Abobe Flash - Adobe Crash - CS4 looks buggy to me

I went to the adobe roadshow product demonstration yesterday (04/03/2009) and was intrigued with the work of Paul Burnett.  He is like a bells and whistles adobe flash rock star. My left eye rotated anticlockwise, my right clockwise as he blew the packed auditorium away with the latest whiz bang look mum no hands must have NOWWOW factors with the all new adobe flash CS4.

 

He describes himself on his web site as "Senior Worldwide Evangelist for Adobe Systems".

 

And the religious overtones in the title are consolidated by the encouragement to show appreciation. The audience constantly prodded to go "yeaah", "whoaaaa" or clap on the buzz and razzle dazzle of jaw dropping demonstrations.

 

But wake up reader,  the WOW factor becomes the OW factor!

 

 

Today, the first chance I had to visit Paul's website, www.mad.com.au , I couldn't help but notice the banner does not render. There is a big white rectange where the banner should be if you are using anything but firefox.

 

Hellooooooo! Ding dong.

 

I opened your web page in safari, IE, firefox and Opera - the only browser that it rendered in was FF.

 

Maybe because he uses the swfObject to display his flash. Arguably standards compliant, but more buggy than Sydney CBD take away. Do a google search on "swfObject problem" -  the web is chock a block full of people tearing their hair out trying to embed flash as standard compliant objects - what a nightmare.

 

Anyhow Paul, thanks for the rant - I reckon you are a fair presenter.  When the hype of the crowd is not there, when I am at home alone with my PC, no give aways, no wolf whistles, no screams of delight; it is just another product.

 

Getting people into the "apha state" is when they are most likely to buy.  Part with the cash.  Not out of reason, out of emotion.

 

Tried and tested meat and potatoes selling techniques - no one gives a bugger if the thing works across browsers or not - they just want enlightenment!

 

Not to say I don't believe adobe make fine products - they do.  But be honest - cut the cr@p -  give us the good with the bad and stop with the quasi religious selling techniques you evangelist you!