The issue at hand is that there is really a lack of information out there to educate Flash developers on what the benefits and differences are of using Flex. You pretty much have to take the plunge and learn it to educate yourself on why you should be using it in the first place.
This is, IMO, Adobe's burden, however, it should be noted that a lot of Flex developers come not from Flash, but from arenas like Java, .NET, VB, etc. and they needed no prodding as Flex fulfills a need many of them have been looking for. To say that Flex is only as good as the components it comes with is not a fair statement. You can, should and do write your own components with Flex. You don't have to only use the components Flex comes with if you don't want to (much the same as Flash in this regard). If you come from Flash, you will find the Design view woefully inadequate compared to what you're used to with the timeline. There's no visual z-indexing or folders, etc. However, without breaking any NDAs, I'll casually mention that Adobe is working on making Flex Builder more attractive to designers. ;) The best thing I've heard comparing Flex vs. Flash (and it's still not really sufficient) is that there are applications that are much easier to write in Flex than in Flash and vice-versa, and knowing which to use and how to use them will help you choose the right implementation for your client. At the same time, pretty much every Flash developer I know that took the plunge to Flex no longer does any Flash (if they can help it) and swears by Flex. So, in conclusion, you have to take the time to learn Flex to understand Flex, but in doing so you may never come back to Flash. I'm still in the early stages of learning Flex, so I can't speak to why those who emigrate never return. _______________________________________________ Flashcoders@chattyfig.figleaf.com To change your subscription options or search the archive: http://chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/listinfo/flashcoders Brought to you by Fig Leaf Software Premier Authorized Adobe Consulting and Training http://www.figleaf.com http://training.figleaf.com
