FLASH CS4

Question

I have not tried Flash CS3 but let’s just say “I
Know”.
I have been using Adobe products since the beginning!
I’ve used Adobe products for illustration, photo work, and
print media. I have been using formerly “Macromedia”
products for the web since the beginning.
First let me say that if any company in the world bought
Flash and other Macromedia products, I would want it to be Adobe.
Adobe has been the leader in publishing software for print,
graphics creation tools, and many other professional media tools
(and 2nd to none).
Adobe now has taken over the Macromedia product line. Hey
I’m happy it’s Adobe and not someone else. Before it
was Macromedia(for the web) and Adobe(for print and graphics) for
professionals. Now “we” can get all the best stuff in
one place.
I’m very serious when I say this. I hope! , - that
Adobe realizes that they could be the next web giant now too, and
not lose site of were some of the Macromedia products were heading.
I know for a fact that Adobe will make Flash an awesome tool
for vector graphics and richer media than ever before. I’m
sure they will incorporate better drawing tools than Macromedia
could ever dreamed of adding. All this stuff is great. I want in
there.
For this first release of Flash by Adobe I would expect a lot
of that kind of stuff incorporated. I can see the Adobe guys now -
what kind of drawing tools are these? “You call these drawing
tools?” “Oh my gosh, these animation tools need an
overhaul!” LOL let’s beef up the illustration and
animation technology. “Let’s get it to work better with
QuickTime!, Hey how about a plug in for Final Cut Pro or
I-Movie?” It is Expected! And it’s natural to make this
product work better with your “preferred” operating
system. Flash is now going to be a product coming from the Mac
community. Yea I know. I’ve worked with publishers –
It’s all Mac. And “I know” that Mac uses focus
way more on graphics. I just know that. It’s the way it is.
(You guys know that too.) It’s great now we got the leading
vector tool people working with flash. (very cool stuff) Some
kick-but features are headed our way for sure. Flash CS3 will be a
lot more than I expect I’m sure.
My concern for the next Adobe Flash release (after CS3): I
would like to see a strong web development push.
Adobe- I hope you guys realize that you have your hands on
the future of client side interface web technology. Why?.
It’s not because Flash is number one when it comes to
creating media rich internet applications.
It’s not because Flash is the number one browser
plug-in in the world.
It’s not because Flash is the best tool in the world
for creating engaging interactive movies. Well it kind of is.
Why will Flash be the most used front end client in the world
and some day replace DHTML & XHTML (not replace but overtake) ?
Is it because all web browsers do not render the same with
DHTML & XHTML and even CSS? NO.
Is it because all web browsers do not behave the same way
with DHTML & XHTML? Nope!
It is because of the “TimeLine” and its easy
usage and what that could mean for the future of web development.
It’s because with one page load, dynamic things can
happen with out EVER calling on the web browser to reload another
page.
It’s because that timeline (way underused) can be one
of the most powerful things on the web today.
Yes DHTML/AJAX IE: JavaScript can use a time line. Yes, but
Flash technology and its use of the time line as it integrates with
ActionScript by frame is a “light year” ahead of DHTML.
The future of the internet is staying on one page.
The future of the internet is checking the IP address of a
user and authenticating a user every second.
The future is authenticating sessions every secound.
The future of the internet is form validation
“live”.
The future of the internet is not static pages.
<<<< the timeline keeps moving and checking.
The future is having "multiable timelines" and many all going
at once performing different tasks and loading new elements based
on time and user interaction.
I’m not going on with my “future” ramble.
Is that not enough reason?
Flash should be headed in the direction of working with
server side scripting languages. While the other stuff is equally
important, it is also very important that Flash move to being the
front end for “server” driven web applications in the
form of database integration and server side script implementation.
ActionScipt needs be have the ability to be written on the fly from
a server script with easy usage. The focus needs to be on
it’s behavior with other web technologies. The focus needs to
be on making it
the "web client" it should be.
Amen.
Hope a few others see Flash the way I do.
Peace.
- your thoughts (anyone) ?

Answer 1

I agree 100% with you Walter - I LOVE Flash's drawing engine
- I can't tell you how many times I
have opened Illustrator in an attempt to learn (because I
always feel I *have* to one of these days)
only to realize after 30 minutes I have only learned how
frustrating it is to the simplest of tasks.
I always run back to Flash and breathe a sigh of relief as I
get work done in a fraction of the
time. I have never had a good experience with Illustrator's
drawing tools - I am sure they are great
for some people but there's nothing that matches the speed
and intuitiveness of Flash's tools.
-c
Chris Georgenes / mudbubble.com / keyframer.com / Adobe
Community Expert
Walter Elias wrote:
> I mildly disagree with some but not all of your points.
First, if Flash were to
> completely go to Adobe Illustrator-type drawing tooIs, I
would abandon Flash
> just as I abandoned the very user-unfriendly,
unintuitive and overly
> complicated Illustrator years ago. For a cartoonist and
animator it's FUN to
> draw in Flash. It's WORK to draw in Illustrator. Thank
goodness I can use Flash
> as a vector drawing tool and never have to touch
Illustrator again!
>
> I wish Flash would become a better animation tool than
it already is, without
> the overwhelming emphasis always being development,
programming and code. The
> coding is already becoming more and more of a challenge
for us non-developers
> who DO want to use ActionScript to enhance animation. I
don't mind this, having
> already invested a couple years into learning AS. But
AS3 can look pretty
> daunting to a newbie at coding.
>
> And I sure as hell hope Flash does NOT become an app
biased toward Mac users.
> Adobe and ex-Macromedia products all work stably and
efficiently on PCs, with
> UIs that make sense for PC/Windows users. I hope they
remain that way.
>