Hi Alex, the proposal looks very promising. I have a few questions around ActionScript, runtime environments for compiled code, HTML5/JavaScript cross-compilation support, and target runtime environments listed:
1) When you speak of ActionScript, is it planned to continue the development of the ActionScript language as a standard separate from future JavaScript standards? I know that ActionScript 3 is an ECMAScript 4 dialect (http://www-archive.mozilla.org/projects/tamarin/), but believe it would make sense to set the goal to move away from ActionScript 3 in favor of a future ECMAScript/JavaScript version (long term goal, of course). 2) Flex for desktop / Flash Player Since the current version of the compiler "only" compiles to ActionScript bytecode, it effectively would mean that an Apache Software Foundation project would generate output which - in a desktop browser - can only be executed by the proprietary Adobe Flash Player. Are there any other ASF projects targeting proprietary runtime environments? Wouldn't it be desirable to support an open standards based runtime environment as well (Falcon JS)? 3) Falcon JS: ActionScript 3 -> JavaScript 1.5 cross-compilation I'm aware of the FalconJS research Adobe has started (an ActionScript 3 to JavaScript 1.5 cross-compiler, which can be integrated into the next version of the Adobe/Apache Flex SDK). Supporting JavaScript generation out of ActionScript (including CSS styling) could turn Apache Flex into the perfect platform for smooth migration to HTML 5 applications in enterprises. FalconJS is not mentioned in the proposal, but a blog post of the Adobe Flex Compiler team on Nov 19th (http://blogs.adobe.com/flex/2011/11/your-questions-about-flex.html) it has been said that Falcon JS would be contributed to the ASF as well: > In addition to contributing the core Flex SDK (including automation > and advanced data visualization components), Adobe also plans to > donate the following: > + Falcon, the next-generation MXML and ActionScript compiler that is > currently under development (this will be contributed when complete > in 2012) > + Falcon JS, an experimental cross-compiler from MXML and ActionScript > to HTML and JavaScript. Is that still the plan, since Falcon JS is not mentioned in the proposal? I can imagine that there would be a lot of interest in the community to see Falcon JS contributed, even if the the product is not feature complete. 4) iOS, Android, RIM, Windows & OS X support In the proposal you state: > Apache Flex allows developers to target a variety of platforms, initially > Apple iOS, Google Android, RIM BlackBerry, Microsoft Windows, and > Mac OS X with a single codebase. My understanding of the proposal is, that you are only proposing to contribute the Flex SDK, as opposed to the Flex SDK AND the Adobe AIR SDK. http://www.adobe.com/products/air.html The Flex SDK alone doesn't enable developers to compile from ActionScript 3 into iOS, Android, RIM, Windows and OS X. That means, it would still require the proprietary AIR SDK to support all those platforms. Therefore the proposal should mention that developers could target a variety of additional platforms, if they choose to download the Adobe AIR SDK and runtime. I understand that it might not be possible to completely open source the AIR SDK, due to legal issues. 5) PhoneGap / Apache Callback proposal Nitobi proposed to contribute PhoneGap to the ASF (http://wiki.phonegap.com/w/page/46311152/apache-callback-proposal). After that announcement, Nitobi has been acquired by Adobe. If Falcon JS will be released, it would be possible to integrate Falcon JS compilation with PhoneGap (HTML5/JavaScript based mobile apps for a variety of platforms). Even if it is possible to compile ActionScript 3 into iOS or Android applications (native), the ActionScript 3 -> JavaScript -> PhoneGap approach would be equally powerful, and could be completely supported with open source tools. Of course, that would depend on the availability of the Falcon JS cross-compilation feature. 7) Adobe Flash runtimes http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplatformruntimes.html The runtimes currently targeted by the Flex SDK (without Falcon JS) are http://www.adobe.com/products/flashplayer.html http://www.adobe.com/products/air.html I would suggest to add the long-term goal of adding another (non-proprietary) runtime to the Flex SDK (e.g. Falcon JS with the cross-compiler) 8) Open standards support The whole proposal does not mention open standards, JavaScript, or the buzz word "HTML5". Again, it might make sense to make support of open standards with Adobe Flex a high-level goal. It's exciting to see Adobe's willingness to contribute Flex to the ASF. Raju Bitter Software Architect & Open Source Evangelist > Hi everyone, > > I would like to propose Flex to be an Apache Incubator project. > > Here's a link to the proposal: > http://wiki.apache.org/incubator/FlexProposal > > Thank you, > > Alex Harui > Flex SDK Team > Adobe Systems, Inc. > http://blogs.adobe.com/aharui > > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- > To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org > For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org > > --------------------------------------------------------------------- To unsubscribe, e-mail: general-unsubscr...@incubator.apache.org For additional commands, e-mail: general-h...@incubator.apache.org
