Animation Tools

Adding animation to your site (in moderation) makes your site come alive with moving images, buttons and so forth. The standard type of animation for web design are animated Gifs Since you already own the best Gif animator on the market, there's no reason to list any here. Instead, the links below will take you to a few packages that create Flash™ animations and Java applets.

Both Java and Flash animations are more versatile than Gifs in that effects are more elaborate and don't take as much load time since the files are compressed and packaged more efficiently. 90 % of web users can view Flash files and this format is getting more popular every day. Keep in mind that Internet Explorer 6 does not support Java unless the user downloads and installs Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine.

Both Java and Flash animations are more versatile than Gifs in that effects are more elaborate and don't take as much load time since the files are compressed and packaged more efficiently. 90 % of web users can view Flash files and this format is getting more popular every day. Keep in mind that Internet Explorer 6 does not support Java unless the user downloads and installs Microsoft's Java Virtual Machine.

Ulead Animation Applet : 31 Java animations at your fingertips! AA does all the hard work and you simply provide the creativity. Features include HTML updating, previews and tons of customization. Read the review here.

SWiSH : Why spend big money to buy Macromedia's Flash program when all you need is SWiSH!
This is a super program that creates Flash movies (.swf) to insert into your web site. Create shapes, buttons and import your own graphics to create your movie. Tons of preset effects are simple to use and everything can be previewed in SWiSH. Read more here.

Firestarter : This is another Flash generator along the same lines as SWiSH. The interface is easy to use and there is a lot of room for customizing effects. Firestarter is made by Coffee Cup Software, who have made many award winning titles for web design. Check out their web site for more products.

1 Cool Button : Here's a great package that creates Java applets for buttons, menus and more. The program is packed with features, which you can check out at their web site.