AjaxLaunch / AjaxWrite - thinkFlex!

Ajax is the craze, we all know this... it was the buzz word for 2005 and will continue to bring buzz in '06. The reason is because it allows and encourages the building of full blown web applications that act more like desktop software. No page refreshes, direct server connection for data refreshes in real time. Usually a short initial load time and then you're good to go!

Reading Slashdot today I read a post about AjaxLaunch.com creating web based applications that will compete with the office suites. They mention M$ - but in reality - it is designed to compete just as much with OpenOffice. They plan to launch a new application each week through this website - so keep it bookmarked and keep checking back often.

The first application that they've launched is called AjaxWrite and is a web based competitor for Word. Over a broadband connection it took about 15 seconds to load the application and delivered an application feel that was very similar to Wordpad. Toolbars were there and looked just like the Office toolbars, core functionality was already there and they've promised to keep building on it to add in the more advanced features. I was able to open up my M$ Word documents with a bit of formatting issues, make changes and then resave the file back down to my machine. Overall it just seems like another HTML editor - but there are HTML editors with more features out there already. I guess the selling feature is that it works with *.doc files - but since it doesn't have some of the more advanced features - it sometimes messes with your original documents.

With Office 2007 being delayed and planning to ship in 2007, that gives AjaxLaunch a great head start to get something up and running that may actually have people using it - although they have lots to do to get it up to something people will see real value in.

You know who this is really cool for? Adobe! What I don't feel has happened yet is that people haven't realized the powerful applications that you can create with Adobe Flex. However with Adobe announcing that Flex Data Services and the Flex SDK will be free when released out of beta it should get some attention. It's the fastest way to create applications that can tie in to your existing web application architecture and deliver a rich experience to your web customers.

If anything - Ajax will prove to web users that RIA's are not only the future but are definitely the way to go. Sooner or later web developers will also see that the fastest way to get up to speed with delivering RIA's that enhance the user's experience even more and take RIA's to the next level is the Adobe Flash Platform.

Party in the Potty

Do you feel the need to jam in the shower? Do you wish that you had some tunes kickin' while you "downed what you got!"...

Check out this great review at Alan Williamson's site.

http://alan.blog-city.com/slim_devices_squeezebox.htm

When I get my first house - I'm SO getting one of these!

Top Ten Reasons I Love Being Single

With Valentine's Day just passing, I couldn't help but notice the extra stress it put on my friends. I also couldn't help but notice how I could have cared less about the day - to me, it was Tuesday, end of story. This got me thinking though, about how much I enjoy being single, and without further adieu, here are the top ten reasons (in no specific order) why I LOVE being single!

10. If I want a PSP - I get a PSP.
9. The tempature in my apartment is set to MY comfort level
8. If I sleep in / am late for work / take a day off - it affects only me.
7. I don't get told when to "come to bed"
6. When I do go to bed, I get just as many blankets as I'd like, no more - no less
5. If I'd like to go see a movie, guess which one I'll go and see? Yup - the one I want to...
4. I don't have to ask permission to play a video game
3. I don't have to feel guilt about hanging out with the boys
2. I don't get in trouble when I forget "certain dates"
1. If I want quiet time, I'm able to have it without being pestered with questions like "whatcha thinking about" - which, by the way ladies, when you're guy answers "nothing" - that's what he really means, so stop analyzing the crap out of everything.

Hometown Lovin'

Well - my hometown got some great press on ESPN today.

http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs05/news/story?id=2316573

Protect your privacy - or else.

How far do you think this if off from being reality?

http://aclu.org/pizza/

IE Public Beta

Read about the public beta announcement.

Take the tour of the new features of the beta and wonder why it took so long to copy Firefox.

Download the new beta version and put it through the paces.

via rail goes wireless

Ah, it's nice to see this from a Canadian fixture.

http://www.wi-fiplanet.com/news/article.php/3566411

patenting common sense

Here is a great read on Internet News about Amazon being awarded three more patents for areas of their mega-site.

This really got me thinking about what people can patent.

Here's the short of it; If you have a "wouldn't it be cool if our app did this?" idea, think about whether others may be using it or not - then file a patent.

hoping to cash in

some may call it heartless...

I call it "strictly bizna$$"

I'm preparing to take delivery on my pre-ordered X-Box 360 within 10 days. I've been keeping a close eye on prices on ebay and they are finally starting to creep up there. The system - which I've paid $399 + tax for, is now grabbing almost $550 for a pre-order on ebay.

My hope is that I'll be able to capitalize big time on a lack of supply for the christmas demand.

I'll be picking up my new toy on Nov. 22 if all goes well. I'll then keep it in it's box and post it up on ebay the first month of December. I'm hoping to draw close to $800 for the system when it sells. I will also be offering a trade option - where I'd take a high end, used Digital SLR camera or a very used D1 camcorder. I would never buy these items myself due to the high price tags - but I would love to have them.

Ah.. and if things don't go well (i've heard rumors) - I may be pushed into the second wave of pre-orders that won't make it out until a December delivery - well that would just mean that the supply is even LESS than what I think it will already be and the demand even HIGHER, which all equals more benji's for me!

Here's a tip - you may want to do something similar for the PS3 coming out next year. I know I will be purchasing a few of those on pre-order.

cf open source / free applications list

I know quite a few people that don't want to get involved with ColdFusion for their web work due to higher investment costs than languages such as PHP. Some say that the community isn't as active and that there aren't a lot of free resources out there. Well - here's a growing list I stumbled across.... enjoy.

lock down

I've spent the majority of the weekend locked in my room, pounding out freelance work that I've been putting off. My hopes are that I'll have time to get all of it done and put the pictures up from the conference as well as talk a bit about my fav sessions. More to follow.

- not one to leave you hangin', I'll leave you with this recent birthday.

http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2005/10/guess-what-just-turned-34.html

Happy B-Day email...

blogging big time

Very interesting read over at Internet News.

http://www.internetnews.com/ent-news/article.php/3557266

It's nice to see some numbers starting to come forth about just how many corporations are blogging. Personally - I feel it is one of the best way for knowledge sharing available.

back to the mitten

to quote a friend's lyrics - "back to the mitten, on a rickety bird"

I'm back in Michigan - and back at work!

The tour of Los Angeles by Night on Wednesday evening was fantastic. It started out by going to Universal Studios City Walk, then to Downtown Hollywood (Walk of Fame, Sunset Strip), Beverly Hills, Commerce City and then back to Anaheim. Very well worth the $49 price tag for 5 and a half hours of checking out some sights.

I made a ton of new friends at this year's conference and it was so nice seeing the friends that I've kept in touch with over the four years I've been going to the MM conference. I really look forward to good times with Adobe at the reigns and welcome the future with open arms.

I will be posting about the sessions that I attended that really hit home and what I learned, I will also get the pictures up over the weekend, for right now - it's back to work and trying to catch up on freelance that is past due.

the tour

I'm officially done with the conference, but now I'm waiting in my hotel room to go on an evening tour of LA with VIP Tours. I'm pretty excited about it - as I'll get to see some great sightseeing attractions. I never made it to the ocean this week - which is just sad, but that's what happens when you don't get a rental car / have time to use one.

I'll post pics tomorrow and hopefully I'll have the slideshow up and working on the new site.

max: Day 3

Well - it's officially over. Another great conference has come to an end. I always get sentimental when it draws to a finish. You make so many great friends at these conferences and it's hard to say goodbye till next year.

I fly back to Michigan at Noon (cali time) tomorrow. I'll be arriving around 8pm. Looking forward to getting back to my normal crazy life. See you soon.

little bit of paradise

We had quite a good time last night at Disney's California Adventure. Macromedia's special event was another top notch show and a great chance to mingle amongst your peers, share a couple drinks and just have a great time.

You can expect many more pics once I get the slideshow up on my new site.

where do I start?

View from the conference center balcony

what a day!

There is far too much content that I've taken in over the past two days to blog about in one post. I'm in between events right now. We had sessions from 8am - 5:30pm and then a Sneak Peeks session at 5:30 that ran until 7:00pm. I'm back in the hotel room right now, but only for a couple of minutes - because the first buses to Disneyland leave at 7:45. I'll probably head down around 8:00 or 8:15 to avoid the rush.

In a nutshell - today's sessions were split down the middle between ones I found useful and ones that I wish I hadn't went to... more on that later. In the meantime, here are some pics.

My view for the sneak peeks. Hopefully some of the screenshots that I got will turn out.

I'll post lots of pics up from the California Adventure once I get back this evening.

community visibility event

I just got back from the Sponsor's Reception / Community Visibility Event at MAX, which has us User Group Manager that were able to make the trip to MAX talking with attendees and letting them know about the User Group Community and how it can help. Macromedia gets people to talk to us about the User Groups by having us give away raffle tickets to people that ask us question or show an interest in the Community. Once we give out all the tickets, Macromedia raffles up a bunch of schwag and they even gave away a copy of Studio 8!! Below is a picture of people gathering around for the raffle.

Below is Ed Sullivan giving away some of the goodies.

Tonight is going to be a quiet one, in the room. I am going to try and get some of my review projects done and play around a bit more with Flex Builder 2 - which is proving to be very impressive.

let the fun begin

Well - it's day one here at the Macromedia Conference. I'm on the lunch break and thought that it would be the perfect time to blog, seeing as I just got out of the keynote session which was a great one!



The keynote started with a presentation from Ze Frank. It was hilarious and got things going. Ze was followed by Stephen Elop, CEO of Macromedia, who thanked all the people out there that have made Macromedia what is today and asked us all to stick around for the ride to come, assuring us that we wouldn't be disappointed. Kevin Lynch handled the majority of the keynote with help from other MM employees, including one that I had the pleasure of meeting on Saturday evening. After showing a bit of Flex Builder 2, which was announced in Alpha at the keynote, Bruce Chisen, CEO of Adobe Systems, closed out the session with a great pep-talk like presentation on how things will only get better in the future.

Macromedia announced Macromedia Labs, which is a freely open developer portal, used to deliver the very latest builds of upcoming products and other assets directly out to the public in the fastest means possible. This site is live as of today and YOU can grab Flex Builder 2 Alpha and start playing with it! Yes - Macromedia rocks!

Yesterday I enjoyed the Community College, where I got to mingle with fellow User Group Managers and finally put some faces to the names. Team Macromedia members and Macromedia employees were also there. After learning some about Flex Builder 2 and the Flash Platform, it was off to the conference reception. Following the reception, Macromedia put on a User Group Manager appreciation event at Dave and Busters! It was a blast. Do you remember the skit that Dave Chappelle / Charlie Murphy did about playing basketball with Prince? Well - a very similar thing happened when I decided to play Simon Horwith at pool.

More on sessions later... I gotta run.

now raining

Ok, so the sunshine from this morning didn't stick around too long. It's now gloomy and raining. Proof that I've been working too much and not having fun. =)