Attached Link: http://www.realmdesign.net

I like your design. I like B&W, really, don't see enough of that these days. Personally I love Flash, but you might want to consider a non-Flash entry to the site, in addition to, because I've run across several people in my minimal encounters, who detest Flash, refuse to load the plugin, or just get confused and scared away by the plugin screen. Heh...my own Mom is one of those. I made a Flash animation and stuck it in a web page, emailed the URL to her, and spent a week trying to explain the "why's" and "how's" of it, all to no avail... ;)

It has a nice look.. And yeah, Mike is right, there are all these people put off by Flash... I'm not one of them though...

I love to visite websites from others, but I run away immediately if there is Flash. Flash effects looks often beautiful, but it takes time to go to the real pages I want to see, and this time I prefer to spend on another webpage. As Mike suggested, maybe you could also create a "flashfree" page ? :-)Guitta

I'm high-ping, but it looks like you've designed it to be a fast site - not like those who think they have to demonstrate every flash feature on every page. Looking forward to seeing what you do with it - and thanks! -mike

Hope "realmdesign" will be good ! and keep it in FLASH. I don't understand this attitude against FLASH... FLASH allow web designer to create interactive contents that can't be done with HTML or JAVA. A FLASH site is not necessarily slow, it can even be faster than a normal HTLM site. It's neither complicated, the plug-in is downloaded in just a few minutes (I had more problems downloading RealPlayer and Quicktime !). Besides, it's easier to create a site in FLASH than in HTLM : everything is done in one application and there a less files to upload to the server. All the images, buttons, sounds, etc... are exported in single SWF files (and not hundreds of gif.,jpg, wav, html files). You can be more creative with FLASH. HTML is very limited and not adapted to multimedia contents. If sometimes the loading is slow, blame it on your modem and not FLASH. With a 56K modem (wich means an approximative data transfer of 7K/sec.) everything is slow, not only FLASH. Personnaly I run away from HTML site (especially home pages), they are boring and ugly. It's OK for e-commerce, forums and information databases, but not for graphic sites. I don't need to go on the web to see images an text, for this a magazine is more convenient. The internet should be more than static pages with links ! For those who still think that FLASH is slow try this : go to http://www.mediarevolution.com and choose "flash trailer". Eric

Thanks for the info Eric:-). I have a DSL connection and some Flash sites are not only slow, but people put too much there so that I need 1 or 2 minutes(by bad chance even more) to go atleast where I want to go. But, not to die stupid, I will read the thread you suggest and maybe change mind, who knows. Guitta

Wow!! Many comments, I thank you all and appreciate every opinion expressed, because it is my intention to create this site for the users. I began this "Flash" site with the vies expressed by Audity from the beginning. Yes - I believe there are many "Flash" sites that are done for the sole purpose of seeing how many of the "Flash" features, animations, cursor chasing, ect... ect... effects that can be done because they can, simply put. I also understand and my feeling with "Realm Design" is to create this site for the user - meaning fast load times - great contenet - and not alot of "Flash" (no pun intended). As my site sits now the main menu page is approx. 27k loading time so i am taking into consideration those with 56k connections that really only connect at 28.8k :) and that is the theme I am striving to attain through the rest of the site. Plan is to continue with the "Flash" but if there are complaints about loading time (which there shouldn't be) or people not wanting to install a 3rd party plugin I will produce a solely html based page, which honestly I was planning on doing later after the completion of the "Flash" but I may do both in conjunction with each other so as MikeJ put it some people are scared off by "Flash" but I was hoping that being a website based on design for the designer that most people are forward thinking and looking to the next phase of web development :) Thank you all again for your input and keep it coming because I truly consider this "our" site and hope that it can become a valuable resource along with the billions of others :)

Looks like a great start vibes30! And I have to agree wholeheartedly with Eric...I have been in the web design business for a few years now, and Flash can be faster and so much more visually powerful than the older standards such as HTML and JAVA for presenting interactive and multimedia rich websites. But unfortunately just like anything else, it usually is overdone and over abused by people not experienced with it, and that's where you get a certain audience who have seen shoddy work using Flash and they don't like what they see. But you have done a great job with it so keep up the good work and let us know as you progress with your website. Remember it takes an awful long time for most innovative and new techology to be accepted by the masses...unfortunate but true. Marvilla

Thanks for the encouraging comments marvilla. I just found an article tonight on Flash user's over doing it and the reasons why flash has a bad rap in some peoples minds. :) Its true, and I agree 100% that it can be way over done. So far I think I am on the right track with the site - I am in the process of breaking it down into bit size chunks, here is the stats so far: The "Main Menu" - 24k "Gallery " - 45k per section w/ links to full images "Animations" - 30k "Models" - 25k w/links to download .zip files "Tutorials" - 7k w/links to html site + interactive flash content. "Contact" - 5k Each section loads seperate from all else to avoid over extensive load times.

Yes, you are on the right track by keeping it small and sweet..and a great design to boot! :) Besides, it's your website, and who will be the better judge as what you want it to look like but yourself. I know there are sites I work on for clients that have me cringing the whole time I am working on them...but they like it, it's what they want and I make money by pleasing them. Now when it comes to my sites I design what I want, what's aesthetically pleasing to me, and if people don't wish to visit it's their choice. We can either choose to remain with pleasing the majority of the people, who are usually three steps behind on the latest ideas in design by sticking to non threatening older methods of web design, or move out ahead and explore new technologies that are out there waiting for us to tap into...I kind of like the latter myself grin Marvilla