JAVA or Flash--which is better choice for image zoom application?

[saneplanet22]

Hello,

I am building a website that requires capability of users zooming in
to examine perhaps hundreds of images. On every page there will be
dozens of thumbs. By clicking each thumb, the user would be able to
see a larger image and then "zoom-in" to see details.

I have examined two technologies so far:

One is flash-based, from http://www.zoomify.com/express.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/zoomify/1.htm

The other is java based: http://www.xio.biz/htm_en/applets/XIOview/XIOview.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/xio_view/1.htm

What we are trying to figure out is which technology provide the best
balance between bandwidth requirement (time it would take for average
user to see each image) and likelihood of the code running smoothly on
the user's machine. It is very important to us that user does not have
to download and install anything to see these images.

Right now, i am leaning toward the java-based option. I have been able
to reduce the size of each image to as little as 150kb (like the 1st
image from right in my draft), while the flash option takes upward of
1.35mb and there's no ability to increase compression.

The java code is also highly configurable, which the flash platform
has virtually no options and I haven't been able to get any support
from the manufacturer. I don't know Flash myself and wouldn't have the
time to learn to write my own swf file.

Also my totally unscientific impression is that Java is more likely to
be available than Flash, despite what Adobe would want one to
believe.

Or am i wrong? I don't want to invest the many hours it would take to
build this site and then realize I bet on a loser.

 

[Chris F.A. Johnson]

Hello,

I am building a website that requires capability of users zooming in
to examine perhaps hundreds of images. On every page there will be
dozens of thumbs. By clicking each thumb, the user would be able to
see a larger image and then "zoom-in" to see details.

I have examined two technologies so far:

One is flash-based, from http://www.zoomify.com/express.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/zoomify/1.htm

The other is java based: http://www.xio.biz/htm_en/applets/XIOview/XIOview.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/xio_view/1.htm

What's wrong with HTML? Link to larger images.

 

[Andy Dingley]

I am building a website that requires capability of users zooming in
to examine perhaps hundreds of images. On every page there will be
dozens of thumbs. By clicking each thumb, the user would be able to
see a larger image and then "zoom-in" to see details.

For "typical" cases, I'd go with a _good_ Flash-based solution over
Java. ...and you know how much I hate Flash

Watch the admin effort of Flash-based zoomers though. You need
something that has an easy server-side admin.

 

[Travis Newbury]

Hello,

I am building a website that requires capability of users zooming in
to examine perhaps hundreds of images...
I have examined two technologies so far:

There is a better likelihood that a Flash solution will work on any
specific machine. If you make a Flash solution find an actionscripter
to make it. This will give you a better chance of having a
lightweight application that lets you easily modify the content. (see
Andy's comments)

 

[Toby A Inkster]

Also my totally unscientific impression is that Java is more likely to
be available than Flash, despite what Adobe would want one to
believe.

In my experience, on the four platforms that Flash supports (Windows/x86,
Mac/x86, Mac/PPC, Linux/x86) Flash has a higher installed base than Java.
However, Java will work on far more more platforms.

The difference is total numbers is probably in Flash's favour, but is
likely to be negligible either way.

--
Toby A Inkster BSc (Hons) ARCS
[Geek of HTML/SQL/Perl/PHP/Python/Apache/Linux]
[OS: Linux 2.6.12-12mdksmp, up 1 day, 7:47.]

TrivialEncoder/0.2
http://tobyinkster.co.uk/blog/2007/08/19/trivial-encoder/

 

[polaatx]

Watch the admin effort of Flash-based zoomers though. You need
something that has an easy server-side admin.

Hi Andy, could you please expand on "an easy server-side admin" ?

Can you suggest any out of box solutions? I know nothing about Flash.

 

[polaatx]

. If you make a Flash solution find an actionscripter
to make it.

By "actionscripter" do you mean a person who writes actionscripts? So
you suggest staying away from out-of-box solutions?

 

[Brian Cryer]

I am building a website that requires capability of users zooming in
to examine perhaps hundreds of images. On every page there will be
dozens of thumbs. By clicking each thumb, the user would be able to
see a larger image and then "zoom-in" to see details.

I have examined two technologies so far:

One is flash-based, from http://www.zoomify.com/express.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/zoomify/1.htm

The other is java based:
http://www.xio.biz/htm_en/applets/XIOview/XIOview.htm
see my draft here: http://samsonhairrestoration.com/scratch/xio_view/1.htm

What we are trying to figure out is which technology provide the best
balance between bandwidth requirement (time it would take for average
user to see each image) and likelihood of the code running smoothly on
the user's machine. It is very important to us that user does not have
to download and install anything to see these images.

In my opinion Flash is a clear leader.

Right now, i am leaning toward the java-based option. I have been able
to reduce the size of each image to as little as 150kb (like the 1st
image from right in my draft), while the flash option takes upward of
1.35mb and there's no ability to increase compression.

The java code is also highly configurable, which the flash platform
has virtually no options and I haven't been able to get any support
from the manufacturer. I don't know Flash myself and wouldn't have the
time to learn to write my own swf file.

Do you know Java? If you can maintain and adapt the Java solution yourself
then that for me would make Java the choice. Otherwise Flash remains the
better of the two options.

Also my totally unscientific impression is that Java is more likely to
be available than Flash, despite what Adobe would want one to
believe.

I've not seen any figures on it, but I think Flash is more likley to be
available than Java.

Or am i wrong? I don't want to invest the many hours it would take to
build this site and then realize I bet on a loser.

I think both will be around for the foreseeable future, so if you make the
"wrong" choice you won't be backing a looser just second best.

 

[Travis Newbury]

By "actionscripter" do you mean a person who writes actionscripts? So
you suggest staying away from out-of-box solutions?

No an out of the box is fine if it does what you want. If you are
building it, get someone that "programs" in flash, not one that
depends on the time line.

 

[polaatx]

What's wrong with HTML? Link to larger images.

Your question really made me think. I myself am always all for the
simple, most usable solution. All my websites are text-based, for
example.

So I proposed to client to just do link to larger images for now
because they have so many images and perhaps version 2.0 can have
fancier stuff. And he agreed. He's in love with the idea of zooming
into the images to show closeups of subjects hairline. It's a hair
transplant place. But that also could be done by linking to cropped
closeups of the hairlines.

If you know of simple javascript to improve this process, please let
me know.