I am going to review macromedia flash 8 which is a software which allows users to create flash animations which can be added to websites to make them look nice. This program isn't free but you can get a 30 day trial to test it out which I find hard actually do anything in this amount of time because by the time the trials over your just getting used to using the program. Flash 8 is an amazing programs thats allows you to draw in frames which then combine all together to make up your animations. This program has many tools that help users create the type of animation they want to make for instance the text tool makes it easy for a website designer to create professional banners without having to use the brush tool with a mouse. Flash had the option for users to use their tablets on this program to easier draw what they need without the hassle of using a uncontrollable mouse.
Macromedia Flash 8 gives designers a platform to create cartoons, videos, and games that make Web sites dance and sing, and it does so with ease. This Flash upgrade facilitates an evolution in the animated Web experience, and it's a must-have for serious site developers. Flash authors should warm to the numerous work-flow and design-tool improvements, including new runtime blend modes, filters and effects, support for alpha-channel video, and a rebuilt video codec to shrink file size and playback time. Hobbyists wanting to put Flash content on their personal Web pages should opt for Flash Basic, although it lacks the more alluring new features offered by the more expensive Flash Professional 8. You can also buy Flash Professional 8 packaged with the Macromedia Studio 8 suite for about a thousand dollars or upgrade for less from a previous version of Studio.
While Flash 8 is a great program that continues the tradition of excellence begun by its previous incarnations, upgrading from Flash MX isn't really essential to continue animating and developing effectively. The only major change that really stands out is the addition to Flash's video capabilities. If you're looking to try Flash for the first time, then I would recommend Flash 8 Basic--but if you're comfortable with MX, you may want to avoid the rather heavy upgrade costs.
New Features:
So what’s new in Flash Professional 8? Flash Professional 8 is a major upgrade, probably the biggest release of the program to date. Available along with new versions of Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and other tools as part of Studio 8 ($999; $399 upgrade) or on its own ($699; $299 upgrade), Flash Professional 8 adds new features and capabilities in four core areas:
-- Expressiveness
-- User experience
-- Mobile authoring
-- Video
Note that many of these features are only available in Flash Professional 8, not in Flash Basic 8. I will quickly go over the first three areas and then cover video a bit more in-depth.-- Expressiveness
-- User experience
-- Mobile authoring
-- Video
Expressiveness
The new expressiveness features include filters and blend modes that some users may be familiar with from programs such as Photoshop or Fireworks.
User ExperienceDevelopers new to Flash will be happy to see an improved Script Assist Mode that provides a visual user interface for editing scripts.
Mobile AuthoringFlash Professional 8 includes full support for development targeted at handsets and other mobile devices. With the upcoming release of version 2 of Flash Lite, Macromedia’s Flash Player profile for mobile phones, this will be a valuable feature for mobile content developers.
Flash Lite 2.0 also finally adds video capabilities and now supports video playback of local and remote video files using the video rendering application on the device, meaning that .3gp and .mp4 files will soon play inside Flash on most handsets.
Pros
- Easy to adjust to from Flash MX.
- Improves on minor flaws in previous versions.
- Intensive focus on developer functionality.
- Additional one-click effects.
Cons
- Even more cluttered than Flash MX.
- Some "new" features are frivolous and useless.
- The price tag is hefty for both Basic and Professional.
Description
- Flash 8 offers more advanced controls, streamlining once-complex actions and effects into one click.
- Enhanced video options offer a wide range of codecs and output options previously unavailable.
- Expanded functionality turns Flash 8 into a full-featured graphics editing program.
- Animation and drawing are easier than ever with new visualization tools.
- Actionscripting has new script assists; even beginners can program on an easy learning curve.
System Requirements
Windows
- 800 MHz Intel Pentium III processor (or equivalent) and later
- Windows 2000, Windows XP
- 256 MB RAM (1 GB recommended to run more than one Studio 8 product simultaneously)
- 1024 x 768, 16-bit display (32-bit recommended)
- 1.8 GB available disk space
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