I'll throw in a quick opinion here and talk about how I like to think about using Flex. Basically if you've got data you need to visualize in any non-boring way then Flex is the way to go. What this means is that if you've got a bunch of data that you want to show somehow other than dropping it into a list or table, this is where Flex dominates. The plug-and-play charting components, the SpringGraph custom component, Josh Tynjala's TreeMap component, these are all data visualization tools.
A lot of people are using Flex for displaying tabular data, and that's all good and cool. Flex is useful for easily sorting and analyzing tabular data. But that stuff bores the hell out of me. If you want to take that data and really show it off visually, now you've got the tools. Is one data item more important than the others? Then make it bigger, make it glow, hell, make it jump up and down and get the user's attention. Are there connections between data items? Draw them. Drop your data into a 3D space and let the user REALLY see how the data is connected. Let's say you've got a table of employee records, but what you REALLY want to see is the organizational structure of the department and the performance metrics for each team member. Well, draw it all how it should be drawn. Draw the team composition as an org chart and differentiate the team members by performance. Make the underperforming employees stand out so that at a glance you can see the team structure and problem areas. You don't have to scan over the "Performance Metric" column of your data grid and try to separate out the problems. You can glance at the screen and just know. Flex allows you to visualize your data in entirely new ways. A grid of tabular data might be useful, but come on, try to imagine the ideal visualization of that data. Really think about the information you're trying to get across. Data is no longer constrained to a HTML table. Doug On 09 Mar 2007 08:09:48 -0800, Jagos, Allan <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote:
Thanks, that makes sense. ------------------------------ *From:* flexcoders@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] *On Behalf Of *kasey.mccurdy *Sent:* Thursday, March 08, 2007 9:59 PM *To:* flexcoders@yahoogroups.com *Subject:* [flexcoders] Re: When to use Flex??? Hey there Allan -- i'll try to throw my 3 cents in, and by all means, if anyone else has something to add - do so. basicaly, flex is an application framework...stress the word "APPLICATION". our strategy on flex has been that if we can consider it an APPLICATION, we will use flex. If youre going to do a website for a danish death metal band, for example...you would probably use flash, as it's gonna be pretty artistic and not really an application...just a fancy website. however, if said danish death metal band needed a way for their management to update their site and add new shows, news, and other 'management' type stuff...flex would be a great tool to use to construct a content management system, in conjunction with PHP, java, ruby, whatever.... So....really simply....thats how we use flex apps where i work. thats not to say you cant make flex look great....but its mainly for APPLICATIONS :) hows that fer redundancy? --- In flexcoders@yahoogroups.com <flexcoders%40yahoogroups.com>, "Jagos, Allan" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > What sites make the most sense to use Flex? > Internets, Intranets, Extranets? > Marketing sites about Flex aren't even usually written in Flex so it > made me wonder what type of site makes sense. > > Thanks. > > > Allan M. Jagos > Web Developer > > Robinson & Cole LLP > 280 Trumbull Street > Hartford, CT 06103-3597 > Direct (860) 275-8335 | Fax (860) 275-8299 > [EMAIL PROTECTED] | www.rc.com <http://www.rc.com/> > Contact Card <http://www.rc.com/documents/peopleVcard/AMJ.vcf> > > > Boston New London Hartford Stamford White Plains New York > Sarasota > > __________________________________________________________ > This transmittal may be a confidential attorney-client communication or may otherwise be privileged or confidential. If it is not clear that you are the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this transmittal in error; any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this transmittal is strictly prohibited. If you suspect that you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at 1-860-275-8200, or e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and immediately delete this message and all its attachments. > __________________________________________________________ > This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System. > ______________________________________________________________________ This transmittal may be a confidential attorney-client communication or may otherwise be privileged or confidential. If it is not clear that you are the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that you have received this transmittal in error; any review, dissemination, distribution or copying of this transmittal is strictly prohibited. If you suspect that you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by telephone at 1-860-275-8200, or e-mail at [EMAIL PROTECTED] and immediately delete this message and all its attachments. ______________________________________________________________________ This email has been scanned by the MessageLabs Email Security System.
