> 1. The mere existance of this thread suggests to me that > Adobe hasn't done an adequate job explaining what purpose > Flex serves, and how it's supposed to integrate with current > workflows. Maybe they will when they release, but they haven't > yet.
Of course, everyone else commenting in this thread seems to disagree with you. Perhaps the problem isn't with Adobe? > 2. I don't buy the argument that Flex is *just* for making forms > apps. There are a number of features in Flex that would be highly > desireable for the Flash IDE, such as the ability to use XML > to define a Flash file. If I want to take advantage of these > features, I'm going to have to use Flex, regardless of > whether I am a Forms Developer or a Non-forms Developer. I think that, despite these features, that's all FlexBuilder is designed for - forms-based applications. I don't know much about traditional Flash development, but my experience with FlexBuilder leads me to believe that it would be difficult to use FlexBuilder to build non-forms-based applications (which is presumably different from using FlexBuilder as a code editor for ActionScript). But if all you want to do is write MXML, you could use any XML-aware editor, and validate against the MXML schema. If you're not actually building forms, your MXML will presumably not have much in it, since MXML primarily describes the view of your application as containers and controls. > 3. I am all for Adobe having a wide variety of IDEs, > including Flash Newbie Edition, Flash for Recovering VB > Coders Edition, and Flash Super-Ultra-Mega Enterprise > Edition. But I am questioning the decision to segment the > product line in such a way that requires me to invest in two > overlapping but distinct tools. Well, first, this is largely academic, because they've already done this. And again, this isn't anything new - right now, in my training room, there's a Flex 1.5 class using FlexBuilder 1.5, which is a superset of Dreamweaver. FlexBuilder 1.5 is not especially pleasant to use, in my opinion. So, practically speaking, there seem to have been a limited number of options: 1. Build a single uber-IDE capable of serving traditional Flash developers and Flex developers. Of course, given the fundamental differences between how these development models work, this would essentially consist of shoehorning two IDEs within one program - there would be very little commonality between them. Because they'd be building all this stuff from scratch, it would presumably be more expensive and less reliable. 2. Continue using Dreamweaver as the basis for FlexBuilder. Yecch. 3. Use an existing IDE as the basis of FlexBuilder - one that is already quite popular with the target audience for Flex - Eclipse. But in any case, I don't see these tools as overlapping. As a Flex developer, I doubt I'll ever use the Flash IDE. Despite the use of a common runtime, Flex development seems to me to be fundamentally different from Flash development. Dave Watts, CTO, Fig Leaf Software http://www.figleaf.com/ Fig Leaf Software provides the highest caliber vendor-authorized instruction at our training centers in Washington DC, Atlanta, Chicago, Baltimore, Northern Virginia, or on-site at your location. Visit http://training.figleaf.com/ for more information! _______________________________________________ [email protected] To change your subscription options or search the archive: http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com
