Authorware vs Flash?

[wyldstyle]

I'm working in an academic environment now and have been tasked with finding a better product than what we are currently using to produce multimedia CDs: Multimedia Builder 4.8.

I don't know much about Authorware, but it seems to be MM's answer to Multimedia Builder (AKA MMB). A central question is WHY use these packages at all? Can't everything I need to do be achieved in Flash MX? Can't I create or use a canned elearning template and load other stuff as necessary?

Can Real Player windwos be spawned from within Flash if I need to?

Thanks for any thoughts...

Eric

P.S. All the awards on MM's site for Authorware are like 5 years old...is this product any good? What can it do that Flash can't?

[kb1827]

It's less used...but is a cousin to flash. Ive never used it...but I guess itmight be possible to do authorware like things in mx now...

...use whichever suits your style more (and i believe rplayer can be spawned.