I currently work as a full-time Flex contractor. I label myself as a Rich Internet Application Architect, but at the end of the day, I'm coding ActionScript 2 and MXML... with trips to Fireworks & Flash every so often. I chose to change my career to full-time Flex because heavily coded projects in Flash don't work as well when doing GUI development. When weeks of your dev time is spent coding graphic logic (put this control here, size this way, make this skin work, etc.), you're not spending time doing what is most important; building your application.
Many would argue that those steps are included. Those people are Flash Developers, not Flex Developers. So, I have a hard time answering your question; while FlexBuilder 2's support for ActionScript projects is made for a few reasons, one of which to entice those who have no real care for MXML and just want a better coding IDE, I couldn't imagine going back to compiling in the IDE. Flash, currently, is my graphic SWF maker. I then use those SWF's to embed graphics into my Flex SWF's, not the other way around. Flex is point-man, Flash support. Author in Flex, design in Flash. I can't remember if it's there or not, but there is a root level class, like MXML's Application, that you can utilize; basically _root.__proto__ = YourClass, but can't remember the name, and don't see it in the AS3 docs in a quick, cursory glance. If you don't want <mx:Application> you can extend that class instead. It's not a line, but an array of types of work, and degree's that work is utilized to. People can create applications in 18 month cycles, or 18 days. Those who do the latter probably would have a hard time seeing the value of Flex 1.5, but give me 10 minutes with 'em, and I'll have them hooked on Flex 2. Not sure how much you participated in the arguments and rantings about Flex in the past, but the main stop gap to any, and all dicussions about Flex, and where they ALL stopped was price. Yeah, so pricing isn't announced yet, but $1000 give or take keeps people talking vs. $30k+ and people laughing at me predicting the downfall of the Flash Developer Golden Years. The price gap is removed, so now we can continue talking again. Case in point, suddenly you CAN sell your clients (including your boss) on what Flex gives for 3 reasons; 1, you can afford it now, 2, it's a better way to develop RIA's (team or not), 3, when it comes out, Flex developers will have the new AS3 tools in ready to go software, Flash Developers will have an alpha that doesn't give you 100% of what Flex 2 has to offer. Flex 2 isn't just builder; it's the amazing features & speed of Flash Player 8.5, the more powerful and helpful language ActionScript 3, the better component set (that's been better since Flex 1.0 btw, which was over a year ago), and most intriguing of all the Enterprise Services 2. So the work you do, to what degree, and where it fits in the above isn't something that can be answered in 1 setence, nor in email reply writing sitting. There are those who dabble, and Flash is the pefect blending of art, engineering, and fun, hence why I've setup a permanent abode over at Flashnewbie; they aren't going anywhere for a long time. Many here will see the light, many won't, and a lot will fall in the middle; using both when and were applicable. Me? I've cross over to the Flex side, 90%. Flash still rocks, and can do a lot that Flex can't, mainly on the "put the cool in 'Rich'" side. However, joining Flexcoders last year, and seeing the amount of Macromedia resources put towards that community, the amount of energy and fervor that Enterprise people were putting into it... it just felt right and wrong at the same time. ...this email is on the verge of becoming another 2 pages. Suffice it to say, I've been asked to update the article I wrote over 10 months ago in a vain attempt to convince you all to convert early so as to prevent the coping process that many are going through now. Hopefully that'll be more informative on that last part. http://www.flashmagazine.com/1061 In the meantime, explore and get hooked. ----- Original Message ----- From: "David Stiller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: "'Flashcoders mailing list'" <[email protected]> Sent: Tuesday, October 18, 2005 10:19 PM Subject: RE: [Flashcoders] Macromedia unveiling Flex 2andFlash9 :communication or cacophony ? > Go try it. Build something small, and you'll be on > board lickety-split. Heh, you can't build *anything* yet less than 240KB! :-p Okay, now, chuckles aside ... Jesse, I know just from subscribing to this list for a while that you're a long-time Flash dev, in addition to being a Flex dev. I played with Flex Builder 2 a bit today and I'll admit, for RIA-type apps, this looks very, *very* promising. Given what Flex seems geared for, what's your take on how to use Flex Builder 2 for more traditional (though heavily coded) movies? That is, using FB2 only for writing AS classes, and -- when the time comes -- possibly even using the Flash IDE to publish? I haven't toyed with it enough yet, but for example, I don't see a way to create a project without also creating an MXML document. Of course, so far, I would *have* to use MXML, but when Flash 9 arrives (possibly), I may not. You addressed earlier the AA-like steps of Flex acceptance, and among your points was the line every dev must draw in regard to the types of apps s/he develops. RIAs ... games? Where is that line for you? Obivously, anyone else who wants to reply, please jump in! David [EMAIL PROTECTED] _______________________________________________ Flashcoders mailing list [email protected] http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders _______________________________________________ Flashcoders mailing list [email protected] http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders
