Comments on: What Is The Big Deal With Flex? http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/ About Technology in My Life Mon, 01 Dec 2008 16:32:43 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: DZone weekly links #2 | Sergi Castillo http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1059 DZone weekly links #2 | Sergi Castillo Sat, 14 Jun 2008 10:03:55 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1059 [...] What is the big Deal with Flex? [...] [...] What is the big Deal with Flex? [...]

]]> By: Guy Mac http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1055 Guy Mac Fri, 13 Jun 2008 21:56:32 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1055 AS3 is a candidate for JS2, so they may soon end up being one and the same language. AS3 is a candidate for JS2, so they may soon end up being one and the same language.

]]> By: Chamo http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1034 Chamo Wed, 11 Jun 2008 05:39:54 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1034 Well for me ActionScript and JavaScript are different but still close. The only big difference is the way to use types. For exemple in AS you write : var myVar:String = new String(); in java it would look like : String myVar = new String(); Well for me ActionScript and JavaScript are different but still close. The only big difference is the way to use types.

For exemple in AS you write :

var myVar:String = new String();

in java it would look like :

String myVar = new String();

]]> By: Darren http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1018 Darren Tue, 10 Jun 2008 00:59:28 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1018 @Jacek: BlazeDS is the open-source version of the enterprise-level LiveCycleES. It's not a replacement, but rather a cut-down free version. I'm not aware of any integration issues with either but if it's really a problem for you, you can always use the free WebORB for Java (http://www.themidnightcoders.com/weborb/java/) to do much the same thing. Straight web services are handy but two-way communication of typed objects between Flex/Java and data-push capability is a step-up in terms of functionality. @Jacek: BlazeDS is the open-source version of the enterprise-level LiveCycleES. It’s not a replacement, but rather a cut-down free version. I’m not aware of any integration issues with either but if it’s really a problem for you, you can always use the free WebORB for Java (http://www.themidnightcoders.com/weborb/java/) to do much the same thing. Straight web services are handy but two-way communication of typed objects between Flex/Java and data-push capability is a step-up in terms of functionality.

]]> By: drew http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1008 drew Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:43:18 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1008 It is not at all unreasonable to compare AS and JavaScript. Both are based on the same ECMA standards. In essence, they're both implementations of that standard. So I don't see how anyone could be considered "bashing" by pointing out the similarities. It is not at all unreasonable to compare AS and JavaScript. Both are based on the same ECMA standards. In essence, they’re both implementations of that standard. So I don’t see how anyone could be considered “bashing” by pointing out the similarities.

]]> By: polesen http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1007 polesen Mon, 09 Jun 2008 17:12:08 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1007 @christian: "...you see where I'm pointing to?" Yes and no. I know Java and JS has some similarities, mostly in syntax though. So of course, I wouldn't set them alike. One is dynamic, the other is not, for instance. But JS and AS3 are very alike, both in syntax and semantics, I think. I know JS has a bad name, and that was what I wanted to say in my post: That AS3 does not deserve that bad name. Though, you can still do some "shitty code" in AS3, if you omit the type-safety and use all the possibilities of the language. But that is another story. @christian: “…you see where I’m pointing to?”

Yes and no. I know Java and JS has some similarities, mostly in syntax though. So of course, I wouldn’t set them alike. One is dynamic, the other is not, for instance.

But JS and AS3 are very alike, both in syntax and semantics, I think. I know JS has a bad name, and that was what I wanted to say in my post: That AS3 does not deserve that bad name. Though, you can still do some “shitty code” in AS3, if you omit the type-safety and use all the possibilities of the language. But that is another story.

]]> By: christian http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1006 christian Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:58:36 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1006 Personally I wouldn't compare AS3 with JS. Sorry, I didn't mean to attack you by this.. :) But I think they are not similar at all. Of course you can compare them, but then you must allow me to say JS and Java is also very similar, you see where I'm pointing to? ;-) Personally I wouldn’t compare AS3 with JS. Sorry, I didn’t mean to attack you by this.. :) But I think they are not similar at all. Of course you can compare them, but then you must allow me to say JS and Java is also very similar, you see where I’m pointing to? ;-)

]]> By: Espresso http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1004 Espresso Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:49:06 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1004 @christian: The comparison between AS3 and JavaScript is actually justified, since both are based on the ECMA standard. The next version of JavaScript that comes out will look very similar to AS3. @christian: The comparison between AS3 and JavaScript is actually justified, since both are based on the ECMA standard. The next version of JavaScript that comes out will look very similar to AS3.

]]> By: polesen http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1002 polesen Mon, 09 Jun 2008 15:05:29 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1002 @Jacek: Yes, this does actually look nice and easy, ... because it is :-) There are absolutely no problems in integrating with a nice Java server-side backend. You can choose blazeds, if you want, or go without, as I have done so far, without any trouble in that. The flex client and the backed are very decoupled. Only thing I can think of, that could couple them a bit tighter, is if you choose to use AMF as comm protocol. Simply use web-services instead. @Jacek: Yes, this does actually look nice and easy, … because it is :-)

There are absolutely no problems in integrating with a nice Java server-side backend. You can choose blazeds, if you want, or go without, as I have done so far, without any trouble in that. The flex client and the backed are very decoupled.

Only thing I can think of, that could couple them a bit tighter, is if you choose to use AMF as comm protocol. Simply use web-services instead.

]]> By: Jacek http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1001 Jacek Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:59:24 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1001 Well, this all looks nice and easy until you have to integrate with some nice Java server-side backend. I hear that despite BlazeDS there are a lot of integration issues, e.g. for JPA entity classes or any other Java objects that are instrumented at runtime (and most server frameworks do it in one form or another). Well, this all looks nice and easy until you have to integrate with some nice Java server-side backend. I hear that despite BlazeDS there are a lot of integration issues, e.g. for JPA entity classes or any other Java objects that are instrumented at runtime (and most server frameworks do it in one form or another).

]]> By: polesen http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1000 polesen Mon, 09 Jun 2008 14:53:57 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-1000 @christian: Why do you think it is wrong to compare Javascript and ActionScript3? I know they are different, but they are also very much alike, isn't they? By the way: It was certainly not my intention to sound like I don't like AS3. I do! It is a nice language. Especially a nice one to do client ui in. @christian: Why do you think it is wrong to compare Javascript and ActionScript3? I know they are different, but they are also very much alike, isn’t they?

By the way: It was certainly not my intention to sound like I don’t like AS3. I do! It is a nice language. Especially a nice one to do client ui in.

]]> By: Alexander Zagniotov http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-999 Alexander Zagniotov Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:21:29 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-999 Yeah. I agree with you here: Flex is a really cool thingy... At my company we chose Flex framework to create UI for our product, and I have to say it looks damn nice and the development is really easy. We use eclipse to edit the source and ant for compilation. :) Yeah. I agree with you here: Flex is a really cool thingy… At my company we chose Flex framework to create UI for our product, and I have to say it looks damn nice and the development is really easy. We use eclipse to edit the source and ant for compilation. :)

]]> By: christian http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-998 christian Mon, 09 Jun 2008 13:12:03 +0000 http://www.techper.net/2008/06/08/what-is-the-big-deal-with-flex/#comment-998 I think comparing AS3 with JavaScript is totally wrong and it sounds as if you don't really like it. Fair enough. I admit that using the flex IDE it makes it a bit difficult to design good applications. It is just too easy to just hack in something without really having to care about the code you write. FDS.. It is called BlazeDS now (I think..) and it makes it easy to provide remote access to your services and IMHO more important to your messaging infrastructure. Sending around some JMS messages really is fun and IMHO in modern software design all those overengineered enterprise solutions don't really make sense (see why Spring is so spreaded). I think comparing AS3 with JavaScript is totally wrong and it sounds as if you don’t really like it. Fair enough.

I admit that using the flex IDE it makes it a bit difficult to design good applications. It is just too easy to just hack in something without really having to care about the code you write.

FDS.. It is called BlazeDS now (I think..) and it makes it easy to provide remote access to your services and IMHO more important to your messaging infrastructure. Sending around some JMS messages really is fun and IMHO in modern software design all those overengineered enterprise solutions don’t really make sense (see why Spring is so spreaded).

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