Good point to review.
On Fri, 04 Mar 2005 16:37:22 +0100, Sjors Pals <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > I have a tip on searching, my colleague was subscribed on this group > from almost the beginning, i imported his mail archive into my mailclient. > Now i can quickly search the entire archive from my mailclient. > > Maybe its an option if someone can share his mail archive once a while > (maybe Macromedia is willing to provide some ftp space). > > Greets, > > Sjors > > > Matt Chotin wrote: > > > THIS IS NOT AN OFFICIAL MACROMEDIA MESSAGE, ALL COMMENTS ARE MY OWN > > > > 1) You may have noticed that the response from Macromedia employees on > > flexcoders has slowed down a little, I wanted to share a few thoughts on > > that. > > 2) I also have seen a few questions regarding loading SWFs and subsequent > > problems, I don't have new insight but can share some warnings. > > 3) My own view on the state of flexcoders and its developers. > > > > ---------------- > > > > 1) Wondering where the Macromedia employees are for answering questions? > > The answer is hard at work on the next version of Flex. Despite the fact > > that we've made no official announcement about what will be in the next > > version, when it's coming out, etc, it doesn't mean we aren't busting our > > tails to try to come up with something special. In fact things are pretty > > busy here in Flex-land, and that means that we're focusing on tasks > > directly > > in front of us and looming deadlines more than answering questions > > from the > > list. It's been a relief to see so many of you out here answering > > questions, it lets us feel like we've provided enough bootstrapping that > > developers can help each other without being involved (more on this in my > > part 3). This doesn't mean that we're not reading the list, but it > > may mean > > we're slower to respond and may not have time to research questions we > > don't > > know the answer to easily. > > > > This is my own process for answering flexcoders issues (not > > recommending for > > others but it's the only way I can stay sane): > > > > 1) has the question been answered (even partially) by someone else on the > > list? -- delete > > 2) is the question something that I've seen asked and answered before > > recently (and know that the people who can answer the question are active > > participants)? -- delete > > 3) is the question something I know the answer to and can explain > > easily -- > > answer > > 4) is the question something that I don't know the answer to but can point > > someone towards solving it themselves? -- give that info > > 5) does the question require research on my part? -- save until later > > 6) does the question require so much research that it will take me a long > > time because I really don't know this area? -- delete, someone else will > > hopefully look into it > > > > Like I said, this is one way that I handle the volume of email that comes > > through. A few months ago I had the time to do more research to answer > > problems, now that's not the case. In fact it's one reason why we have a > > great support team, some issues take time to answer, Macromedia provides > > resources for providing those answers (and doing the research) that aren't > > easily done by folks like me. > > > > With that said let me also re-iterate that it is NEVER cool to mail a MM > > employee off-list to ask for help unless you've been specifically > > invited or > > you are mailing your support engineer. If I have an answer to a > > question I > > will do it on flexcoders when I have time. We all understand that people > > have deadlines and I feel bad when I can't respond quickly. But we offer > > our 2-hour turnaround Gold support for a reason :-) > > > > OK, moving on: > > > > 2) A few questions have come up over the last few weeks regarding issues > > with Loaders (specifically when something is loaded functionality breaks > > compared to when it was not loaded). I don't have much to offer > > unfortunately other than to say there are lots of known issues when using > > loaded content :-) > > > > For example, the cursor problem that we found last week turned out to be a > > known issue that we had in the release notes (don't look at me to > > blame you > > for not reading them, I didn't remember to check). The DragManager > > problem > > discussed last night also is apparently a known issue but I'm not sure > > there's a release note. > > > > The big thing to know is that static classes (things like > > CursorManager and > > DragManager) can be negatively affected by using the Loader to load > > additional MXML applications. There will be bugs, and while there may be > > people from Macromedia who know how to workaround the issues, I am not one > > of them and see #1 for why you may not receive answers from others > > :-) Best > > thing to do is always remember to check the release notes and search > > macromedia.com for technotes and other articles. And then be wary when > > working with loaded MXML applications! > > > > 3) My view on the state of flexcoders: > > > > It's strong, it's great, I'm loving it! I am thrilled to see so many > > people > > asking questions and so many people answering them. It means we have > > great > > users (and I admit that it is a new experience for me given products I > > worked on at previous companies). I am excited to see people discussing > > architecture, coming up with multiple answers to the same problem, sharing > > ideas, and in general working to improve the quality of code produced by > > all. > > > > At the same time I think there are some technical improvements that > > could be > > made to make all of our lives easier. > > > > 1) flexcoders searching is horrible. We all know it, and it's a detriment > > for many people because folks come in and ask common questions simply > > because search won't show it has being asked and answered before. I don't > > think mailing Yahoo and asking them to improve search is going to do much > > for us, but if there are people who have ideas on how to improve things I > > think you should share and perhaps try to contribute. Exposing the RSS to > > Google didn't seem to make a difference, I know I've run searches for > > messages that I know exist and Google blanks. Moving flexcoders to > > another > > listserv is not gonna be acceptable right now since so many people > > know the > > location, and creating a competing list doesn't make much sense > > either. But > > finding some different/better way to archive these messages would be good. > > This is a call for volunteers (actually a call for you to offer your > > services to Steven and Ali who are the moderators). > > > > 2) Macromedia has a number of "Getting Started" resources listed on > > the web > > site, but I'm not sure that everyone takes the time to read them, and > > maybe > > they don't fully know where to go. We also have a number of people taking > > issues and putting them on their own sites (cflex.net, flexauthority) and > > these are great resources for people to search as they're getting up to > > speed. Flexcoders isn't a forum, so there isn't a concept of "sticky" > > posts, but I think it would be helpful if you guys came up with a good > > list > > of "getting started" resources including FAQs and reference sites and > > posted > > them to the list occasionally for new users. Some newsgroups and mailing > > lists have the auto-posted FAQs, maybe someone would want to take on that > > task here? > > > > Finally I just want to commend everyone for being such good community > > members. I think the folks who post have been unfailingly polite and we > > don't see flame-wars, coding-religion wars, and other kinds of posts that > > turn people off from these kinds of developer lists. I hope that everyone > > will continue to ask questions and answer what you can and in doing so > > help > > us make Flex as successful as possible. Do your part to help others > > now and > > give the Macromedia folks the opportunity to create something even better > > for you in the coming months. > > > > Matt > > > > *Yahoo! Groups Sponsor* > > ADVERTISEMENT > > click here > > <http://us.ard.yahoo.com/SIG=1290vlgar/M=298184.6018725.7038619.3001176/D=groups/S=1705007207:HM/EXP=1110035712/A=2593423/R=0/SIG=11el9gslf/*http://www.netflix.com/Default?mqso=60190075> > > > > > > > > ------------------------------------------------------------------------ > > *Yahoo! Groups Links* > > > > * To visit your group on the web, go to: > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/flexcoders/ > > > > * To unsubscribe from this group, send an email to: > > [EMAIL PROTECTED] > > <mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]> > > > > * Your use of Yahoo! Groups is subject to the Yahoo! Terms of > > Service <http://docs.yahoo.com/info/terms/>. > > > > > > Yahoo! Groups Links > > > > > -- Igor Costa www.igorcosta.com www.macromedia.com/go/team
