Re: FLASH: A word about tutorials

[Marc Hoffman]

At 09:44 PM 1/7/99 -0500, you wrote:

>I am finding Flash exceedingly difficult to learn and the tutorials equally

>difficult. 


Russell, I have to differ with you on this one. I think Tim's message is

important and should not be taken as a slam.  It is reasonable to expect

that when someone posts a tutorial, be it Macromedia or an individual, that

the intent is for it to be accurate and helpful. About the "free" issue,

it's not as if he's demanding any compensation for his lost time, nor was

he being inappropriately judgmental. In fact, Tim was offering some free

help of his own, and his feedback was specific and spoke directly to the

point of what a tutorial needs to be -- comprehensive and easy-to-follow.


We can choose to hear and evaluate criticism, even seek it out, or we can

ignore it or feel hurt by it or denounce it. Actually I do feel hurt by

criticism, but that doesn't outweigh its benefit, so I seek it out just the

same.  Without feedback it is enormously difficult to overcome the blind

spots that every person has.  I have noticed, for instance, that a lot of

web designers (not just those who post tutorials) expect their visitors to

think like them, to make the same assumptions about navigation, for

instance, or to understand highly technical jargon or extremely vague

terms. A lot of Flash designers will make something because it uses cool

tricks, but if the presentation is for anything other than self-amusement,

their preoccupation with tricks can work counter to the purpose of the

finished product. If we're willing to hear it, feedback can help remove the

blinders and make us more effective at what we do. This list is the right

place to solicit and receive specific feedback about Flash issues. 


If I may make one more point, good writing and solid organization are

timeless qualities and I can't imagine how a Flash Tutorial could be

written well for one generation but not comprehensible to another.  Song

lyrics, definitely. Software instructional materials, I think not.


Uh-oh, I'm on my pedestal again.  Hope there's something of value here,

folks; if not, thanks for humoring me.



Marc Hoffman

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marcdartfrogmedia [dot] com (mailto:marcdartfrogmedia [dot] com)

View my Flash3 work: <http://www.jps.net/dartfrog/sampler>.

Play a virtual marimba: <www.dartfrogmedia.com>.

Read about Flash: <http://www.jps.net/dartfrog/sampler/flashinf>


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