[flashpro] usable flash

[Micah Freedman]

Hi,

One of my goals for a long time as been to create the Perfect Flash  
Framework. Flash has some great qualities, but it most naturally  
lends itself to certain architectures that have usability problems.  
I'd like to develop a PHP/Javascript/Flash structure that solves some  
of the problems. On looking into it again, things seem to have  
improved, but they're still somewhat grim. Here are some requirements  
of the PFF:

- basic browser functions work, including back/forward buttons and  
deep linking/bookmarking
- search engine-friendly urls and content
- automatic replacement of non-flash content if flash is available (I  
suppose in an ideal
    set-up, there might be the possibility of user selection of  
content-type, as well.)
- both flash and non-flash content come from a common data-source as  
much as
    possible (without overly restricting potential creativity of the  
site)
- cross-platform/cross-browser (at least IE 6+, Moz/Firefox, Safari)

The biggest problem at the moment seems to be with browser functions.  
There are several ways of dealing with these issues, but unless I'm  
missing something, you have to choose two of the following three things:

1. deep linking/bookmarks
2. back/forward buttons
3. smooth transitions/flow within the flash

GetURL/query string techniques get you 1 & 2. Frameset techniques  
give you 3 and either 1 or 2. Anchor techniques get you 1 & 3, and  
sometimes 2, but they're buggy. Is there a way to get all three?

I know about FlashObject, and the Flash/Javascript integration kit,  
as well as the Pet Market example and Chris Hendershot's tutorial. Am  
I missing something, or are we at v.7/8 of the software, and still  
trying to solve this basic problem with spit and sealing wax?

-Micah