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Adobe Flex 4

After two long years, web developers now have a new tool for creating rich internet applications that draw visitors and keep them coming back again and again. Adobe Flex 4 is the culmination of work done on two previous beta versions that were developed from Adobe Flex. Using this open-source framework, the platform has been modified and expanded in ways that make it much easier for web developers to build RIAs quickly.

Those who have been using the beta versions to build rich applications will find that all of the features they've come to depend on are still there, and working better than before. However, this new release has over seventy new features that will facilitate the speedy development and deployment of rich internet applications that will function on all platforms and browsers.

What this means to website owners and operators of course is more visitors – and more revenue. When it comes to the RIAs that bring in web surfers and keeps them coming back for more, there is virtually no better investment than the new Adobe Flex 4.

Features that web developers of all kinds and at all levels  will appreciate include features retained from the previous Flex 3:

-    WYSIWYG Editor: this is an addition to the application's integrated MXML and ActionScript code editors, allowing developers to actually see the changes they are making as they work.

-    Debugger: this feature is now integrated into the application; developers can now more easily pinpoint potential trouble spots while going through execution of the code step-by-step.

-    Profiling: this facilitates the gathering of information related to function and RAM use.

Bugs and errors will be much less of a problem when building rich applications with Flex 4, however. This latest version also includes a wizard for generating code that covers a wide range of functions. Between this and the improvement on existing features, developers should have a much easier time building solid, stable RIAs that are reliable and user-friendly, which is very important when it comes to attracting and keeping web visitors.

Adobe Flex 4 represents a significant advance for web design and development, and a large step toward finally bringing together the presentation of data with interface programming as it pertains to rich internet applications. It will soon be proven to be indispensable to any web developer who is seeking to speed up the process of delivering data-driven RIAs while retaining the flexibility needed in order to adapt to today's constantly-changing web environment.

About the Author

Wayne Hemrick writes about--rich internet applications

Beginning Adobe Flex Tutorial: Your first Flex Program Part I

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Does the RIA Throne Belong to Flex Development or SilverLight ?

Adobe Flex since its inception in 2004 has been undisputed leader in RIA development industry. Flex development has become synonymous with RIA.  The innovative Flex frameworks and tools have helped the developer communities create ground breaking interactive applications that have completely changed the way people use the net today. Right from its first version Flex1.0 to the latest Flex4, Flex development has come a long way.

Microsoft with its launch of RIA development platform, Silverlight in 2007 made its intention clear that it also wants a larger share in the RIA pie. It will be easier said than done because Flex is Flash based and Flash is installed in more than 90% of the worldwide PCs. It enjoys widespread popularity amongst the developer community and is highly compatible with majority of the browsers. The Flash runtime also works on a variety of platforms like Windows, Mac, Linux, Solaris, HP-UX, Pocket PC, OS/2, and several others. This cross browser and cross Platform compatibility has given Adobe Flex, world-wide acceptance.

Flex technology is an open source type and hence it has many of contributors. There are thousands of eyes, which point out bugs and other deficiencies.  Their constructive reviews are taken care of by Adobe and integrated into their development process so that the next version effectively addresses the shortcoming of its predecessor. This further refines the Flex development process and allows the developers to create even more wondrous RIAs.

Silverlight on other hand enjoys the backing of the Microsoft Empire. It benefits from the global marketing reach of its creator. But this is not enough to surpass the innovative and technological edge that Adobe Flex enjoys today. Silverlight today runs on Window and Mac and is still far away from open source platform. It still lacks the cross platform compatibility and this limits it use to window based applications.

Silverlight 2.0 allows developers to code in C# and VB. This reduces the learning curve and provides it attractive to companies who are planning to invest in RIA technologies in future. Many companies use Microsoft technologies and will readily embrace Silverlight for their RIA development needs. Beside this Microsoft also has an incredible amount of cash, to help steer this product in whatever direction they see fit.

The biggest problem, which a Flex developer today faces, is the learning curve. Flex, uses Action Script 3, a proprietary language, used in Flash player. This is yet another language that developers must learn and is not spontaneous as Java and C#. This can lead to high costs for hiring companies and must be considered when calculating the total cost of ownership.

Microsoft on other hand faces lack in consumer trust.  It stems from the facts that Microsoft has not been able to deliver on its promise of cross platform compatibility. People simply do not trust Microsoft message delivering open source platform, which goes against Microsoft's core business policy of tying up customers to its products. Besides this Microsoft software faces security issues, which need to be settled to win the trust of customers.

In the present scenario, Flex development leads over Silverlight, but in near future the competition is certainly going to heat up, with both of them churning out better and more innovative products. The developer community stands to gain immensely from this, as they will have at their disposal finer and more user friendly RIA development tools.

About the Author

iFlexweb is a professional Flex development company with offerings for specialized RIA development services.

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ArcGIS Viewer For Flex 2.0 (Beta) Available For Download
Esri's new ArcGIS Viewer for Flex 2.0 (beta) can now be downloaded at no cost on the ArcGIS Viewer for Flex Resource Center Web page.