Answer:
Hi Everyone,
Charles Teague, Macromedia Director of Engineering, posted this message to
the Spectra-Talk list and I was asked to post the information out here.
Christine
*******************************************************************
Hi everyone. We really appreciate everyone's patience over the last few
weeks. There has been a lot of discussion and concern over the future of
Spectra, and I think that the time is right to shed some light on what we
are thinking.
As you know, Spectra provides developers with a broad set of functionality
and technology. Enough so, sometimes its breadth proves daunting.
Fundamental to the entire product, however, is its foundation - the content
object API. In 1996, when I first started working on Allaire's website, the
foundational change that I went through was around thinking about the site
as composed of 'content objects.' Over the last 5 years, this core concept
has been revised, revolutionized, improved, and expanded. Spectra has been
the product that carried this concept forward. This concept, and the content
object API, have been the most compelling pieces of Spectra since its
inception.
Macromedia's goal is to make dynamic content technology like the content
object API pervasive, approachable, and cost effective for our developers.
To help us better achieve this, we plan to incorporate key components of
Spectra technology - a Java-based version of the COAPI architecture and
other services directly related to dynamic content - into the application
server, as well as delivering next generation dynamic content technologies
such as end-user content contribution and team production through a series
of new product initiatives. This means that version 1.5 will be Spectra's
last feature additive release - we'll invest our resources in making the
core technology that we move into our application server and visual tools
faster, easier, and better.
Macromedia will continue to support Spectra via a community source model,
on-going technical support, training, and consulting, as well as having a
team of engineers working on bug fixes and quality assurance for community
source submissions. Spectra will continue to be offered for sale, using our
partners as the primary sales channel. We also will do our best to give you
early access to technology previews, alphas, and betas of the new
technologies already under development.
In the world we live and work in, technology changes constantly, we've all
thrived because of our ability to adapt to change. This is no different - a
change for the Spectra Product Group, and for every developer, customer and
partner out there who has invested their valuable time and mind share into
Spectra. While I understand the challenge that a change like this can pose,
I am extremely optimistic. The core vision of the Spectra technology is
compelling - the opportunity to make this technology available to more
developers, cheaper, and better, is a chance that I relish. I hope you share
my optimism through this time of change.
You can direct questions and comments to a couple of places:
1) Via Phone at:
866-236-1146 (North America Toll Free)
800-255-24731, (International Toll Free)
617-219-3010 (Direct Dial Long Distance)
2) Via Email:
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
I can speak for the Spectra Product Group and Macromedia when I say how much
we value the community of developers that use our products. Spectra is no
exception. We have an incredible community, and one that we want to
continue.
-c
-------------------------------------------
Charles Teague
Director, Engineering
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
-------------------------------------------
-----Original Message-----
From: Ed McLaughlin [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 12:57 PM
To: Spectra-Talk
Subject: RE: Spectra Going Away?
I'm thinking it'll be something like seven wrapped by three wrapped by one,
like a well designed radial tire.
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Rastislav Toseak [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>>Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 1:48 PM
>>To: Spectra-Talk
>>Subject: RE: Spectra Going Away?
>>
>>
>>Hey, Dave D., I just would like to ask where did you get that
>>information?
>>
>>"Spectra wrapped it into Cold Fusion."
>>
>>Is there any confident source of the information or it's just
>>your thought?
>>
>>-----Original Message-----
>>From: Dave DeVol [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
>>Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 12:54 PM
>>To: Spectra-Talk
>>Subject: Re: Spectra Going Away?
>>
>>
>>I'd like to add my speculation to all this silly talk.
>>Macromedia wants to
>>make good products, so they take Spectra, which has its good
>>and bad sides
>>and strip the bad sides out (i.e. the WebTop, etc.) and then
>>wrap it into
>>Cold Fusion. You now have a really powerful single product called Cold
>>Fusion Pro with about 300 new tags. Cool!
>>
>> And it costs less so more people will embrace it.
>>
>>
>>----- Original Message -----
>>From: "Lee Fuller" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>To: "Spectra-Talk" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
>>Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 8:08 AM
>>Subject: RE: Spectra Going Away?
>>
>>
>>> Hello Jared,
>>>
>>> > Can I ask why you would discontinue its use?
>>> > I would think when it no longer satisfies requirements, then
>>> > it should be superceded (although maybe that is what you are
>>> > alluding to, get the jump on the progression?)
>>>
>>> Agreed... It should be superceded. However, we have already made
>>> significant in-roads towards building and re-building
>>client sites using
>>> this tool. If the tool becomes obsolete or unsupported,
>>we've just shot
>>> ourselves in the foot. Of course we will replace it. But
>>the point is,
>>> why continue down a "bad" path, if we can simply be told
>>"Don't go that
>>> direction... there's news that will be coming later to explain why."
>>>
>>> At any rate, I have little to absolutely no interest in
>>perpetuating a
>>> "rumor" about Spectra. And I sincerely hope that nobody
>>reading this
>>> posting believes me to be saying that Spectra will not be
>>around. The
>>> truth is, we simply do not know at this point, and I (for
>>one) am hoping
>>> that we are told soon, since it has been brought into question.
>>>
>>> Lee Fuller
>>> Chief Technical Officer
>>> PrimeDNA Corporation
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>
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