I’m actually giving a
presentation on this topic in a couple of weeks at the SOA WebServices Edge
Conference in New
York. My talk is titled “When AJAX Isn’t Enough: Cases
for Rich Clients with the Flash Platform”
My contention in this
talk is that there are some cases when you simply can’t get the kind of
application out of AJAX, either in terms of functionality in
cost., and I think this is a good way to ‘pitch’ Flex development to CTO’s and
the like who otherwise might think that if they can’t do it with AJAX they can’t
do it. In some ways Flex is getting a lot of attention because of AJAX. How many people were
truly pursuing rich UI for the web before the term AJAX was
coined?
Does anyone have any
applications they’ve seen or developed that just couldn’t be done in AJAX or would be
prohibitively expensive or of poor performance? I’d love to hear more opinions /
examples on the subject so I can assimilate them into my presentation
J
Jack, in your original
post, you say ‘Let me first say I believe 100% that the Flex platform is a
better ‘mousetrap’.” What is it about it that makes it better? Development
style? Time to market? Delivery target? Functionality?
Performance?
Jim
From:
flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of pk_wasp
Sent: Friday, May 26, 2006 5:28
AM
To:
flexcoders@yahoogroups.com
Subject: [flexcoders] Re: AJAX versus
Flex
I don't think its particularly hard to
convince internal management
to consider Flex as a viable RIA/Enterprise
solution.
The main problem/resistance we are finding is from our
clients/customers opposing I.T architects who either get upset if we
suggest Flex as a solution, or say they never heard of Flex and want
an
"Ajax" solution
instead.
I think its partly Flash's "animation" legacy + ignorance/lack
of
awareness of Flex and the Flash Platform.
So I wonder if maybe the
"Flash Platform" needs a reboot/rebranding
e.g. a new runtime without legacy
code (but obviously Flash Player 9
will still be around for legacy stuff)
and a new name :). I mean
Microsoft are essentially doing this through
WPF/E.
Also I think for the Flash Platform to be a true platform, it
really
needs a platform XML dialect for UIs - which is what XAML is for WPF
and WPF/E. Would be great to able to export content created in Flash
Authoring in some form of XML UI dialect and use it in the Flex
Framework, Apollo, Flashlite etc.
Just my 2c, have really enjoyed
learning Flex 2, guys (Java and .NET
developers) at work were impressed, but
definitely agree that Ajax is
getting alot of hype and it seems to be
working e.g. our customers
are talking about Ajax but not about Flex or
Flash.
I hope when Flex 2 goes live, there's a big marketing campaign +
lots
of real world stories of Flex being used in RIAs, Web 2.0 Apps and
Internal Enterprise Applications so that our customers can see its a
viable option.
--- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com, "jwc_wensan"
<[EMAIL PROTECTED]>
wrote:
>
> To all:
>
> Got
this email today, http://ajax.sys-con.com/ and it got me
to
> thinking.
>
> I may get blasted for this, but here goes
. . . just my .0199 cents.
>
> Let me first say I believe 100% that
the Flex platform is a
> better "mousetrap". I am currently
developing applications with
> Flex. I prefer Flex.
>
> However, you can not open a software magazine, newsletter, journal,
> article, etc. that doesn't reference something about AJAX. It's
>
everywhere. Adobe's Flex gets an "honorable mention".
>
> I
have been in the software business for over 27 years. I have
seen
> many companies come and go that had a better "mousetrap". I also
> realize that most end users do not care if a desktop app is
>
developed with Visual C++ or Visual Basic. So why would they care
>
what a RIA app is developed with. Probably not.
>
> In the
end it is the application not the engine.
>
> There seems to be a
parallel between PCs with Windows and
> Apple/Macs. Many believe
that the Mac is better, but Apple/Mac has
> less the 5% of the
market.
>
> Can Adobe accept 5% market share?
>
> You
also can not under estimate the impact when Microsoft releases
>
Atlas. And no Robert I don't want to hear about how you hate MS or
> the evil empire. Fact is, tens of thousands of developers will
and
> I say will use their product.
>
> What this also does
is make it more difficult for developers to
> convince management that
the Flex product is better. Especially
> when all they hear is
AJAX this and AJAX that.
>
> AJAX is getting all the
hype. Right or wrong these are the facts.
> They have
essentially taken over the RIA landscape and claimed it
as
> their
own.
>
> My point . . . . Adobe you need to step up to the
plate. If you
> think you can wait, then by the time you start you
will be too far
> behind. You will be left behind always playing
catch-up. If
> you want to reach that 1 million developer goal, it
needs to start
> now.
>
> To be better and say you are
better is not enough. If the industry
> has already declared
AJAX as the RIA
industry leader then it
becomes
> too late.
>
> From a
market perception, look how AJAX has evolved in the last
>
year. Compare that to Adobe Flex. Adobe you are asking developers
> to make a commitment to you, well I think you need to increase your
> commitment to us.
>
> Now is the time to promote to the
industry and the general public
as
> a whole about the value of
Flex.
>
> Again, just my opinion.
>
>
Sincerely,
>
> Jack
>