What's up with Flash?

[mikmik]

Hey, man, I got this link in an email from Macromedia to a new part of their site called Macromedia Labs (http://labs.macromedia.com/).

I am really starting to get interested in Flash because I believe it is getting powerfull for front end stuff and user interface.

But I noticed that there seem to be an awful lot of releases from Macromedia in the last year or so. It was time when Studio 2004MX came out, but then on top of the Flash 2004MX with actionscript 2.0, now there is 2004Pro (I think), then Flash8 and Flash8 Pro! Plus, the IDE Flex is going to a second release, there is Flashplayer 8.5 coming up, and Actionscript 3.0!

It costs big bucks for this software. I was thinking six months ago about MX2004, but now all these releases, is it safe to buy Flash8, or should a person wait for Flash with Actionscript 3.0 support? I am really pretty beginnerish (LOL) still but I want to get going soon.

Sheesh, it is $700 US for Flash 8, and $300 more, only, for Studio 8. Flash Professional 8 (http://www.macromedia.com/software/flash/flashpro/). I am just wondering if Flash 8 will be upgradeable when Actionscript 3.0 comes out.

On top of all this is the fact that Adobe bought out Macromedia. I can't see anything drastic happening, Dreamweaver and Flash are industry standard ide's.

I guess what I am asking is if people have thoughts on all these releases of late, and is it ever worth waiting, or just get Flash now (8.0)? At least the basic package of Flex is free, so that's not bad. It does look like there will have to be another release of Flash to support Flashplayer 8.5, though.

[iCreate]

Its hard to tell. I guess you could compare it to buying an iPod. You can go out and buy one but just around the corner is the release of a newer better one. I cant comment on whether you should wait or not but being that your a beginner, and if there is a newer 'update' coming out soon, then I guess it would make sense to wait, but you never know, this AS3 functionality may be released as a free update. I guess it depends how far down the line its release will actually be.

[mikmik]

Yeah, I guess it's just the same - I sure don't like the idea of shelling out $1,000 for software that gets replaced in a few months. I will try using trials for a bit, I just got Flash 8. I usually reinstall my OS every once in a while, so I can do that and get it again after re-doing Windows!

[iCreate]

I was gonna say, I format monthly so trials work fine for me ;)

[mikmik]

Hey, iCreate! That's what I used to do, reformat and re-install every month, and I think it is time to start again - you got the right idea;)

I think I have an idea about purchasing: Things are slowly heading towards 64 bit programming, very slowly I know but, Mac is ahead of Windows and so are some distros of Linux. Win Vista will get 64 bit mainstream, I figure, so when Macromedia releases a 64 bit version of Flash etc. (be flash 10/AS4.0 by then!), that is the time to buy.

Even the people on Kirupa are freaking how fast the versions are coming out, but check this out as well:
AS is moving towards (http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=196068) being an advanced programming language, with an attached API (API being the functions that allow you to make 2D stuff). I would conside Flash a steeper learning curve than C++/Java (the best programming languages) now (because you have AS, design/graphics, and website publishing) - intense.

AS 2.0/3.0 is VERY similar to C++/C/Java/etc. Accept AS has many classes, or "libraries" in C/C++/Java, already attached to it.

Man!ok this is crap (http://www.kirupa.com/forum/showthread.php?t=195331), im gonna start pirating macromedia's software if they release new versions that fast.

Hmmm...:D

[iCreate]

Thats a fair point, wait for the 64-Bit's if you can survive on trials / your existing versions until then.

Makes sense!