At 3/11/03 12:39 AM, untitled-1 wrote:
Lots of stuff.
I never said it was you. You never told me to get the SWF-Ripper. You know this. Since you know it wasn't you I was refering too, calm down.
As for being nice to the newbies. You can too be nice to them all the time. Or at least I can. I'll fuss a little but I won't completely cuss them out. I'm like "Look if you don't pay attention you won't catch on. Quit tellin me you're hopeless, you're only hopeless when you quit." Etc. Meh, to each their own. I Just wish you'd stop cussing the poor kids out. Too bad we can't count and find out how many gave up after the NG Flash Forum Newbie Greeting.
As for File Ripping, how does Straight code help if you don't know what parts of the code mean? If you already know most of the different codes in the Actionscript box, then looking at Ripped codes to get an idea how something works is ok for you. But, for complete newbies who don't know half of it, it's really not a good idea. All they are going to do is confuse themselves. Gets scary, looking at lots of code, and not knowing what It means. Like when I first looked at HTML codes. All the stuff was like Greek when I hit View Source. I got scared and almost quit. Then I learned a little bit and understood how it worked. Then clicking View Source helped me because I understood what I was looking at. The people on the Flash forums telling others to get a SWF Decompiler are throwing gas on the fire.
A few reasons this is gonna cause problems.
A) Complete Newbies are gonna get it and look at all the code. Freak out and quit, or start asking more noobish questions about stuff they don't even understand yet and aren't ready for.
B) Unless the author of the Ripped Flash had clear instructions along with the code with the //comment lines, newbies will get lost.
C) The ones who don't really get it, will just change the graphics of the entire thing and use the code as is, pawning stuff off as thier own work. Even if they graphics are thier own, the code isn't. NOT a good way to learn.
D) Those Decompilers should be for advanced Flashers only. Too bad I'm already seeing threads of people on the Flash Forums telling about it.
I prefer the books with the CDs. They give clear instructions, screenshots, and CDs with FLA's and SWF examples so you can learn as you go. I think once you learn that much you'll be able to figure out the scripting from there. Sure, watching a professional can help you learn the stuff. But, only if you actually watch them. Looking at the codes directly won't help if you don't understand it. But, like I said to each their own. If it actually helps you, great. Don't expect the newbies to get it if they look at the pure codes you posted on the BBS. Same Newbie who sees your code for a Preloader, will only ask again because they didn't understand.
Guess, I shouldn't have gotten so harsh over people using the SWF Decompiler. It's just that I know the newbies are gonna try and use it, when they should start out slowly and learn flash, learn the tools, make a few movies, before they try making games and such. "Gotta crawl before you walk!"-Smokey.