I'd say, learn a lower-level language. I've worked with some guys with an assembly and c++ background, and they really knew how to squeeze the last drops of performance out of a flash app.
On Tue, Jan 5, 2010 at 11:11 AM, Paul Andrews <p...@ipauland.com> wrote: > Karl DeSaulniers wrote: > >> Duly noted. I dont think I am so much worried that I should know C# in >> order to know or learn AS3, but more, >> if I do take on C#, that I can incorporate my skills and be able to expand >> beyond the barriers so-to-speak >> as a flash developer and programer. Also, because I am told that they are >> similar, will it may make it easier to learn >> C# if I already know AS3? >> > Certainly. The first language is always the hardest, then most concepts > will travel between languages even if there are differences in the way they > are implemented. > > Paul > > >> Karl >> >> On Jan 5, 2010, at 3:22 AM, Paul Andrews wrote: >> >> Dave Watts wrote: >>> >>>> Perhaps you can explain how AS3 is "narrow". For years Pascal was THE >>>>> language to learn programming then eventually it migrated to "Java" and >>>>> I >>>>> don't consider AS3 to be a limited language or narrow in it's outlook. >>>>> I >>>>> think it's rather a good and accessible first language to learn. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> AS3 is designed to do one thing: build Flash applications. Pascal and >>>> Java are both general-purpose programming languages. You can build all >>>> sorts of different programs in them, and more importantly, you can >>>> build programs that are really nothing but wrappers for specific >>>> examples, without a lot of extra infrastructure needed to run them. >>>> You can write a single Java class and run it from a command prompt. >>>> >>>> I think Adobe is rather missing a trick in not having a stand-alone >>> version of Actionscript. >>> >>>> >>>> Your main point may be that AS3 is really a client side language, I'm >>>>> really >>>>> not sure what you perceive as a limitation. As a language it supports >>>>> just >>>>> about all the notions of a modern OO language, so I don't think it's >>>>> really >>>>> limiting at all. >>>>> >>>>> Most of the programming principles from Java and the like are easily >>>>> implemented in AS3, so I have no idea where the problem is. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> Dealing with concurrency is a common programming problem. I wouldn't >>>> want to demonstrate concurrency solutions in AS3. >>>> >>>> Writing a simple, argument-driven "hello world" program is far easier >>>> in Pascal or Java (or especially Python) than AS3. >>>> >>>> Yes, you're right, but in the context of someone wanting to learn AS3 >>> as a primary goal not general programming, such things aren't such an issue. >>> >>>> >>>> I would suggest PHP, not as an AS3 look-alike, but as a good compliment >>>>> to >>>>> AS3 - as good as C# as a companion to As3 in the real-world. >>>>> >>>>> >>>> Sure, PHP is a good complement to AS3, as both can be used to build >>>> different parts of web applications. >>>> >>>> But again, I submit that there is value in learning a general-purpose >>>> programming language, which isn't limited to building web >>>> applications. The point of learning a second (or third, or Nth) >>>> programming language isn't necessarily to perform a specific task, but >>>> rather to learn "how to program". A competent programmer can learn new >>>> languages for specific tasks as required, because he or she already >>>> knows "how to program". The best languages for learning how to program >>>> aren't those, like PHP or AS3, designed to solve a specific problem, >>>> like building web applications. Focusing on a specific problem domain >>>> is great for learning how to solve that single kind of problem, not so >>>> great for other things. >>>> >>>> I have interpreted the original question as "Do I need to learn >>> language X to become an AS3 programmer" and the answer is most definitely >>> "No". There's no harm (and much to be gained) in learning subsequent >>> languages once the principle concepts are grasped with the first language. >>> What is a mistake is to try and learn two new languages at the same time and >>> it would also be misleading to say that learning another language is a >>> prerequisite for learning AS3. >>> >>>> As a ColdFusion developer, I see the same sort of thing all the time. >>>> People learn how to write ColdFusion, as it's very easy, but they >>>> develop a tunnel vision of sorts, and they don't understand a lot of >>>> things about programming in general (like concurrency) because it's >>>> not an issue in that language. >>>> >>>> I understand that view completely. I have a Computer Science degree and >>> spent several years working on writing operating systems and low-level disk >>> controllers. Many of the people I have worked with have grown up in a >>> specific development environment and don't stray beyond it. They are >>> sometimes rather surprised if I use a technique that is used in OS >>> synchronisation. >>> >>> You mention concurrency and that is something Adobe needs to address (I'm >>> sure it won't be easy to make the Flash infrastructure thread safe) and we >>> both know that it will improve performance greatly in the player where there >>> are multiple cores available. I'm sure it will also swell the posting on >>> flashcoders! >>> >>> Currently it's necessary for developers to know Actionscript for Flash >>> and Flex plus something else for server interaction. I'd rather see the >>> second language being useful to allow people to complete their pipeline to >>> the server than be a language that may not suit that well. It's also >>> important in these economic climes, that the effort put in suits the market >>> demand for expertise. It's unfortunate in some ways that Adobe haven't >>> pushed the boat a little further with a good server-side actionscript >>> implementation to make that access to data even easier. >>> >>> I used to develop in a proprietary environment with some similarities to >>> Flash/Actionscript and used to write "headless" applications in it, >>> replacing server-side scripting even though the language and environment was >>> primarily designed to work with a GUI. The great thing was that other team >>> members who had only learned to use that particular system could take on the >>> subsequent development and maintenance of the code without having to learn >>> an extra language. The fact that they were limited to one >>> environment/language didn't mean that they weren't able to produce very >>> capable applications. >>> >>> A lot of people want to learn Actionscript and I'd rather they didn't >>> think that they had to learn another language to do so, or mistakenly >>> attempt to take on two new languages as an entry to programming at the same >>> time. >>> >>> Paul >>> >>>> 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! >>>> _______________________________________________ >>>> Flashcoders mailing list >>>> Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com >>>> http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders >>>> >>>> >>>> >>> _______________________________________________ >>> Flashcoders mailing list >>> Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com >>> http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders >>> >> >> Karl DeSaulniers >> Design Drumm >> http://designdrumm.com >> >> _______________________________________________ >> Flashcoders mailing list >> Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com >> http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders >> >> > _______________________________________________ > Flashcoders mailing list > Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com > http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders > -- Meinte van't Kruis Freelance Flash Platform Dev (mxml,actionscript,flex,air) malatze http://www.malatze.com/ http://www.linkedin.com/in/meinte mei...@malatze.com 0617459744 _______________________________________________ Flashcoders mailing list Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders
