Flash Kit v2.0 - Your ideas here!

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Originally posted by toddvance

Im a green NEWBIE who has fallen in love with Flash and with FlashKit (even with its slowness)---but here is something I was thinking...(oh ya and Im pretty smart so listen up).

You have got some real stud Flash people here so why not create a FLASH GUILD of some sort that people can become Members of, ($15/yr fee), can have thier talent or skills evaluated and receive certified Guild rank, etc. etc. etc.

I do Web Sites and would L O V E to be able to advertise that I belong to the 'Flash Guild" (whatever) on my site and my business cards --saying Im a 'Level 3' apprentice flash blah blah blah... I WOULD PAY A NOMINAL FEE AND
KILL ANYONE WHO TALKED BAD ABOUT MY GUILD!! (well maybe not that far)---but how bout that?!?!?

That would be Both USEFUL to YOU (Annual residual Income) and US the Users who are trying to get business or just plain more info!

OH BUT! Dont make the levels exclusively difficult because you would lose alot of us and I would not be so proud of a title such a 'Level 0 Neophite puke'... sorry for rambling.

TVance! (Jesus Saves!)

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Originally posted by banglafreak
my suggestions:
optimize, but keep the boards the same. i have made 550+ posts and dont want to go back to zero. also, it would waste a whole lot of helpful content

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Yes, make them better, (add [br], and speed), but don't delete the data.

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Originally posted by 3SkinsDeezine
The great things about web sites is that once they are online the advertising potential for the webmaster is endless. No fees mean that you could keep this site free for the members, while the advertising logos pay for your costs.

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They pay, we learn. Sound Good?

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The bottom has dropped out of the online advertising market, reducing the average advertising rates to less than a 1000th of what they were 2 years ago. Sites that have depended on advertising revenue (UK's biggest gaming site Barry's World for instance) are going out of business.

The reality is that advertising isn't the savoir of "free" services on the web, at least not to the extent that everyone was banking on. Sites like FlashKit need to justify their cost to their investors or make revenue in some way.

everyone click on banners...

you are already waiting for flashkit so click banners while you wait. this generates revenue and they open in new windows anyway.

-dag

Flashkit v2.0 sounds cool.

As many other people have said DON'T charge for membership. Flashkit is as far as I'm aware the only good Flash site around, and this is because so many people contribute and get back because of the free open source environment. If you start charging, you'll actually start losing money because of the losses of users. I know I for one couldn't afford to pay.

Also some upgrades that I think would be good, although the Flash stuff is going great, how about some help with backend, and scripting technologies that work together with Flash?

Also having special expert chats and things like that seem a good idea.

Although I live in Australia, a good FK money raiser would be to send some of the more experienced staff around America, for paid forums, which could raise money for FK and give a nice break from all the hectic work.

Anyway that's my .00002 cents. Sorry if I repeated other people.... I couldn't be bothered to read through all the posts. Guess Flashkit is just a popular topic.

Keep up the awesome work, guys!

I have to agree with everyone on the speed issue, faster please.

But having read Boomers comments and visited Dreamnation, why not hav a flashed site, or at least a more flashed site. Dreamnation is immensely quick.

Also I do agree that paying to use such a wonderful resource is a bad idea, but with the introduction of the Flashkit member logos, after a certain amount of contribution, why not do the same with donations, add a new logo such as Flashkit Benefactor, or something similar. That way newbies aren't intimidated by having to pay, but those of us who think the site is worth it contribute what we can afford. If it got the speed back to how it was last year, it would be worth it.

This site has assisted my wife in starting her own company produucing presentations and also web design. Without it I'd never have learnt to do the things I can today. So I'd be more than willing to contribute to such a great tool.

Keep up the good work, and I kind of like the colour scheme.

Spickee

after reading all the comments on paying for FKv2. I think it could be one of the greatest mistakes you can make. Even if it were only the idea of losing some of the visitors who are coming round today.. it would result in a great loss of valuable knowledge, the knowledge that creates the basis of the whole site!

Making the source files available offline, ie cd's for sale, I think, is one of the best ideas ever.. this way, FK users can view whatever they want whenever they want. for new visitors it's a fast &simple way to get up to date quickly and that would enhance the overall quality of the posts. result: more cd's.. besides this, it could also create a substantial income for FK.
I for one would be very interested in having instant access to a large amount of source files ;)

I also read something about 'not retrieving content instantly', this would mean that after i'd submitted a movie, it wouldn't be possible for me to check wether or not it was recieved correctly?? N-O I don't want that..

I don't want you to take a step back.. but the way the movies/sounds were displayed before this version (the directory structure) worked for me! I had almost instant access to all of the submissions.. instead of only the first four or five..

I'm very bad at scripting.. but if it were possible to load new pages, without refreshing the complete page (like frames) but keeping bookmarking available I'd be a very happy man!

FKv2 in flash sounds great at first but when you really think of it.. html/php setup will work perfectly/fastest for the next couple of years.. (don't forget FK is worldwide, so heaps of people will still have slower connections in the near future)

My conclusion: Whatever you plan to do, please do not make any adjustments negatively changing either the download speeds or the number of possible viewers..

thank you for making such an awesome &complete resource site, best regards

Aww, fak'n'A man. I'd buy that for a dollar (or 5). Why don't you create an account and let those who want to tithe, tithe. I'd be willing to plop 5 bucks in the bucket from time to time. Crap, you saved me in the least, $1,000 in books and trainging thus far and I don't see ya' let'n up!

And to the muther f'er who got all yappy about that other site, you-ultra-know-which-one, the reason why I still come to flashkit is that it is in HTML which is the most familiar to me and the least cumbersome to download. Even I have to 'dial-up' now and then.

Keep it real FK!

my old french teacher taught me "never change a winning
team".

i'd propose to keep that in mind when constructing fkV.2

personally i don't want too much features, but some
important and functional ones...

just some thought i had...:

1)
PLS!!! keep it in html. i'm running a damn fast machine
here, but still two or three large flash files in various
browser windows slow down my baby way to much...i'm here
for information, not for waiting...

besides, MOST very good designs were made in plain html or
a mixture of flash and html, and we don't need the whole
site to see whats possible in flash...we got the features
sites (very good one) and fla's section for this...

2)
bulk download. please. very appealing notion...

3)
i noticed more and more design specific topics in the board.
ok, that may be because the design&graphics board is the
only one i frequently visit (:)) but now that flash offers
many possibilities to change the web as we know it i'd
greatly appreciate a tutorial section for all the DESIGN
beginners of us. i'm thinking of some very basic how-to's
about color theory, typography, layout techniques etc...

4)
personalised emailadress....well would be nice but we all
do have at least 5 or 6, don't we? no need for another one..

that's all i can think of offhand, but...

i'll be back..:)

oh, by the way:

KEEP IT UP
you did a great job there.
congrats

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Originally posted by puresin
personalised emailadress....well would be nice but we all
do have at least 5 or 6, don't we? no need for another one..

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wouldn't this bog down the servers trememdously? if it becomes a feature then make it only available to members of a certain status or post count

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Originally posted by banglafreak

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Originally posted by puresin
personalised emailadress....well would be nice but we all
do have at least 5 or 6, don't we? no need for another one..

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wouldn't this bog down the servers trememdously? if it becomes a feature then make it only available to members of a certain status or post count

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I second that.
Even better, make it only available to members who have a certain number of quality posts because those are the ones who deserve it more.

FLASHKIT IS THE BOMB. I love it! Hopefully I don't repeat other suggestions, but as far as interface:

1) Keep in html, don't go all Flash. Speed rules, and ironically, Flash don't always live up to it's name now, do she?

2) Definitely a downloadable text version of each tutorial. ( Having to go online and advancing through seven pages slows the process of learning.) This might also allow users to be on less downloading only one file, than advancing through 7 pages.

3) All tutorials should be written the same if submitted by users. There should be an established criteria or rigid format that submissions follow - i.e., Must include: Read me file/Sample .swf/Sample .fla/all associated images.

I've downloaded some great looking .swf's, and there is often no read-me file along with it. You have to guess what to do by opening the .fla. (I hated that approach by teachers in college, where the only way to truly learn something was to "guess" how to do something on your own). I need to know how-to's NOW , so that I can focus on designing man!

4) Maybe a little more visual separation between all the text boxes. In MyFlash Kit or tutorial section, all the links for various things tend to fall together on all that white background. Maybe light color panels or thin rules to separate copy blocks/links from each other?

5) More specific critieria for posters, or more Mod Squads to edit and redirect? I see all kinds of posts in ALL the forums. "How to link a button" questions in the Coffee Lounge, instead of dealing with freelance/work-for-hire issues solely, and likewise, "How much should I charge" in the Newbie section.


And never let it be said that all my comments are critical. For fundraising:


1) I absolutely support the idea of a pay system. I know this a sharing community, but SHAREware is not the same as FREEware. A great deal of us have shelled out a lot of money for software fees, so paying for this service was inevitable. We all have benefited from this site. But the $150 a year/ $9.95 is too much!!! What is this, pay-per-view?? Lol. I don't even pay that for tech support from Macromedia/Adobe. If you price it too high, you'll drive away the newbies/rookies who might not be able to afford it, and who would otherwise be the foundation for your future.

I would recommend a flat yearly FLASHFEE, say $50. It really should be competively priced like a mag. subscription, maybe a little higher. But beware, once people start paying for something they got for free, they expect more - it's the nature of the beast. (Give 'em a t-shirt).

If you tier the level of pay and services you offer, I think you then take away the sense that we're "all learning together" community thing. Next thing you know, then we have tribes, then we're voting someone off the site.Lol.

1A) On-line secure credit card transactions. You'll need secure servers. I know I hate having to mail in a form vial snail-mail. Take advantage of the impulse buyers out there. (Still have mail-in forms for students, etc, people that don't have CC's).

2) Without hesitation, I can say that Flashkit has helped me 100 times over, and I have learned more from here than I ever have from Macromedia's tech support. (No offense to them). But even the "free" 90 days support costs me on my phone. And lag times between when I submit an e-mail and get a response is at LEAST a day. I'm sure I'm not alone. Get all of us unhappy Macro peeps together and form a group! Lol.


3) Good idea someone had to create on-line learning to compete with Macromedia, etc, but I think the purpose of Flashkit and it's forums does just that already.

Maybe for those posters that have want 1-on-1, they can pay for that time.


4) I don't know how referral programs work, (beyond the fact you get a % everytime a user orders through you), but I would suggest offering ALL Flash books and like merchandise for learning through your store. For me, I never just look at one source for Flash learning. I've tried all over - Lynda.com/Macromedia/Flashkit/Moock, etc. I don't think you'll lose your core audience to competition, you would just be offering a wider choice to the user.


5) Definitely build the "FlashKit" name through apparel (Hats, Tees, sweatshirts) and merchandise (mugs, mousepads)


6) How about a celebrity designer column? Get Hillman to answer a few questions, either submitted by the users during an on-line chat? Or a bi-monthly column by a featured Flash Guru.

Also, not just Flash designers, but from other diciplines as well to expand the users vocabulary.


7) How about selling a hybrid-CD with the "Best of FlashKit" stuff. Offer things as well that you can't for free, and can't get here. Excerpts from books, music clips/loops. You wouldn't be walking away from the "sharing" community thing that Flash is all about, you're just offering some extra goodies.

Look what the typehouse Emigre.com did. They expanded from a typehouse with a few fonts, to offering apparel and a music CD, and a ton of fonts.


8) Expand what Flash is about. FlashForward, etc is already there. Create FlashKit's own on-line festival. Maybe the Dead can play? No? Ok, how 'bout Blues Traveler? Alice in Chains? Let me know on that one.

9) More importantly, I think you have to be careful about adding "layers" to the whole process of sharing info here on Flashkit. We're all here because we can get answers probably within 10 minutes of posting. I don't anywhere where you can get that fast a response, (except 911). I.e., more "filters" to separate posts by subject will slow things down. Let the peeps police themselves. Or call The Mod Squad.

Whew! I'm outta breath.


[Edited by wseligman on 02-26-2001 at 02:24 AM]

If flashkit was to start charging a subscribtion fee, then they'd be shutting out a number of contributors ...transaction costs make pay as you go not feasable (forgive gross mispellings). I'm certain that there's a number of corprate entities that would love exposure to this very focus target market (ie flash geeks). As far as html being faster than flash....hmmm...I'd put any of my sites vs html for load times anyday. Not only would an all flash Flashkit prove as testament to the incredible web power of flash, it would be very cool as well. The speed problems that have plauged Flashkit are all backend. I'm sure that will be fixed. I'm sure that v 2.0 will be as sexy and elegant as, well, as it deserves to be...I have faith in Mark, his great crew, and our Flashkit community. Hell, all this talk about Fkit 2.0 makes me wanna volenteer! Where's the enlist to serve Flashkit post?!?!?!?!

Thx,
Brad

Brad- Your right with that one. In my long-winded rant, I forgot to suggest corp. sponsors. Macromedia has major partners on all the things they put. Flashkit is just as a valuable a resource as them. I would think at least Amazon/Apple/Windows people might consider adding their logo to the site.

As far as the html. vs Flash thing, I'm by no means enough of a Flash expert, but I would think some kind of pre-loading is going to have to be added in to FKv.2, because it will probably have a lot more imagery/banners/stuff. Unless the site will still remain primarily text based.

Anyone please feel free to correct me, the "streaming" newbie.Lol.

To add one more thing in the endless list...

In addition to the post counter, can we have a rate the post button... If someone helps me out, I want to be able to rate them as a 10 or so, but if someone leaves a post like "sorry bud, I can't help you out", then I will call that a bad post, and they would get a 3 or so, and if they are out right rude, I would like to be able to give them a -12098 or some where near that...

On flash kit, every one is a student, but everyone is a teacher, I would like to know who has been blowing smoke up peoples asses, and who has been helpfull to other people!

You should only be able to rate a post by someone once, I'm sure you can see the value of this!

This may even cut down on the low quality posts, and people would stop trying to race! That would be realy spiffy! Thanks!

A few reasons why you shouldn't demand membership fees:

-Flashkit gives many youngsters the chance to learn flash, and these poor souls don't have the money

-Flashkit offers tutorials written by the same people who would get forced to pay

-Already the fact that you MUST register to reply in Forums is pretty upsetting

-it would isolate the Flashkit community

-A site with the amount of hits that Flashkit gets doesn't need to demand fee's, they can offer they're page for free and get enough money with advertisments

-If you would demand fee's, you should be fair and remove all advertisment banners, therefore you'd lose a lot of income.

-Demanding fee's is just giving other people the opportunity to make a better site that's free.


Just keep thing the way they are, perhaps try to make them faster :)

First let me say that I am opposed to 2 ideas.

1. Don't make FK a pay site. I learned flash here for free and so have many kids that I have directed here. Some of us use all or our money on the Software Licence and decent ISP.

2. Don't go 100% flash. Not everyone has as good of a connection as some of us.


My Idea is this,

Create and sell on line a CD series called "The Best of Flash Kit" or something like that.
The CD would be a library of the best sounds, fla's, tutorials, etc from FK. perhaps it could be a yearly production. That way, people who submit good ideas and creations could get them published on CD and those of us who love the work so much could have the last years content off line for reference.

Of course it would require the that the people submitting would know that their work could be included in a CD, but what the heck, they are giving it away anyhow.

This might also solve some of the issues of having too many files on the server.
Files could be cleaned out periodically because everyone is buying the reference CD.

can we can have a forum for folks to post pure AS tutorials, without having to make a .fla to go along with it?
as flash gets more powerful and AS gets more abstracted it may be beneficial to have a forum where we can post scripts that are essentially modules extending flash. i realize that macromedia has a forum for that express purpose, but i suspect that their approval process is more arduous and limiting than fk's, not to mention that that they will--almost certainly--refuse to publish exploits or hacks of whatever their current release is, denying those of us who think such things are cool to play with and publicize them.


thanks,

-g

Please do not go to a pay site.

[1] To make money preview books that link to a site to buy it. This could be designed so that a tutorial will have a link to related books of the same level and subject.

[2] The banner advisement could have a bigger selection of ads that are related to the stuff on flashkit.

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Originally posted by sirduck
The banner advisement could have a bigger selection of ads that are related to the stuff on flashkit.

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Yes, like merchandise but only Flashkit. I see no reason why Flashkit shouldn't have the store, like T-shirts, magazines, books and other goodies by Flashkit team.

Post counts-free, or Flashkit email, rating posts ---> those things are least important so people don't repeat posts please.
[Edited by Nik128 on 03-10-2001 at 10:00 PM]