Jim Phelan

Not long ago developers and IT professionals looked at Flash with disdain. The anti-Flash camp had contempt for its lack of accessibility, minimal standards compliance, and of course there was the infamous back button debacle. But things have changed. Large companies are embracing Flash for rich media delivery. Developers are jumping on the bandwagon in swarms. In the last year there's been an explosion in Flash development tools, including several full-featured development environments and a homespun SWF compiler or two. Flash video suddenly seems to be everywhere, and if you're not talking about AJAX you're talking about rich Internet applications with Flash. So, now that we're confident that Flash is here for the long haul, the question becomes: Is Actionscript coming along for the ride? Recently, a flurry of developer tools has made Flash development a more att... (more)

When AJAX Isn't Enough: Cases for Rich Clients with the Flash Platform

AJAX’s rise to stardom has caused IT managers, software architects, and developers to give due consideration to enhancing richness and interactivity in web applications. AJAX and its adoption by major web players gave us hope for desktop like responsiveness on the web. Although AJAX is certainly the culprit behind most of the hype, it’s certainly not the only game in town. In this session, Jim presents the Flash Platform as a viable option for delivering enterprise grade web applications. Adobe Flex 1.5, Flex 2.0, Flex Data Services, Flash Remoting, and Flash Media Se... (more)

Open Source and the Flash Platform: What Should Adobe Do Next?

Open source must in some way present itself as a bit of a dichotomy to Adobe, now that it has acquired Macromedia. It is generally accepted that open source solutions foster innovation and adoption. However, with an open file format and a free player, is it possible that some projects could eventually challenge Flash's own role by creating competing tools? Jim Phelan writes: In a major repositioning effort in June of 2005, Macromedia - now Adobe - unveiled the "Flash Platform." The conception of Flash, the company had decided, needed to change: Flash had evolved from a tool for ... (more)

WebDDJ Feature: Open Source and the Flash Platform

Newly appointed Web Developer's & Designer's Journal Editorial Board Member Jim Phelan writes: OSFlash, MTASC, FlashDevelop, Red5, FlexUnit...This article from WebDDJ vol 3 no 5 looks at a welter of initiatives that testify to the growth of the Flash Platform. In a major repositioning effort in June of 2005, Macromedia (now, of course Adobe, but then still an independent company) unveiled the "Flash Platform." The conception of Flash, the company had decided, needed to change: Flash had evolved from a tool for designers to an interoperating set of technologies appropriate for Web... (more)

The OSFlash Initiative: Web Developer's & Designer's Journal Interviews Aral Balkan

Newly appointed Web Developer's & Designer's Journal Editorial Board member Aral Balkan (pictured) - of OSFlash.org - answers a few brief questions about the amazing promise that the Flash Platform holds in the age of Web 2.0 and the role that Balkan sees for open-source Flash in that equation.  What is OSFlash? Aral Balkan: OSFlash is home of the Open Source Flash community. It is a watering hole for open source developers to meet, talk about, and contribute to new and existing open source projects for the Flash Platform. Is OSFlash a Website or is it an initiative? AB: It's an ... (more)