my portfolio site - flash or html/css or php?

[CL114C0777498D]

hey, i'm sort of just starting out with most of this stuff (web design, flash, coding, etc), i've only made a couple sites. i wanted an online folio site for my illustration/design work.

so i stumbled my way through flash and actionscript, and after a long time, ended up with something i was fairly happy with.

however, now i'm not so sure - i'm kind of itching to remake the site as xhtml and css. i think flash might not be so user friendly, and it's a pain to try and add new work to it, because i need to go through all the actionscript and figure out how it works again. and so i haven't added any of my newer work :P

anyhow, what i'd like to get out of this post (if you guys would be so kind) is critiques of the existing site, thoughts on whether i should remake it or not, and/or recommendations or tips on thebest techniques/methods to make an online folio (coding/scripting languages, keeping it simple to update, etc).

i have a book on php, though i haven't read it yet (that's how i learned what i know of xhtml/css). so php is also a possibility, though perhaps it would take a little longer as i figure it out.

feel free to critique as harshly as you like, as long as it's constructive, i have no problem with criticism.

warning: the site does have sound - sorry! i know sound on a website is bad, but i added it for a particular thing i was doing, and haven't removed it yet.

site:
Matthew Correia: Online Portfolio

also, hi, my name is matthew, i'm trying to get more involved in the design world/forums and get better at what i enjoy doing :)

[Scriptage]

Hi Matthew, welcome to the forum.

Flash isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as you have an HTML alternative. What I would suggest would be storing your content in XML; this way you could use the same data in both Flash and HTML by using ActionScript and XSLT respectively.

I could help you with the XSLT side of things but my ActionScript is a bit rusty, it may take me a while to figure it out again.

[CL114C0777498D]

Hi Matthew, welcome to the forum.

Flash isn't necessarily a bad thing as long as you have an HTML alternative. What I would suggest would be storing your content in XML; this way you could use the same data in both Flash and HTML by using ActionScript and XSLT respectively.

I could help you with the XSLT side of things but my ActionScript is a bit rusty, it may take me a while to figure it out again.

currently there is no html alternative, and if i were to make one, i'd probably rather just remake the site in html and have just one interface to worry about. XSLT sounds interesting though for an html-based redesign, i'll have to look into it. thanks!

[Scriptage]

I wouldn't bother with XSLT unless you are using both Flash and HTML to be honest. The whole point of using XSL would be to use it as a templating system for the HTML using the XML data that would be shared with the Falsh interface.

[CL114C0777498D]

I wouldn't bother with XSLT unless you are using both Flash and HTML to be honest. The whole point of using XSL would be to use it as a templating system for the HTML using the XML data that would be shared with the Falsh interface.

ah right. i was hoping that once set up, it would just be a more automated way of adding new images/video to the layout. i know you can do something in flash where it basically has placeholder boxes, and you just need to drop new images into a folder, and it'll take them straight from there, and add them to the site interface. i should have looked more into it when i was making the current flash website at my domain, but i guess i was just being lazy :P and now i had to add in every picture manually into the swf/actionscript :(

i'll have to keep investigating. thanks!

[Scriptage]

You could do that with XSLT but you'd need to update an XML file with new entries and whatnot. I'll have a play around at some stage over the next few days see if I can make something simple.

[CL114C0777498D]

You could do that with XSLT but you'd need to update an XML file with new entries and whatnot. I'll have a play around at some stage over the next few days see if I can make something simple.

thanks Scriptage, but don't go to too much effort. besides it's probably better for me to look into it myself anyway to figure it all out :)

and i probably wont' be able to start the redesign till next month, after i finish all the jobs i have now. so there's no hurry or anything. i'm just trying to think about it before hand, so i have time to research, look for inspiration and ideas, learn any coding stuff i think i'd need, etc.

much appreciation for your kind offer though

[defragmybrain]

Very vintagey feel, as intended i'd guess. I like it, your artistic style is initially vintage so i love how you matched the two up. The 'x' noise is rather harsh. otherwise well thought out.