tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post5449096186751012429..comments2023-09-06T03:05:10.896-07:00Comments on A Hill of Beans: Flex Needs Some New ThinkingTonyhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-69602726759944711782008-06-29T04:40:00.000-07:002008-06-29T04:40:00.000-07:00I've never quite understood why Rails types believ...I've never quite understood why Rails types believe that Rails is anything other than a (poor) rehash of of the Java app server model in another language... or why it's a particularly good model for Flex to ingratiate itself with. On the other hand it's easy to see why Adobe wants to appeal to the Java app server crowd (market share, available $$'s)<BR/><BR/>Having just spent a couple of days building a Ruby script that introspects on a Rails model and generates all of the AS code needed to build self-generating CRUD forms I can safely say that neither 'dynamic' language has a sufficiently mature MOP... given that Smalltalk and CLOS are over 20 years old I'm not sure what the excuse is.<BR/><BR/>Flex could stand to be a bit more flexible and consistent and Flexista's need to get out of the app server mindset... when we can run AS on the server we might really have something.Mikehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/18047967068022086410noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-91070651716392237432008-06-25T22:24:00.000-07:002008-06-25T22:24:00.000-07:00@Tony : thanks for the info :) I definitely keep a...@Tony : thanks for the info :) I definitely keep an eye on the RubyAMF project pagea userhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07657321658709471886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-4315816234198749382008-06-25T22:16:00.000-07:002008-06-25T22:16:00.000-07:00@JulienHave a look at (shameless plug) RubyAMF: ht...@Julien<BR/><BR/>Have a look at (shameless plug) RubyAMF: http://rubyamf.googlecode.com/<BR/><BR/>Also, watch this space for news on another Flex and Rails book :)Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-88808605230659856482008-06-25T22:11:00.000-07:002008-06-25T22:11:00.000-07:00Hi,I also use rails (since a couple of months only...Hi,<BR/><BR/>I also use rails (since a couple of months only) and I really enjoy it as well, for the same reasons that you do (and I think I've only seen the tip of the iceberg), I love flex and like Cairngorm. <BR/><BR/>One thing that really helped me use Flex and Rails "easily" together is Peter Armstrong's Flexible Rails book, you probably have heard about it or even read it, but it just makes Flex and Rails development look really easy. <BR/><BR/>I don't know if Rails developers will start using Flex easily (though I could try to convince them lol) but Flex developers should really take a look and think about using rails (and hosting companies should also make it easier for everyone to be able to use it on their server).<BR/><BR/>I started using Flex because it really made ActionScript development look easy and more "dynamic" for me compared to what it is with the Flash IDE, a bit like Rails convinced me to drop PHP on the server side<BR/><BR/>I'd really be interested in a Ruby/Flex framework that makes it even more easiera userhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07657321658709471886noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-3508879867298889612008-06-25T20:19:00.000-07:002008-06-25T20:19:00.000-07:00@Kevin, I didn't mean for this to be a knock on Ad...@Kevin, I didn't mean for this to be a knock on Adobe's ability to engage the Rails community, nor do I think that's something you need to focus on in those terms. I think if you make a good product (which you have) then people will use it, and Jay Fields' (not to mention my own) interest shows that you can attract people from the Rails community.<BR/><BR/>What I meant is for us to start to think how we can use this dynamic language we have to our benefit. Learning from what's possible in Ruby, which is a lot that's not quite as possible or friendly in AS3, can we start to do some cool stuff that gets rid of the red tape we don't need?<BR/><BR/>Can we start to make some of the frameworks that have grown around Flex a little friendlier? Can we start to do things we haven't even thought of before? Let's see... If we can, then a cool side effect would probably be more Rails folk's hearts and minds.Tonyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08173278117211926021noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-64410665938550369132008-06-25T19:53:00.000-07:002008-06-25T19:53:00.000-07:00In general, I think we (Adobe) struggle to find an...In general, I think we (Adobe) struggle to find an audience with the Rails community. And believe me, it's not for a lack of trying. I have my own theories on why this is, ranging from cost, to being more open as a company (something we've made great strides on this year). I'd welcome any thoughts about how Adobe could better engage with the Rails (et al) communities. Please feel free to drop me an email (khoyt _at_ adobe _dot_ com).<BR/><BR/>Regards,<BR/>Kevin Hoyt<BR/>Group Manager<BR/>Platform EvangelismKevin Hoythttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05647047922408285328noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-21685329145859882152008-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:002008-06-25T14:20:00.000-07:00I totally agree with Tony on this. Adobe has grabb...I totally agree with Tony on this. Adobe has grabbed the enterprise/Java mindshare with Flex, but they're not getting the Ruby/dynamic/functional programming mindshare, which is where much of the current web innovation is occurring.<BR/><BR/>Actionscript should be as concise as JavaScript if we don't mind the performance loss. People like John Resig (of jQuery fame) could really be pushing the envelope here. He ported <A HREF="http://ejohn.org/blog/processingjs/" REL="nofollow">Processing to JavaScript</A>. We should have that in Flash!Jonathanhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07593755802592596151noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-1497859894628474403.post-11302791938223566202008-06-25T11:28:00.000-07:002008-06-25T11:28:00.000-07:00I am hoping some stuff that I've built that underp...I am hoping some stuff that I've built that underpins my project will see the Open Source light of day. It is based on Rails' ActiveRecord implementation and shoe horns it into the Actionscript. The library provides dynamic finders, migrations and even simple has_many and belongs_to relationships for the local SQLite database in AIR.dan mcweeneyhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/10097113261863877141noreply@blogger.com