CF Podcast, talking from the arse
After listenning to this weeks podcast, I may unsubscribe.
Michael and Bryan spent almost an hour, talking out of their asses about Flex.
I saw Scotts post about the show, but didn't read it until I had a chance to listen for myself. He's right on every single point he makes.
It's clear from listenning to them, they've never built a Flex app, never really even looked into what might be involved in building a Flex app.
They talk about their 3-4 k Line javascript application and how it can only run in the latest browsers... It seems to me, had they known something about Flex, that app would be built in it. I'd be willing to be that a Flex app built to the same spec their AJAX app is built to would be; Done quicker, provide a better user experience, be easier to maintain in the future, run on any browser (flash player required obviously).
FDS is a 1.0 product? I've not heard anything like that. Nor had any problems using it.
FlexBuilder is like Dreamweaver? What the hell? I wonder if they know Flex2 is out?
They claimed to be speaking objectively, and hopefully no one bought that. They spoke with thick biase towards AJAX, biase that not only cast Flex in a poor light but provided nothing useful to a developer thinking about which path to take.
Flex is a language, a technology
AJAX is DHTML.
"Pick the right tool for the right job" ... as long as it's AJAX?
Don't do something for the "cool"?? I've always thought that was the whole point of AJAX. I worked on a project with some really nice AJAX features, built because the client asked for sexy.
"AJAX is more seperated from data, Flex isn't" I don't know where someone would come up with a statement like that. I can't even think of a comparison for the sheer lameness of a statement like that.
"Any argument you can make for one, you can make for the other." How come you guys didn't do that?
I don't think I ever heard them mention one time that Flex was a good choice. Lot's of "Flex may be the right choice" Weak sauce, guys.
My blog ate the first two posts, so I'm tired to typing the same things over and over so I'll end with.
Michael and Bryan, if you're going to speak on a topic, research it. Build an app in it. Don't step up to the mic and look foolish. It's clear you know absolutely nothing about Flex. it was in beta for months, you coulda played with it then, it's free now (in most cases) to play with at least as a developer. Due your homework.
I've heard the quote that we fear what we don't understand. Perhaps in the ego-sensitive tech world where knowledge is our value, our significance, we are that less likely to say "we don't know."
I've seen incredibly intelligent, knowledgable IT folks put up a front on a topic they don't know well, downplaying or undercutting it, rather than simply admitting they aren't qualified to speak authoritatively on it. Of course, that would mean admitting they don't know everything.
(sigh)
Bad enough that people do this, but certainly no one should do this from a physical of electronic podium, though, because it hurts our profession as a whole. It's selfish and irresponsible.