but i didn't think it would be necessary to go into all that. Oh well.

IMO flash is just that.. \"flash\". It's eyecandy and not necessary. It's an art medium.

The little Ninjia is a great example of what can be done with flash, but on websites, I don't care to have stuff jumping around and blinking and have to go through a freekin \"intro\" every time I want to see a site. (ok.. that sentence was way too long)

I guess the old worn-out argument \"get with the times\" could be used, but every generation uses that at some time. The thing is that those of usewho did when we were young now realise that \"the times\" is nothing more than the past rehashed with a fresh coat of paint. ;)

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 12:39 am
by Isaac
ok sure there are people who would go use an html site if they don't like flash.

here is a great example:
Imagine this \"flash\" map was displaying weather patterns... (clickity)
Duper and Kyouryuu, why would that not be the best way to view weather?

Also notice that this page isnt flashy or artsy in any way. .........pwnd.

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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:42 am
by Tricord
Isaac wrote:Duper and Kyouryuu, why would that not be the best way to view weather?
Best way to view the weather is to look out your window :P

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 4:34 am
by Duper
True Tricord :mrgreen:

Isaac. Doppler radar in loop and updated satillite photo's are not a flash medium. not \"pwnd\" its just not NECESSARY. html works fine and is easier to code.

write your congressman. that's what they're there for.

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 11:48 am
by Diedel
The German word for 'meteorologist' is 'Meteorologe'. The German word for 'lie' is 'Lüge' (with umlaut 'u', or 'Luege' to replace the umlaut with 'ue'). So we sometimes call them 'Meteorolüge' ('Meteoroluege' for those whos comp cannot display umlauts). :P

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 3:34 pm
by Isaac
:roll:

ok i'm going to talk to a few weather stations and see if they'd do it. If they do i'll post it here and you all see, im not crazy!!! :P

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:37 pm
by aldel
I don't think Google Maps uses Flash at all. I heard it was an Ajax application, meaning it's all Javascript.

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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:41 pm
by Isaac
aldel wrote:I don't think Google Maps uses Flash at all. I heard it was an Ajax application, meaning it's all Javascript.
blast!

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 7:44 pm
by Duper
yea, i was going to say..

no. not weather stations.. YOUR CONGRESSMEN!!!

why? because the weather web sites that you are refering to are hosted by the government and there is funding that needs to be appropriated to \"update\" the entire freeking site(s) to flash. ...that's a lot of hours.

I wasn't being flip.

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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:20 pm
by Top Gun
Diedel wrote:The German word for 'meteorologist' is 'Meteorologe'. The German word for 'lie' is 'Lüge' (with umlaut 'u', or 'Luege' to replace the umlaut with 'ue'). So we sometimes call them 'Meteorolüge' ('Meteoroluege' for those whos comp cannot display umlauts). :P
Too bad we can't do something that clever in English. Here we just call them "idiots." :P

Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:26 pm
by TigerRaptor
Who gives a crap what weather sites use. They provide detailed information within your area and easy to use. End of story.

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Posted: Sun May 07, 2006 8:34 pm
by Isaac
TigerRaptorFX wrote:Who gives a crap what weather sites use. They provide detailed information within your area and easy to use. End of story.
Dude.. all of my topic in the cafe have been about pointless things.

:o

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:10 am
by TigerRaptor
For something so pointless you sure made it sound serious.

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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:21 am
by Isaac
TigerRaptorFX wrote:For something so pointless you sure made it sound serious.
You should see what i say on anteaters and octopuses.

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:35 pm
by MD-2389
Good luck man. Flash hasn't been used for a number of reasons.


1. Like mentioned before, some sites don't allow flash to be installed.
2. Not everyone is running a decent machine.
3. Not everyone has broadband. Ever visit places like joecartoon or other similar sites on dial-up? One little two little three little megabytes....and twenty minutes later it finally laods.

The way sites like intellicast are setup, even the radar loops load in under a minute on dial-up. In short, HELL NO to flash!

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 1:40 pm
by fliptw
the cool died in this thread

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 2:23 pm
by Mobius
Flash is 99% Bad Mkay.

Isaac, you really need to understand the web before touting something which is inappropriate to use.

As far as I'm concerned, 99% of flash IS bad: there are VERY few times and places where flash will do something that HTML can't do, and can't do easy, and quickly.

Wherever you see flash used, you need to ask yourself \"could it have been done in HTML?\" - and if the answer is \"yes\" then it should, most certainly NOT have been done usign flash.

Flash is for the display of content which HTML can not handle - EXCLUSIVELY. Banner adverts are about the only thing which flash is exceptionally good at, in a common environment.

Please: you do NOT need flash to display a weather map, nor to control your website's navigation, nor to display static content.

There ARE some jobs for which flash is very well suited (Our company used flash to build a simply stupendous front end for a Hedge Fund management company) but it is mostly just webmaster masturbation.

For the best use of flash ever, see www.becominghuman.org, and view the documentary. It'll take you at least an hour to explore the whole thing.

Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 3:43 pm
by Sir Sam II
If you know Donald C. Johanson tell him I would like to give him a Holy Bible :)

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Posted: Mon May 08, 2006 10:13 pm
by TigerRaptor
Isaac wrote:You should see what i say on anteaters and octopuses.
I'll pass. ;)

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Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 10:42 am
by Isaac
Mobius wrote:Flash is 99% Bad Mkay.

Isaac, you really need to understand the web before touting something which is inappropriate to use.

As far as I'm concerned, 99% of flash IS bad: there are VERY few times and places where flash will do something that HTML can't do, and can't do easy, and quickly.

Wherever you see flash used, you need to ask yourself "could it have been done in HTML?" - and if the answer is "yes" then it should, most certainly NOT have been done usign flash.

Flash is for the display of content which HTML can not handle - EXCLUSIVELY. Banner adverts are about the only thing which flash is exceptionally good at, in a common environment.

Please: you do NOT need flash to display a weather map, nor to control your website's navigation, nor to display static content.

There ARE some jobs for which flash is very well suited (Our company used flash to build a simply stupendous front end for a Hedge Fund management company) but it is mostly just webmaster masturbation.

For the best use of flash ever, see www.becominghuman.org, and view the documentary. It'll take you at least an hour to explore the whole thing.
"Frequently updating content (Flash content tends to be created once and then left alone)." - yes... it would be impossible. :roll:

Yes.. i can code. I know what i'm talking about. And the fact that you think flash is only a "fun art" toy, proves how much you know about the net.

Oh god.. that's it... im making a demo to shut you all up. *runs off to the bat cave*

Posted: Tue May 09, 2006 11:05 am
by fliptw
flash is good for games, and sites that don't offer anything of functional value. The web isn't about gawking at it.

You don't need to provide more proof that you have too much time on your hands Issac.