Charles et al:
Your post raises a couple of important questions. The Spectra community
would be even more in your debt if you could help us out with the
answers:
1st question:
What do you mean by:
"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"?
I guess another way of asking the question is:
Where does the COAPI stop and the rest of Spectra begin?
For instance when I read the quoted sentence I am not sure if Workflows
will be included or not. Workflows could be interpreted as being directly
related to dynamic content. Content gets created by organizations and
workflows coordinate the activities of organizations. Since we so often
code PLPs
as edit handlers will we see the PLP framework compiled into the Java tool?
Sometimes I've seen the COAPI described as the data layer -- does that
include
metadata? Content syndication is just another way of getting at content --
so will that make it in?
Please do not misinterpret these examples as specific questions -- they
are examples intended to outline my confusion and my question.
Obviously it is not Macromedia's intention to roll all of Spectra into Neo
but can you explain what parts will make it and what won't? An answer to
this is
critical to my ability to sell this product and my services to my clients.
2nd question:
What are the boundaries on the Community source model? In your post you
mention
that 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."
This could be great.
Let me outline 2 scenarios:
1. Let's say I go out and find a bug. I report that bug and provide code to
fix it. My understanding is that Macromedia would have a team of QA
engineers
who would test my fix and "certify" it for consumption by the rest of the
community. That's pretty good.
2. Let's say I come up with a great new service/feature that adds to Spectra
or
I significantly re-engineer some Spectra system (such as Webworld Studios
Custom Security Solution (http://www.wwstudios.com/index_wws.cfm/286/ )
(nice job guys)). Will Macromedia QA those?
If yes we might be on to something great -- Spectra can continue to grow.
I assume that Macromedia intends to provide support for modifications such
as
outlined in the first scenario -- but what about the second?
Right now those are the two questions keeping me awake at night. Any
ideas/help
would be appreciated. Thanks in advance.
Craig Fisher
Allaire Certified Instructor/Agent
Alta Interactive, Inc.
http://www.altainteractive.com/
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
801-791-8251
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Teague [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 2:29 PM
To: Spectra-Talk
Subject: The Future of Spectra
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)
800-25524731, (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]
-------------------------------------------
----------------------------------------------------------------------------
--
To Unsubscribe visit
http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists&body=lists/spectra_talk
or send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with
'unsubscribe' in the body.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Structure your ColdFusion code with Fusebox. Get the official book at
http://www.fusionauthority.com/bkinfo.cfm
------------------------------------------------------------------------------
To Unsubscribe visit
http://www.houseoffusion.com/index.cfm?sidebar=lists&body=lists/spectra_talk or send a
message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with 'unsubscribe' in the body.
