99% bad ....the happy ending

June 3, 2002, we announced a strategic partnership between Macromedia and Nielsen Norman Group to improve Flash usability: we will develop the usability guidelines for Internet-based applications in Flash MX.

Flash MX changes

1. Now supports the "Back" button.
2. Now ships with a standard set of interaction controls (No more random scroll bars made up at the whim of a Flash designer)

Macromedia has also made an important strategic decision to focus on useful use of Flash to build Internet-based applications, as opposed to the fluffy use that was prevalent two years ago when I published the above critique of the lack of usability in most Flash designs.