Comments on: 10 Reasons Why Your Online Portfolio Sucks

By: Lewallen

Lewallen — Tue, 12 May 2009 23:30:20 +0000

As others have stated…Flash is a must. If your browser doesn’t support Flash, then throw your computer out the window.

Also, Flash helps protect from image theft. Flash helps with overloading files onto 1 page. Flash takes less to load when it pertains to images such as a portfolio vs. HTML page loading 100+ images. Need I go on?

By: Clark

Clark — Thu, 15 May 2008 04:21:56 +0000

I’ll add one: neglect. Something mine suffers from.

By: chemic

chemic — Wed, 14 May 2008 15:26:31 +0000

I’ll also step up to protect flash.. it’s good and powerful. But still key features should work without it (navigation etc). As JS librarys are great nowadays.. better use them for fancy animated menus etc.

By: The real Mr. Funk

The real Mr. Funk — Wed, 14 May 2008 05:13:51 +0000

Not to defend Flash for bling’s sake, but if you’re looking for work doing Flash / Flex, it’s probably a good idea ;-)

By: Chanpory Rith

Chanpory Rith — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:37:28 +0000

Luc,

Yeah, I think a resumé link or a bio would be fine, just as long as I get that there’s a real person behind the work. A link to a LinkedIn profile would work too.

By: Chanpory Rith

Chanpory Rith — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:36:17 +0000

Hey Taylor, you have a point about sensible Flash animation in a portfolio. If you can pull it off and be judicious, then I’m fine with Flash-based portfolios.

Most people, however, get carried away with things flying around all over the place. It just becomes unviewable. Also, Flash is pain in the ass to update. Which means when you visit a Flash portfolio, the work on it is already pretty old, because the designer’s too busy to muck around in Flash.

By: Grant

Grant — Tue, 13 May 2008 19:36:08 +0000

Nice post. I agree, though, that a resume is potentially unnecessary. Seth Godin had a great post recently about people who are truly great don’t need resumes, and I agree.

http://sethgodin.typepad.com/seths_blog/2008/03/why-bother-havi.html

By: Luc Latulippe

Luc Latulippe — Tue, 13 May 2008 17:56:36 +0000

I agree with everything except the Resume part. I don’t have much interest or patience to read through a lengthy resume.

Maybe a good solution is a short Bio section, plus a Resume underneath, or as a separate link.

By: sir jorge

sir jorge — Tue, 13 May 2008 16:27:18 +0000

This is spot on accurate.

By: Taylor Wright

Taylor Wright — Tue, 13 May 2008 15:16:11 +0000

Chanpory,

I’m going to step up to defend Flash, as a Flash developer. Lately I’ve been describing Flash as a very big pool. You could work with Flash for years and never leave the shallow end; some people never stop splashing in the wading pool, they actually make careers out of it. I had been using flash for 5 years before I moved from the shallow end (timeline) to jumping from the diving board into the deep end (“big kid” programming).

That transition as well as spending enough time for the novelty to ware off has left me a more apt and sensible flash designer / developer. This process was similar to learning to let go of the Lens Flare tool when first learning Photoshop as a teen.

My advice may just elaborate on yours, which is to be sensible with what you’re doing if you use Flash (or anything else). People have come to your site to see your body of work (not just the site that happens to be your portfolio), don’t hinder them from it. Flash gives it’s users to so many possibilities and temptations to get in the way of their content; but that’s what separates the good from the bad, and the people who visit your site will notice the separation.

So, just don’t throw Flash out with the bath water.

regards, Taylor

postscript- you’ll notice my distinct lack of a portfolio. sigh