Though a GIF is restricted to a 256 color span, that challenge can often be met with decent results, even with photographic imagery. However with today's high-speed connections, the functionality and popularity of Flash animations certainly override any of the early GIF considerations.

Slideshows
Animated GIFs, as well as many other animation models, is great for slideshows. And, slideshows are great for confiding a large amount of imagery and information to a finite space. The problem with GIFs though is usually evident with photographic slideshows, especially when the sum of all the photos has a wide color range that must be reduced to 256 colors. Nonetheless, with a balance of color reduction and a degree of noise added to prevent banding, an Animated GIF does provide a seamless application. And, a good browser will load one image at a time rather than loading all at once, so that the page is complete, yet changing. One thing CyberAlley has explored with great success is utilizing a large number of photographic images into a confided space, rather than creating an unwielding page. This is particularly useful when a small amount of copy is aligned to a large amount of photos.

Step-by-Steps
Below are various step-by-step website applications, some simple, some high-concept.

Holley Interactive System Selector Circa 2000
Used on the Holley website and distributed via CD-ROMs

Minacs Online Business Supplyline Circa 2002
Mockup. Follow the "DEMO" links.

Holley's Lunati Pistons & Rings Tech Info Circa 2003
Used on Holley's Website Technical Information section. This is typical of the tech info for many of product lines.

Electro-Matic's "Come to Our Pad" Q & A Promotion Tour Circa 1997
Used on Electro-Matic's website to give a directed tour of the Product section while conveying pertinent information. The tour ended with a survey and free Electro-Matic mouse pad (and a mailing list database entry). Click the pic below, then click the rising sun as indicated and follow through.


Animated Accents
Animations, such as rules, and bookend type bars.

Flow Charts
A flow chart is the foundation of any website, and in actuality, any interactive medium, particularly when used in collaboration as a blueprint. CyberAlley has relied heavily on flowcharts for not only websites, but CD-ROMs, interactive tales and even interactive screenplays and movies. On websites, the same flow chart used as a blueprint can later serve as an excellent site map.