I think this was true back when Java was a contender for browser graphics. It’s clear now that Java in the browser, and even Flash, are going away. Now I think the best opportunity for JavaFX is for rich, cross-platform, non-browser apps - which really means desktop enterprise apps. Very limiting - until JavaFX has a mobile story. For this I think JavaFX needs an application like Microsoft Access or Oracle ADF as opposed to a FlashDesigner app (though that wouldn’t hurt).
Having a top-teir mobile story is really the only hope to have JavaFX go mainstream. It would be nice if Oracle would buy RoboVM. :-) jeff On Nov 13, 2014, at 9:34 PM, Felix Bembrick <felix.bembr...@gmail.com> wrote: > Java applets were the first "programs" to run inside a web browser and for > a (little) while they were flavour of the month. > > But then along came Flash which had several advantages such as faster load > times, consistent loads and antialiased fonts/graphics and soon completely > surpassed applets. > > But the MAIN reason why Flash was initially so successful and went on for > years and years of domination is that the Flash tools had an > Animation/Timeline Editor pretty much from the beginning. This enabled > even a novice to drag images around and draw the path they wanted them to > move along, add all sorts of bouncing effects and sounds and the result was > the birth of the online greeting card company. > > But Flash soon went on to be so much more. As the Adobe tools improved, so > did the SWFs and soon entire websites were written in Flash. > > Meanwhile, applet programmers had absolutely nothing remotely similar and > had to try (and I stress try) to tediously hand code any animations and > transitions and effects and I don't think it ever worked. > > Fast forward 15-20 years and now we have JavaFX which doesn't need to run > in the browser, has even more features than Flash, uses hardware > acceleration for superior performance, has a wide range of built-in > animations, transitions and effects but STILL we have to hand code any > animation/transitions. > > This is INCREDIBLY inefficient and unless Scene Builder incorporates a > powerful, sophisticated animation/transition and effect editor VERY, VERY > SOON I fear that the advanced graphics features are never going to be used > to their full potential (much to the detriment of JavaFX itself). > > Does anyone know if one is in the pipeline? I see this as one of the most > vital features for the JavaFX ecosystem to achieve more penetration and, > eventually, survive. > > Felix
