I hope its not the future and I highly doubt it is really....

Not really the future. Some wants flash but dont expect others to follow.

I don't really like flash. I prefer to use normal text and images. Maybe now and again its OK to use them.

Im afraid "YES"

Reasoning:

A lot of sites are made of html/css, but large companies, large design companies, large firms have flash designs, and it will go in the future, of course there still be html websites but the global crisis is forcing all businesses to move online, and how can make your site looks proffesional and powerful without having a flash design.

Even if you try to get a job as a web designer more and more people ask for flash profesionals, now whatever web design job you go to your are required to know flash.

It completely and utterly depends on the website.

If you're offering a huge resource of text based documents such as a wiki then a flash based site would be ridiculous. If you're trying to sell a product then a visual flash based website would be a more engaging option. What's more appealing a visual experience such as a tv advert or a static page of text and images.

It's a shame a lot of web devs give flash such a hard time lately. If used correctly you could create some great websites with it.

Guys I´m now interested on designing my own web page, most of the recommendations are to learn HTML, but you make me doubt with this posts, if In future Ill have to redesign it with flash isn’t better to do it since now and don’t waste my time?. or do you think it is also necessary for me to have some knowledge about HTML?

Originally Posted by katev

Guys I´m now interested on designing my own web page, most of the recommendations are to learn HTML, but you make me doubt with this posts, if In future Ill have to redesign it with flash isn’t better to do it since now and don’t waste my time?. or do you think it is also necessary for me to have some knowledge about HTML?

Yes. It is necessary. I've created a number of flash websites, and I have found that the best way to do it is to make your web pages half html and half flash. And anyway, to even be able to use flash and embed it on a web page you need to have some knowledge of html.

It also depends on the people you expect to view the site. If they are using dial-up or have a very slow internet connection, a flash website will take AGES to load, however a html website, if done correctly, will only take a few seconds. There are ways to get around this.
One thing that I specialize in flash is making the file as small as possible. In some cases, a flash file, lets say - 700px by 200px with tons of neat special effects - about 12k. A .jpeg, same size without the effects, about 40k.
There is an old saying concerning skeet shooting that I think would apply quite well to the html vs flash issue:

Html - Easy to learn, hard to master.
Flash - Hard to learn, easy to master.

If you don't know much about flash, don't use it. If you are an experienced web developer that has used flash countless times, it is ten times better than html.

Hope it helps.
- Steve