Adobe releases Flex 2
Today Adobe Systems Inc. released Flex 2, the next version of the active page technology that is often refered to as the rival to AJAX (Asyncronous JavaScript And XML). In reality this isn’t the case. Although AJAX and Flex provide similar functionality, there are far more differences than similarities. AJAX is not a technology, but a grouping of two technologies working together. Flex is a technology in its own right that runs on the Flash platform.
Adobe are keen to crush this misconception immediately by demonstrating Flex and AJAX working together in harmony. On the Flex site, Adobe engineers claim that Flex and AJAX goes together like “Jam and Peanut butter“, although I guess that depends on taste. Maybe this is because Adobe are working on a development framework for AJAX called Spry, which is available from Adobe Labs in Beta form.
Adobe Flex 2 is now available from Adobe’s web site. The system comes in many components, some are free and some are not.
The Adobe Flex 2 IDE is completely free and platform independent, and includes an Adobe Flex 2 compiler and debugger.
Adobe Flex Builder 2 is an integrated IDE for the Windows platform. The IDE features a GUI and code-highlighting we’re used to in Eclipse and Flash, which isn’t much surprise as Flex Builder 2 is based on Eclipse.
Adobe Flex Data Services Express is the server that provides one flex application on one CPU. If you require multiple applications or CPU operations, then you will have to purchase a licence at about $20,000 per CPU.
But what is important here is that to core technologies are free to use, deploy and download now. If your company is deploying more than one flex application per server, then the likelyhood is you can afford the $20,000 required.
Adobe Flex 2 is available to download from:
http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flex/
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