We see that lots of Flash scripting are used in db-db site. Do you have background in programming? If you do, did you learn by yourself? Could you tell us how you have become so knowledgeable with Flash, including how you become involved with web?
Flancis Lam: I'm not really a Flash expert, but it's not difficult for me to take up the flash programming skills with my computer science background. I built my first Personal Homepage in 1996 when I first knew Internet. It's in the Feb of 2000, I was inspired by k10k and started to think about building a design site. I finished the train version of db-db in march.
Real time chat is our favourite section of your site, and we were surprised to find "pee" function. We think it was an original and unique idea. Why did you decide to include "pee" function?
Flancis Lam: Design is fun to me, so I want my designs to be fun!
We feel that not many design
portal sites are done using Flash only. Why did you decide to develop a design portal site, which updates are so frequently required, using Flash only? Were there any difficulties?
Flancis Lam: Because I wanna build the multi-user playground thing on top of the entire site, so I have to make it as a whole flash file. I wrote my own tools for updating, so it's not that difficult for the updates as u might have thought.
Flash used in your site includes socket connection etc, so that many things can be done other than animations. If they are not secret, could you tell us any new ideas that you would like to try in the future?
Flancis Lam: I'm planning to connect other sites by that functionality.
As being an Asian yourself, with what part do you think Asians excel or fall behind in the world of web?
Flancis Lam: I think for the world of web, it's all the same as we are all viewing some similar sites.
There are numerous rumours going around about Flash 6. What kind of new features or improvements do you wish for Flash 6?
Flancis Lam: I wish they can fix the bug for using the xml socket connection in MAC.
We feel that there are major differences between Asian web design and US, UK, Australian web designs. Do you have any thoughts or opinions about this point?
Flancis Lam: For me, it's hard to differentiate web designs regionally. I differentiate them by styles.
Is there anything that you are into right now, other than web? (We are very much into snow boarding.)
Flancis Lam: I'm learning Japanese.