While many gamblers are already familiar with the basics when
it comes to Internet gambling, the fact is that according to
the latest industry reports only about 1% of all gamblers have
ever gambled online. So while this column may be old news to
all you regulars, for the 99% of you out there who have just
started to venture into the world of online gambling it will
help you to understand the differences among the types of software
the sites offer, and help you decide which is right for you.
Types of Software
Download
Up until a few years ago,
online gaming sites relied almost entirely on downloadable software.
That is, in order to play at the site, the gambler was required
to download the entire software package onto their computer.
This was done by one of two ways:
1. Download it from directly from the web site - known as file
transfer protocol, or FTP.
2. Install it from a CD that was mailed to you.
Although this software platform has its advantages, such as
increased speed of play and often more realism, it is not without
its problems. One of the major drawbacks to a platform such
as this is the amount of time and space required to download
the programs. It is not out of the ordinary to expect the download
to take upwards of 30 minutes - and sometimes more. Since sites
are constantly in competition with each other, always trying
to outdo the other's bonuses, game packages etc., site hopping
to take advantage of these factors is tedious. Who wants to
sit there and download a new site for 30+ minutes each week?
. JAVA
One of the fastest ways to get online and start gambling is
to find a site that features JAVA or browser-based software.
Unlike the downloadable version of the software package, JAVA
games are played right from your browser - you don't have to
waste thirty minutes waiting to start playing.
Java is far more secure than traditional downloadable software.
There is no chance for bad coding or viruses that could end
up damaging the user's computer. In addition, there is no sensitive
information (such as credit card numbers or passwords) stored
on the user's system and if a player gets disconnected from
the game, he or she can return to the same game and even the
same hand once they are reconnected. However, one drawback to
JAVA platforms is the quality of the graphics. While most of
the images are comfortable, they still lack some of the realism
- often, players feel like they are playing a video game from
the 80's.
Flash
Flash is one of the most recent software platforms available
for online gambling. As with JAVA-based games, Flash requires
no software download. It's a graphical from of streaming, in
which one starts receiving images and audio (like television).
Flash does, however, require a Plug-in in order to play - but
these plug-ins are usually available from a link on the site,
and is available for free. Generally speaking, Flash is one
of the more superior platforms - it produces highly compressed,
high quality 3-D animation and sound, creates a quick, stable
platform, better playability and on the whole it is more fun
for the player than JAVA-based games.
