Flash [Adobe Flash™, previously known as Macromedia Flash™] is primarily an animation tool that can be used to produce stunning effects to supplement a website, or indeed generate an entire visual experience for a website. However, there has always been great debate on whether a Flash site is acceptable in terms of best practice. Certainly, adding effects to sites can provide interest and flair, but using animation for every element on the page may be too much. It depends on your business:- the cartoon style that Flash delivers will suit a childrens site, art portfolio, or funky design studio, but is probably not appropriate for a supermarket or government body. At the end of the day, best practice cannot tell us when to use Flash and when not to – each business must choose its website persona on its own merits and decide whether Flash, or any other technology can help realise that persona in the best way. At the end of the day look around at as many examples as possible before making your choice.