

Moving to Flash, Part 2: Important Differences Between Java and ActionScript 3 - beermann
http://blog.sharendipity.com/moving-to-flash-part-2

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dhimes
It's a very nice web page, and a cool idea for an app.

He's right: Java is sputtering. There is an advantage for desktop apps,
however. When I pitch the product, I can load it right on the customer's
desktop without a clearance from an IT person, assuming Java is installed. I
don't know how to distribute a flash app as a desktop app.

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jcl
How about AIR? Does that need IT approval?

<http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Integrated_Runtime>

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dhimes
I'm embarrassed to admit that I hadn't checked into AIR before this post. It
looks like if approval has been given for flash (and it probably has), then
it's a snap to deploy using AIR. Adobe charges for this, don't they?

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jcl
I don't know much about AIR, myself, which was partly why I asked. The
impression I get is that the runtime and Flex SDK are free, so you can
theoretically put together applications without paying Adobe. Adobe charges
money for the Flex Builder IDE, though, which is supposed to make development
easier, and it looks like other Adobe products can output AIR applications.

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allenbrunson
you have fallen into adobe's trap. that's exactly what they _want_ you to
believe.

yes, it's perfectly possible to download the free sdk, and write your first
"hello world" app that prints a line of text to the face of the applet. so
then you start planning on how you're going to do this. and then say you want
to do something simple, like for example, _use flash gui controls_ , then
you'll learn the horrible truth. it's impossible to do such a thing without
buying adobe flash cs3, which costs 700 bucks.

and even if you spend that 700 bucks, adobe flash cs3 is a gigantic steaming
turd. i spent a day or two trying to make my peace with it, and failed.

so i decided to forgo flash gui controls altogether, and used javascript
controls instead.

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beermann
We're using Flex Builder which should allow us to create all of the GUI
controls we need. It's $250. Regardless, it's true that the free tools aren't
all that useful.

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allenbrunson
i never investigated flex builder, so i'll take your word for it. javascript
controls turned out to be the solution for me, so i didn't look any farther
than that.

