This weekend, I was reminded of my love for and hate of Flash.

Our business partner, Higher Logic, produced a great looking Flash animation that shows the benefits of using an online community.  It is really well designed (see it at: http://hug.higherlogic.com/HUG/HUG/Home/Default.aspx), and more importantly, the progressive thinkers at Higher Logic made the animation, including the source file, available to all partners.  I love this idea of building and then sharing assets for everyone's benefit.

Now, here's my problem.  As we design and deploy new association sites, we are specifically staying away from using Flash.  My rationale is simple (if not, perhaps a little flawed); I don't want to use Flash in a dominant area of any site since Flash does not play on iPhones.  And with the number of iPhone users growing at such a frantic clip, I don't want to have a growing number of users unable to view a key part of one of our sites. 

So when will Apple fix this obvious (and only real) shortcoming of the iPhone? Only Steve Jobs knows that answer... and we all know how hard getting secrets out of him is.

So for now, I will continue to stay away from using Flash but always appreciate a well executed animation (by viewing it on my PC).

Brett

As an owner of a company, it is ultimately my responsibility to develop our company's elevator pitch -- Those quick couple of sentences that positions our organization in the marketplace.

I recently wrote the following for our Solution Partner listing at Higher Logic, one of our business partners.  After looking at a day later, I like it... Now as a former advertising copywriter, I am sure that I will continue to read and tweak it.  But for a couple hours, at least, I am just going to leave it alone.  Take a read and let me know what you think.

Elevator Pitch for TCAG:

The Center for Association Growth (TCAG) is a uniquely positioned solution provider to associations and non-profits.  As an association management company (AMC) with deep technology expertise and collaboration management experience, we understand what it takes to grow associations in a Web 2.0 world.  Our OPENAssociations platform combines the best open source and Software-as-a-Service applications into one integrated solution, backed by proven management services.

Earlier today, Higher Logic, a TCAG business partner, announced that they have hired Andy Steggles as their new COO.  Read Press Release.

While I have not had the pleasure of meeting Andy in person yet, I have been reading his comments for some time now.  Specifically, I have interacted with him on the Social Networking and Media Association site, which he runs.  He is always quick with an answer and always gives insightful details.  And he has really led a great effort to add interesting features to the Higher Logic platform.

Higher Logic is fortunate to have him.  (And so are HL business partners and our clients).