The Creative Design Blog

Tag: flash

Tips for Downloading Videos from YouTube

by Grant C. Roberts on Apr.01, 2010, under multimedia

Signing up for YouTube comes with some responsibility, such as agreeing to follow the rules set out in their terms of service. Most programs you download from the Internet have their own specific terms, to which you have to agree in order to be allowed to use their service. YouTube forbids you from downloading content. If you want to download YouTube videos you have to agree first that you won’t do it and then do it anyhow.

How many people actually read the lengthy terms of service anyway? Not many, for sure. Yes, clicking the agree box says you’ve read and understood the terms, but no one is looking over your shoulder to make sure you’ve done what you said. It’s become an accepted white lie, kind of like the old 55 mile-per-hour speed limit that was a law that just about every motorist broke.

The old, “rules were made to be broken, ” axiom fits well here. Or, “what they don’t know won’t hurt them.” But the fact remains, if you decide to copy something from YouTube you’re doing it at your own risk and it’s, essentially, illegal.

There is, however, an exception to the rule. YouTube allows the original poster of a video to download it in the form of an MP4. They’ll only let you do this two or three times before the option disappears, but it comes back eventually and then you can do it again. But if you’re the one who did the upload, you probably already have a copy, so it’s kind of redundant. And it doesn’t make it possible to download someone else’s content.

If you do a search of this article’s keywords you’ll find many ways to download from YT to your computer. These downloading sites are generally free of charge, although a few do charge a fee. Some are so easy to use, all you have to do is put in the URL for the video you’re interested in and click ‘download’. Once the transfer is made, the file just needs to be saved and it’s ready to be played.

Some are slightly more complicated, requiring you to change the name of the file and add a different file extension. Some of these downloading sites are clean, while others are loaded with advertising of all sorts. Some are cleverly designed to get you to click the wrong button by mistake, which will take you somewhere you didn’t intend.

After testing several of these download sites, the one that was easiest and most hassle free (no pop-ups, etc.)seemed to work best. Just type in (or copy and paste) the URL, click download, save and play your new vid. No problems were encountered and the copy was just a good as the original.

If you can download YouTube videos or music it’s a great way to fill up an MP4 player or your computer hared-drive with your favorite stuff. If your intention is just to enjoy and share the videos with friends it shouldn’t be a big deal. If your purpose is geared towards somehow profiting financially from these downloads… Well, that’s a different story. Let your conscience by your guide.

If you need to download videos from YouTube, you can read more information abouthow to download YouTube videos at ReelSEO.com. They are online video marketing experts and offer a ton of tips and resources for everything related to online video.

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Creating Flash Games with Editable Source Files

by David Barry on Mar.02, 2010, under multimedia

Flash games have enjoyed a major increase in their popularity in recent years and it now seems as if there is not a website on the internet which does not include a Flash game of some description nestled in its pages. Flash games are perfect for website owners because they help to raise awareness of their brand, attract additional foot traffic to the site and furthermore, help to reinforce customer loyalty to the website as well. Flash games should be part of any marketing campaign and they manage to fulfil so many different roles at such a low cost….little wonder then that they have become such a popular marketing tool.

For a very long time there was only two ways of actually getting any newly developed Flash game. You could either hire a qualified Flash developer to produce a game, or contract the work out to an appropriate party. Both methods shared one thing in common: they were very costly in terms of both time and money and so the popularity of Flash games waned significantly. Now, there is a much more cost effective way of achieving results – using editable source code templates.

The great thing about these flash templates is that they can be fully customized and tailored to your precise measurements, allowing you to conveniently place your website logo in the games and modify the graphics to suit your brand. This allows you to really get your brand across while visitors are playing your games.

These templates are fully alterable in every way possible and so the user can change the colors used for the scheme of the template, as well as altering the actual mechanics of the game itself making it more easy or difficult as they see fit. They can alter the characters or ethos of the game in order to match the theme of your website, add your mascot as a character – in fact anything your imagination can conjure!

While Flash games are bread for driving traffic and building brand awareness, you can also profit from them directly. All you need to do is to rebrand them for your client and charge a suitable fee. Alternatively, modify the games and embed adverts from networks such as Mochiads to be paid every time someone plays the game.

Download editable Flash games source files to learn from, modify, edit, rebrand and create brand new games at ViralFlashGames.com or learn how to earn a game tester salary by downloading the free guide to getting paid to play video games at BetaGamesTester.com

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Interviewing Web Design Firms

by Brad Dalton on Feb.10, 2010, under web design

Website design service can be a little difficult and distressing to hire out sometimes. Web design firms all have different policies for deciding the way layout your site and how to promote your new site. A little research before selecting the firm to work with in these areas will help to guarantee that you get the site you’re after.

Design Structure

A professional web design company will also have its own idea of how to structure the design of your website. Some methods are obvious and universal in all good and useful sites. But successful sites can be very different from each other.

Take a look at other companies or competitors in your industry or genre. It is safe to assume that you can build your website close to how most of those do. One thing that should be universal in web design is resolution consideration. It is still important that on any web site, design firms house most of the main content within a rectangle that is 1024 px wide by 726 px high.

Internet Marketing Techniques

Search engine marketing has many facets including website optimization. When it comes to this area web designing, firms sometimes think they know better than anyone else. Their success rate should be documented. Do not be quick to follow advice from the first source you encounter regarding SEO. Request samples of their results.

Search engines are always changing their methods of ranking. You never know when you will need to adjust your methods because you are slipping in the ranks. Always keep an eye on your progress and the return on your investment for any internet marketing. Avoid auto-pilot.

When shopping web design firms, you must obtain their opinions on format, content management, design and marketing strategies. Do not underestimate the potential effect that a powerful website can have on your business and your income. Do not delegate the task of building your site haphazardly or you will encounter many hassles and disappointments.

When choosing your web design company, be thorough in explaining your expectations and in collecting from them the details of their plan to complete your website. Learning what to expect will save you money and grief and hopefully put you well on your way to expanding your business onto the web.

Writer Brad Dalton has been in the web business a long time, read all his articles for more on web design firms and website design service.

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What To Look For In A Web Design Company

by Brad Dalton on Feb.09, 2010, under web design

For web designing, company policies are different from firm to firm. You often see one web design company criticizing another’s ideas and tactics. This is easy to do because clients don’t usually know a lot about what they are criticizing.

In actuality web designing is quite arbitrary.

Where web design companies disagree the most is usually in one of four areas: whether or not to use flash, how to manage content, the actual design structure of the website and how to promote the website, especially through search engines. Do not let any negative arguments necessarily prevent you from proceeding with building your website with any one web design company, unless there are hard facts to back up such an argument.

To Flash Or Not To Flash

This is a greatly debated issue among website design firms. Flash gets credit for having a sleek look and fluid transitions. Certain industries like entertainment and art go well with this style. Though html can always be styled in this way, flash was created specifically for it. Html sometimes gets a bad rap for not being as sleek. But the truth is, you just need to know how to code html correctly to achieve similar results.

Html is used for more conservative or corporate websites by most web design companies. Social media websites heavily rely on html as well. The layout of the site can stretch with additional photos and text.

You may have also heard that html is more compatible with google as far as checking the content if your pages for ranking. You can also use a combination of flash and html for your site. You can incorporate motion graphics or animated flash menus with an organized html framework.

Website Content Management

Your website is like a bookshelf where you store all of your content for visitors to flip through. Sometimes people only want a website that never changes its content. Most people do need to update their websites, if only every so often.

Your web page design company can build a platform that is easy to use so you can refresh images and text on your site at your leisure. You can use methods that are built form scratch or tweak some out of the box products to your own needs.

A lot of people may disagree with the way you decide to manage your website content. But this is to be expected form most web snobs. If it works well and will continue to work well when you grow your website, that is all that matters.

If the web design companies you are interviewing has built something similar to your needs previously and believes that he or she can keep p with any changes you may need to make to your website in the future, it does not matter which content management system they decide to use.

About the Author: Dan Epson has worked in the internet industry for years, read more of his articles to research finding a web design company or web design companies.

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Flash Banner Design Tips For High Click Through Ratio

by Sarah Parker on Feb.08, 2010, under Uncategorized

There are different points you require to keep in mind before purchasing a flash banner. You need to introduce it in the proper manner so you have to make sure that the banner is made according to the look of your internet site and its content.

The designers create designs in different sizes. You have to figure out what size you require. The size has to be according to your overall internet site design. You should consult with the developer as to what kind of size will be adequate for you.

If you are selling a product or a service and have partners to promote your product, you need to consult your partners about what kind of sizes they need. Only then you should get the flash banner design that will be right for your webmasters.

A Flash banner is useful if visitors click on it. So it should have a good click through percentage. Your graphic designer should analyze your site and its target customers and then make the design so that the click through rate can be the best.

A strong call to action is essential for that. You should mention a couple of quotes and make a strong call to action. Thus you will have a high click through rate.

If you are developing an animated image, you should have a strong call to action. A text like Limited Time Discount and Sale can help get a visitor to click. You should always stress on offering the resolution to the problem that a browser has.

If you already have your company logo, your flash banner design must be done according to the logo itself. It has to mix well with your company logo. Thus your graphic designer must take care of all the above factors to bring the best results for you.

Thus you can have a perfect banner created. Only make sure your artist has enough experience. Make Be sure you watch out his or her portfolio before ordering.

See Flash Banner Design. View Portfolio.

categories: design,web design,internet,webmaster,marketing,advertising,business,finance,computers,software,home,flash,programming

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Adobe Software Has Many Functions

by Adriana Noton on Jan.09, 2010, under web design

Adobe software is an American company with offices in California. Adobe has always focused on the multimedia and creative side of software. However, lately they have been creating applications for the Internet in order to enhance your viewing pleasure and to join the other companies.

Adobe started off with small software development ideas, as most companies do. But soon started creating more detailed software to complete specific tasks. It wasn’t long before they developed software so people could create web sites. This put them in with other companies, however their unique software soon became industry standard. Their software has the ability to do many different things.

As if that wasn’t enough Adobe created titles to enhance a photograph or alter photos. This has made them a required element to know and learn for most creative businesses. The more creative a company the more adobe products that company would use. All sorts of companies use Adobe products. If you are uncertain which one to use or to have you can use their trial packages to access the packages and see what is best for you .

Print shops everywhere thought cheap software would be great for their company and started switching to the new packages. This put their titles in most companies around the world. Adobe has proven they were in it to be the best.

These titles are not cheap and most titles are very expensive. You can easily spend 1000’s of dollars on one package title. Graphic artists and web designers are just a few of the people that use these titles in their companies. You can receive tutorials both in person and online to help you. The tutorials are free because you cannot get a manual in with the CD’s when you buy them.

Even the movie industry uses Adobe. There is software that can alter music or add sound to films. They have software that will burn Blu-ray disks or make a home movie and let you put it on a DVD. If a person owned their creative suites package they could build or create any item they like from very basic items to a more complex project.

Anyone surfing the net usually run into one of the products made by Adobe. Their PDF files have become the way to share documents that you don’t want altered. People send and received these type of files all the time. Aside from creative measures, many offices use their office products to help them.

Adobe offers Photoshop, Dreamweaver, and Flash are only a few of the titles they carry. These titles will let you create an outstanding presentation or a moving web site item. With these types of creations you can produce an amazing production to impress a new client or your boss.

These types of packages have won awards for their performances. With all they have accomplished they still get criticized for charging more for their products in the US than in the foreign markets. They are now a large company with a huge revenue, instead of that small company. Many Universities offer these packages at a reduced amount to help the students afford them so they can learn to use them.

Are you a student or professional looking for cheap Adobe software to create stunning graphics and animation? Be sure to check this online retailer that has an array of cheap software for you to choose from.

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Using Silverlight To Add A Photo Album To Your Website

by Amanda Wong on Oct.08, 2009, under web design

It is very common for people nowadays to add in photo albums and image galleries as a website feature. According to your own wishes, photo album can be added as a sub-page, or it can make up the whole website, just like a photographer website.

A huge selection of free or commercial software for developing an image gallery can be found on the Internet. You can even build up a Silverlight video gallery with the help of these software. If you want to build a professional gallery website of high quality, you need a qualified photo gallery software instead of a normal software which is usually used by dilettantes or people who just want to share their photos on the Internet.

Photo galleries also serve as a great tool for people who need to sell their products or services. For personal users who do not demand a professional website, there are a lot of photo sharing websites that are very user-friendly and costless to use. However, if you are concerned about security or privacy problems, you might want to have your own website for the photo gallery. This way, you do not have to upload your photos to a third-party website and your photo could then be protected most easily.

If you are searching for the perfect photo gallery software and find JavaScript and PHP way too complex to handle, Silverlight would be the best choice. It is quick and simple. It is something that not only programmers, but most business site owners and webmasters can pick up within a short period of time.

By using a Silverlight photo gallery software, you can build a gallery by clicking just a few buttons on the desktop. Then you can upload the files to your own website straightaway. Adding a new page to your site is the easiest way to add a gallery. After adding a new page, you should pick a template from a wide variety of templates that come from your Silverlight photo gallery software. Then you can browse your image files and the software can copy and insert the files into the photo album of the software automatically.

With Silverlight, you can also add animation effects to your images. For example, you can first create a Silverlight photo album with animation, music and color theme, then use a ftp program to upload the Silverlight album onto your blog or website.

Although some web hosting companies offer free and easy-to-use applications for image galleries, one disadvantage of using those applications is that you would have to stay with one web hosting company in order to keep your Silverlight albums. If you switch host, you will lose all your Silverlight albums and you would need to rebuild them from scratch again.

If you don’t want to run into all these troubles, it is time to own a Silverlight gallery software yourself. You will no longer be dependent on your host provider. It is possible to have it installed on your computer and you will be hosting all your files. You may then upload any Silverlight photo album you have created to your own website or blog as your wish.

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Owning Your Silverlight Photo Album

by Amanda Wong on Oct.07, 2009, under web design

It is very common for people nowadays to add in photo albums and image galleries as a website feature. According to your own wishes, photo album can be added as a sub-page, or it can make up the whole website, just like a photographer website.

There are numerous of free and commercial softwares to choose from when you want to build your own image gallery or Silverlight video gallery. The requirements of such softwares vary among different users. There are professional photographers whose clients will be viewing their work, as well as amateurs who are looking for fun, and people who share photos within their social circles.

Photo galleries are helpful for business owners who are trying to sell service or products through their websites. As for personal users, they usually go for the many user-friendly photo and image sharing sites available. Despite the convenience these sharing sites offer, a lot of personal website owners are trying to avoid uploading their photos to a third part sharing website. With security and privacy concerns, some webmasters have the need to license and protect the photos that they are displaying.

Using a Silverlight photo gallery software is the fastest and simplest way to develop a photo gallery. JavaScript and PHP which were mainly used by programmers in the past are too complicated. Many website owners may find the programming difficult to handle.

Within a few clicks on your Window desktop, you can create a Silverlight gallery using a Silverlight photo galleries software. Afterwards, you can directly upload the files to your own hosting account. Just add a new page to your website and then you are ready to add in a photo gallery. There should be countless photo gallery templates available from your photo gallery software. Choose one which pleases you and start browsing your image folder or image files. The photo album software is computerized to copy these files and place them into your Silverlight photo album.

With Silverlight, you can also add animation effects to your images. For example, you can first create a Silverlight photo album with animation, music and color theme, then use a ftp program to upload the Silverlight album onto your blog or website.

Free image galleries application is inclusive when you use the service of some web hosting companies. This connection simplifies the complication of these applications, but you will have to stick to the same web hosting company to retain the benefits. Once you make up your mind to change your host, none of your Silverlight photo albums will be saved. You will have no choice but to rebuild your Silverlight photo album from scratch.

If you don’t want to run into all these troubles, it is time to own a Silverlight gallery software yourself. You will no longer be dependent on your host provider. It is possible to have it installed on your computer and you will be hosting all your files. You may then upload any Silverlight photo album you have created to your own website or blog as your wish.

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Include Some Flash Animations Onto Your Website

by Carol Cheung on Oct.07, 2009, under web design

It may be considered as a child’s play to increase the number of visitors to a website today. Considering how the search engines are strategically optimized these days, it is fairly easy to get gobs of visitors instantly to a new website.

Since it is not hard to get people to visit a new website, we should focus on making our visitors stay. What matters most is that the visitors remain as loyal customers and return to the website.

The web design plays a deciding role here. Besides being user-friendly, a successful web design should also be appealing. To create an appealing web design is much more difficult than to achieve a user-friendly one.

As flash animation comes along in website design, creating an appealing website is no longer that difficult. Making the web page look more appealing is not the only merit you get from flash animated websites. Read on to find out the 3 most striking benefits if you employ flash animations in web design.

1. In the past, a critical problem arises where search engines were not able to crawl flash animated websites. Luckily, with the improvements made to these search engines, flash animated websites do not have to be passer-by anymore in the world of search engines. Search engines such as Google is also able to get hold of flash animated websites. As stated by experts, flash animated websites now receive higher priority in major search engines. Which gives the biggest reason for any website creators to include flash animations in their websites.

2. A page like this one, with only still text and images, does not interact with visitors. Visitors can only fix their eyes on the contents and tend to leave the page after a short while. However, a flash animated website is different. Visitors will be tempted to stay longer because they are actively engaged with the website. They will be navigated through their input and interaction with the site. As long as the visitors stay amused by the interaction, they will proceed onto viewing all the web pages.

3. Your site must be outstanding among a swarm of websites. As a matter of fact, most sites nowadays only use still images and texts which make the pages look dull. If you use flash animations which can keep your site vivid, your website can surely be the spotlight of the crowd.

Flash Animations are right there ready for you. You can find many flash web design templates which are offered by professional web design companies in the market. Your first step is to choose your right template and modify it to meet your own needs.

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The Use Of Adobe Flash

by Bonita Li on Sep.28, 2009, under web design

The question is often raised during meetings with managers and business top dogs: Is it alright to have a flash animated web site? How do we use Adobe Flash properly to build a web site?

Just to give everyone an overview of what exactly Flash does. Flash is a software which enable web creators to add in interactive components to their sites, such as animation and graphics. It is used extensively in demonstrating products and training programs. If you choose to build your web site completely out of Flash, there is however the possibility, that Google would not be able to ‘index’ these sites and listing them way below the normal HTML sites.

What is the meaning of ‘index’? When you can left-click the text on a web site and see it highlighted in blue after dragging over it, the content is classified as ‘indexable’. This is to say that the highlighted text and images or graphics of the site are located in various ‘layers’. Only then can the text-based content be indexed by search engines, such as Google.

When Flash is used to build a web site, the text will be put into different layers as photos or graphics. This make it difficult for Google to index the page. Google needs to be able to read the web site and look for information so that they can put the web page under a certain keyword searching database system. Indexing is therefore extremely vital.

Google and Adobe Flash used to be absolutely incompatible. There have be attempts of collaboration between the two companies to solve the indexing problem, but none of the testing results, whether successful or not, are yet to be found. It can be appealing to many since Flash does make a web page layout look more attractive, but there is a reason why a lot of people still stick to text-based content up till now.

People like using Flash to create their websites as Flash does not only make a website look more attractive, the interaction that Flash can add to a website also appears functional for users. However, what Google is looking for is text-based content. Thus, there exists a trade-off.

In order to solve the above problem, some websites simply offer users with two versions of their websites, one in HTML and the other in Flash. Although this approach solves the problem of Google not being able to read Flash content, the website owner would then have to manage two web sites when actually one will do.

A better solution to the problem is to embed flash content within a HTML website. This way, you can still utilize the outstanding functions of Flash to create an attractive and functional website while allowing Google to index the other text-based content on your website. With this strategy, you can achieve your goal of search engine optimization with little compromise on the design and functionality of your website.

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