"For those who don't know, Flex allows you to write XML and JavaScript and compile it to a .swf instead of using the traditional GUI timeline based tools." uhm... you write ActionScript3, not javascript. Different beasts and likely to remain so given the current fragmentation in ecmascript recommendations.
The article is focused on developing Flex using Emacs, but probably also worth mentioning that the non-free Flex development environment (Flex Builder) is Eclipse-based.
I've never truly used it in anger, but I found it extremely good. It's US$250 or something last I checked.
If you're more of an IDE-type, worth checking out.
I'm an Actionscript developer by profession, and having recently moved into Flex work I can strongly recommend both the Flex framework and Flex Builder -- at least, if you choose to create content for the Flash Player at all. The programming model is worlds ahead of what Flash developers have been putting up with for the past decade; they made clear and effective efforts to make it work like the languages, frameworks, and systems professional developers are already familiar with.
Since Actionscript 3 has optional static typing, and contains little-documented but very real implementations of closures and functional programming, it can be written as a Java-like OO language, as a Javascript-like dynamic language, or as a clunky but at least workable functional language; and the XML-based GUI-layout component, MXML, is surprisingly powerful and consistent.
Even though Flash is where my paycheck comes from, I am not at all convinced that it is the ideal format for most web content, so I won't argue with anyone who hates it. But anyone who has avoided Flash because of its programming model should definitely give Flex a second look.
(As for Flex Builder, I use it for its debugger and compiler, while doing heavy-duty text editing in jEdit. I mean, it doesn't even have parenthesis balancing, for chrissake.)
I believe the original author of JavaScript went to Netscape with the promise of doing "scheme" for the browser. It didn't happen, but he included some ideas from scheme as part of it.
Because Flash has such good browser support, it's common for bits of rich functionality on sites to be implemented with little SWF files, with or without UI. Sound players, upload widgets, cross-domain sockets, even browser-proof clipboard access. I do all my web programming in Emacs, and the text-file-based development method he suggests is right on.
[+] [-] abstractbill|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] BlueZeniX|17 years ago|reply
-- Just another haXe fan over here
[+] [-] rtf|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] JulianMorrison|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] keefe|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] there|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] jwilliams|17 years ago|reply
I've never truly used it in anger, but I found it extremely good. It's US$250 or something last I checked.
If you're more of an IDE-type, worth checking out.
[+] [-] iron_ball|17 years ago|reply
Since Actionscript 3 has optional static typing, and contains little-documented but very real implementations of closures and functional programming, it can be written as a Java-like OO language, as a Javascript-like dynamic language, or as a clunky but at least workable functional language; and the XML-based GUI-layout component, MXML, is surprisingly powerful and consistent.
Even though Flash is where my paycheck comes from, I am not at all convinced that it is the ideal format for most web content, so I won't argue with anyone who hates it. But anyone who has avoided Flash because of its programming model should definitely give Flex a second look.
(As for Flex Builder, I use it for its debugger and compiler, while doing heavy-duty text editing in jEdit. I mean, it doesn't even have parenthesis balancing, for chrissake.)
[+] [-] brfox|17 years ago|reply
[+] [-] fuzzythinker|17 years ago|reply
AS elegant? I think it's the ugliest language next to java.
AS has deep roots in Scheme!??
Also, I know you can use javascript for Flex, but can you create a swf using javascript?
[+] [-] apgwoz|17 years ago|reply
See http://Weblogs.mozillazine.org/roadmap/archives/2008/04/popu... for a brief history.
[+] [-] dgreensp|17 years ago|reply
Because Flash has such good browser support, it's common for bits of rich functionality on sites to be implemented with little SWF files, with or without UI. Sound players, upload widgets, cross-domain sockets, even browser-proof clipboard access. I do all my web programming in Emacs, and the text-file-based development method he suggests is right on.