Flash vs. Swish: Power vs. ease

Adobe Flash is well-known for its powerful ability to compose stunning web animations. The program is flexible and one of the staple tools of mainstream web development firms nationwide. The only problem with Flash is that there is a large learning curve. Enter Swish, an alternative to Flash that makes creating web animations easier for the average user, and faster for the professional designer. Swish has been criticized in some circles for a lack of flexibility. Critics say that Swish is full of canned animations and offers little opportunity for total originality in comparison to Flash. What these critics miss is that Swish has addressed a need and met it quite nicely. Customers like fads, and when they see something they like, they have to have it, too. It's no different for design and animation than it is for bell bottoms. Swish makes it easy for the average customer to create great-looking animations that are similar to those they already like. By simplifying the creation process, Swish has carved out a niche in the market by bringing animation capabilities to the average customer at an affordable price. It can't compete with Flash in pure power and flexibility, but it can make things easier.  Professional animators will likely never flock to Swish as they do Flash, but small business owners will certainly appreciate the simplicity of Swish rather than learn how to use Flash. In creating this niche, Swish has proven that it's possible to compete with the big dogs by addressing the desires of the market in a clearly defined way  -- the glitz of Flash with the ease of Google.  It's plug 'n' play, and it's here to stay. Let's examine some of the big dogs in the marketplace. How could a smaller company compete with them? What untapped niches can you define in design and business? What opportunities can you identify to make existing technology easier for casual users?