I'm glad the basic data is out as I've had to stifle my excitement for the
last week and a half since we first learned about the new initiative and
direction -- it was particularily hard to keep quiet while following the
"spectra going away?" thread.
I believe this is an exciting development. Ever since we started working
with Spectra at about Beta 5, the core of all the work we've done has been
centered around the Content Object API (COAPI). That was the key shift of
view for us that changed the way we thought about and built web sites. It's
great to now know that it is continuing AND is being improved. (Truth be
told, we first got excited about what became the COAPI when Charles visited
the DC CFUG to demonstrate the new Allaire web site about a year before
Spectra was even code named Tempest. He wanted feedback on the look and feel
of the new site and all we were interested in was the cool backend admin
technology he was using to build pages by invoking methods.)
I think Spectra has been (and will continue to be) a good implementation of
the COAPI. But I also think it can evolve.
The prospect of working with a COAPI that is tightly integrated with the CF
Server, runs with the performance of Java and opens the door to the entire
world of J2EE is very appealing. I just wish it was here NOW! :-)
Over the last week we evaluated our current projects and briefed our current
customers on this evolution and in the course of that, a couple of things
became clear:
1) None of our projects were waiting for additional functionality that we
hoped might get included in a future version of Spectra. With 1.5, pretty
much all the key features we wanted were included (notably versioning). Of
course, we wanted bugs fixed and incremental improvements. But we haven't
been waiting for new, fundamental functionality. I think the Community
Source program -- especially with Ray at the helm -- will ensure the Spectra
code does move forward, that bugs are fixed and that we do get our
incremental improvements.
In connection with this we realized that our current (and upcoming)
customers are not going to HAVE to move to the new code if they don't want
to -- they will be able to stay with Spectra for the expected life of their
apps if they choose. Or they can move if they want to or if they see
advantages to it for their particular app.
2) We realized that our current skill sets are NOT going to expire. Moving
from build web sites the old fashion way to using the COAPI was a leap.
Moving from the Spectra implementation of the COAPI to a Java-based
implementation of the COAPI will (likely) just be a step.
3) We found our customers shared our excitement about the prospects for a
future J2EE COAPI. In at least one case, the customer suggested to us
advantages of the J2EE future we didn't know about -- other projects they
are working on that will likely be helped by the new environment.
4) It appears that many of the Macromedia people we've worked with as
Spectra developers are going to continue to be involved in the forward
motion of both Spectra and its new incarnation (Charles, Libby and Ray in
particular come to mind). I think this bodes well for the future.
No doubt there will be issues to work through, but it seems to me that the
evolution of the core of what made Spectra so appealing is a good thing.
And, so far, our developers and clients seem to share that view.
David Aden
Webworld Studios
-----Original Message-----
From: Charles Teague [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]]
Sent: Monday, April 23, 2001 5:20 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]
-------------------------------------------
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