Despite being so widespread, Flash technologies on the web still take a back seat to the classic HTML+CSS combination in terms of presenting text in the most simple and convenient way. While the issue of convenience is not above criticism in this case, the simplicity gives no reason to complain.
Another advantage of «bare» HTML is the possibility to build page content on the fly, when changing the page completely becomes a matter of a few seconds.
For the convenience of building simple pages hypertext pays the price of being excessively unhandy in terms of multimedia content – this is especially true for manipulations with images, video and audio recordings. In those cases it makes more sense to use Flash.
These days, finding a suitable Flash-application (for instance, to view images or reels as a gallery right at the side) is not something inconceivable. As usual, it’s the matter of choice. 
Today we are going to take a look at six completely different Flash-galleries – three of them are paid sites and three are provided free of charge. As usual, it’s up to you to decide.
 

Flash Photo Gallery
Official site: http//1flashgallery.com
Current version: 0.2 beta
License type: freeware (free)

The first free gallery from an independent developer reviewed here is notable for its exceptional simplicity. This simplicity is actually the main feature of this gallery – miniature buttons, tiny font….
The process of adding images is not exactly elementary, but any person who heard at least something about the abbreviation XML will easily handle it. The image link and separately its preview are copied to the XML-file– the rest happens automatically.
Quite an unpleasant surprise is the gallery’s flat refusal to display image title when the cursor is brought over a thumbnail – in order to see it you will need to click on it, and there is no way around.
It’s also not completely clear why such minimalist design contains two buttons of full screen mode image viewing – on both sides of the bar with thumbnails and navigation. The author must have intended to adjust one of them for launching slide-shows, but forgot to include this possibility into functionality set.
Neither inspiring is the time of the last update. At the moment this article is being written the date is July 2007. It’s true, the gallery is not «trained» to perform photo manipulations. But it can handle the existing functions (demonstrating images as a gallery) pretty well. 
The main thing in brief: simple, bordering on austerity, but quite a visual gallery without any other functions except for image viewing.
Features:

• supports Cyrillic and Roman characters;
• overall size – 11 kilobytes;
• no photo manipulation available.

Flash Gallery
Official site: http//1flashgallery.com
Current version: not indicated
License type: shareware (conditionally free)
Price: $15 (personal license), $29 (professional license)

Another gallery, although this time a paid one, that processes images with the help of an XML-file, just like the gallery described above. This file contains the link to the large image, another one – to the thumbnail version, and a short description.
Art Flash Gallery can boast an impressive list of unnecessary capabilities. Background color, shadow angle, thumbnails reflections, description fonts, alpha-channel preview, methods of switching to another picture are all customizable. It’s difficult to enumerate all the points added just to indicate «a wide array or customizable functions».  The array is really wide, although quite useless.
Another feature is the sounds that you can listen to by bringing the mouse over image previews at the product’s site (by clicking on the link «more galleries» you can «enjoy» even more annoying sounds).
And yet, the developers didn’t take the trouble of properly optimizing their brainchild. As the result, you can notice certain bouncing of the gallery – for instance, when you scroll the image up or down, or move the mouse along the preview row.
In short, it’s not the best choice you can make – especially considering the certain amount you will have to pay for the license.
The main thing in brief:  an unfinished, yet paid, Flash-gallery with a bunch of useless settings and lacking the essence: ergonomics.
 Features:

• accompanying sound;
• customizable gallery presentation;
• full-screen mode, slide-show.

Flash Image Gallery
Official site: http://www.flashimagegallery.com
Current version: 1.16
License type: freeware

Quite an outdated gallery (the latest version is of October 2005) than nevertheless demonstrates quite good (especially considering its age) results.
We should probably start with the administration system of the gallery. The abbreviation FIGA stands for Flash Image Gallery Admin.
The simple design is quite appealing – at least in this case. The «Gallery» tab is intended for working with galleries (images can be switched places by dragging them with the mouse), «Settings» - to customize the way the gallery is displayed, and a laconic «Help» containing quite a short instruction from the creator.
Having been built with a great deal of minimalism, the gallery itself would be wonderful were it not for some small, but nevertheless disappointing faults. As you upload large images to the gallery of a small size the image does not shrink. You can truly understand how inconvenient it is only when in a small gallery you try exploring an HD photo in 100% zoom with the mouse.
In general, the gallery does not work slower in spite of the image size – in fact, someone may actually appreciate such a gallery. It’s just that the comics presented by the product’s author in one of the demo-galleries are too inconvenient to read. 
The main thing in brief: a free outdated Flash gallery with pretty good productivity but scanty functionality.
 Features:

• simple and pleasant design;
• customizable gallery presentation;
• maximal number of images – 224.

Thumb Gallery
Official site: http://www.flashrelief.com/thumbgallery/features.html
Current version: 2.0
License type: shareware (conditionally free)
Price: $24,95

Thumb Gallery is another paid Flash-gallery working from the same XML-file. You need to manually enter links to the pictures and their previews into this file, just like in other (although free ones) variations of this kind of product.
It seems like all paid galleries have one thing in common – their creators always do their best to fill the product with senseless functions. The abovementioned sound accompanying, which appears as you bring the mouse over an image or click on it, is annoying and makes little sense.
Most of the features mentioned at the official site in the «Features» section are related to the way the gallery is presented. There are actually quite interesting, but nevertheless stupid, features, such as, for example, 9 variants of image transition, or the advice to add the gallery to your MySpace.com page.
There is, however, one function that may seem useful to someone – possibility of using the gallery as a slide-show. The site visitor will have to view a set of changing images without being able to stop them or switch to another one.
You must admit that it’s not enough to make you part with $25.
 Features:

• launch of a slide show the user is unable to control;
• 9 variants of image transition;
• 30-day money back guarantee.

Deziner Folio Gallery (dfGallery)
Official site: http://www.dezinerfolio.com/2007/06/07/dfgallery/
Current version: 1.003b
License type: freeware (free)

The first free gallery in the review is, in fact, so impressive and so good, that it deserves to be a paid one. Or at least it could be sponsored.
The functionality is astounding: here you have «smart» RSS processing, support of the most popular photo-hosting services (Flickr, Picasa, Fotki, Photobucket), and easily customizable gallery presentation (not limited to setting alpha-channel for preview and color of description text, like in other galleries)… In general, the full set of functions available for a paid gallery – but free of charge.
The product’s creator, however, couldn’t help adding to his masterpiece senseless background MP3 music support, but someone can actually make good use of this feature. For instance, you can apply audio comments, which can be very handy.
It fact, it’s a light version of SlideShowPro (see next review) – just as easily customizable, with convenient previews, but less functional. And this should be considered a huge compliment.
The main thing in brief: free Flash-gallery with pleasantly wide functionality; best choice for a simple gallery you won’t have to sweat over; also a great option if you don’t feel like purchasing a better version.
Features:

• RSS support;
• support of best photo-hosting services;
• background music (MP3).
   

SlideShowPro

Official site: http://slideshowpro.net/
Current version: 1.8.9
License type: shareware (conditionally free)
Price: $29

A truly unique Flash-gallery that is being developed and improved up till now. One of the key features of this product is its elegant design – this gallery can be used for MySpace page, or as a header for a company site. It will look equally appropriate in both cases.
The customizable program interface allows tailoring the gallery to suit any design, while the «smart» image upload function saves already viewed images to cache, preventing them from being downloaded again. Other things that should be mentioned include the option of adding audio tracks (convenient), or background music (in less demand), and easy-to-use slideshow mode.
In general, all these features can be found in other galleries – even the function of editing any number of photos and albums is supported by some free products – so what makes SlideShowPro different?
It’s the possibility of playing video and creating whole albums with video recordings – a really unique feature for a gallery.
Additionally, for those willing to achieve greater comfort there is the SlideShowPro Director program that at the same price ($29) makes the gallery work in almost an automatic mode. Quite expensive, but amazingly convenient and easy to use – video presentations at the product’s site really win your heart; what wins your heart even more is opportunity of personally exploring the program.
The main thing in brief: the indisputable leader of paid Flash-galleries, worth every cent from the 29 dollars you pay.
Features:
 

• breathtakingly functional and ergonomic;
• almost fully automatic functions (if used with SSP Director);
• video support.