Do we want or need a forum to critique sites?

[hutcheson]

Lemme put it this way.

So long as _I'm_ around, when they say "Flash Bigot" they won't be talking about _you_.

No bones about it. I do _not_ review Flash sites. (or any other site that requires ActiveX.) That means I don't list them, either. And I don't care who knows it. But that's all just a matter of security principles.

In reality, I just hate, hate, hate having to wait long minutes for something to download just so the page won't sit still while I'm trying to review it. I hate not having the hyperlinks marked in the customary way, I hate playing "find the hot spot" with some genetically challenged graphics designer, and I'm not ever going to like anything that comes between me and my information.
And when you come around taking up contributions for the "fund to finance surgery to reverse the lobotomies for Flash developers, I'm not going to contribute. I strongly favor euthanasia, and I don't mind much if it's not altogether painless.

 

[Bluesplinter]

So how do you really feel about it, hutch? <img src="/images/icons/grin.gif" alt="" />

 

[cjtripnewton]

How do you feel about applets <img src="/images/icons/wink.gif" alt="" /> ?

 

[motsa]

I personally hate Java applets the way hutcheson hates Flash (note: I''m not too fond of Flash either but applets are my real buggaboo). I can tell when I've hit one because my computer slows to a virtual standstill.

 

[giz]

What I assume Hutcheson means when he says he "does not review Flash sites" is that he does not add them to the public listings, and so they then languish in the unreviewed queue for someone else to take care of at some (much) later time. Just for the edification of newer editors here who might be tempted to simply just delete such sites, deleting such sites from the unreviewed queue would usually be labelled as editor abuse, if I have correctly read all the stuff that rdkeating25, skrenta, enarra, and others have written over the years.

 

[dfy]

When hutcheson says that he "does not review Flash sites", I think that he means he does not review them. That is, he refuses to waste his time waiting for a pointless animation to download when he could be doing useful work. I don't think that he's saying that he refuses to add them on principle, just that he avoids looking at them.

I do exactly the same thing. If I see a site that shows no content other than a "please wait" message while their Flash movie loads, I just close the window and move on to one that will take less time to review. The Flash heavy sites can be reviewed by someone else with a faster connection.

 

[hutcheson]

FTR, you're right, I mark them [requires Flash] and leave them languishing. Almost every editor has a class of sites they won't touch for one reason or another. No problem, we can all leave them for someone who can review it sympathetically.

 

[christophermiles]

Holy cow man you cracked me up!
Chris