Over the past couple of months I’ve been lucky enough to be a Technical Reviewer for the upcoming O’Reilly release Programming Flex 2 by Chafic Kazoun and Joey Lott. Both Chafic and Joey are well known in the Flash and ActionScript space, so it’s great to see them venturing into the wonderful world of Flex. You too can also enjoy the experience through the rough cuts version of their new book, well before the official release in April 2007.
Programming Flex 2 shows you how to build RIAs that take advantage of the ubiquitous Flash Player with a development model similar to JavaServer Pages and ASP.NET. Plenty of practical and useful examples explain not only how, but also why to use a particular feature, when to use it and when not to. You’ll learn to use a markup code called MXML, as well as built-in components, ActionScript, and more-familiar paradigms to build Flash-based applications that combine the immediacy of the Web with the functionality and responsiveness of desktop applications.
The content covered in the book provides a fantastic introduction to the most important aspects of Flex Framework and SDK, while demonstrating how to develop applications with and without the use of the Flex Builder 2 IDE. This is really important given the freely available SDK, allowing users to develop application without the need for an IDE. But of course, Flex Builder 2 provides a massive list of benefits and features to make your everyday development tasks a breeze.
I really recommend getting a copy of Programming Flex 2: Rough Cuts Version to help fast track your learning curve. And as an added benefit of purchasing this early release, you’ll be able to provide all the necessary feedback direct to the authors and the editor.
Whilst we’re at it, if you require any ActionScript 3.0 knowledge to boost your know-how check out Essential ActionScript 3.0: Rough Cuts Version by Colin Mook. This is definitely be something to have along side your new Flex 2 book, the perfect combination to build some killer RIA’s!
Programming Flex 2: Rough Cuts Version
By Chafic Kazoun, Joey Lott
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/programadobe/
Essential ActionScript 3.0: Rough Cuts Version
By Colin Mook
http://www.oreilly.com/catalog/essentialaction/
10 Comments
I don’t know who FlexDaddy is? But I found you looking for a James Talbot blog in the Adobe Aggregator page.
I have to say Nnnnnnice!!! I didn’t even know the Rough Cuts Versions were available!
I’m a little concerned about the description for the Programming with Flex2 because it says that Flex2 is still in beta…as we both know it has been released already. I have it.
Anyway, I really appreciate the blog…whowever you are.
Hey Kevin,
Glad you like the site!
Regarding the description for the Programming Flex 2 book, I have already made this observation clear to the authors and editorial team and they said that this description was written whilst Flex 2 was in beta, and will be updated shortly to suit the new release.
As for me?! Flex Daddy? hehe, well I’m a Senior Product Support Engineer for Adobe in Asia Pacific. I based in Sydney Australia, and support Flex, ColdFusion, JRun and Flash Media Server.
Hope you continue to read the blog.
Cheers.
Andrew
Andrew “FlexDaddy”,
Maybe you can help me and some of your other blog readers out….
As a member of the Adobe Team, you are probably aware of the AS3 API and Flex2 API visual aid posters that were produced by Ted Patrick. You can download them via his blog.
http://www.onflex.org/ted/2006/10/cube-wallpaper-as3-and-flex-api.php
That is fine and dandy, but who wants to look at it on PDF. it makes my eyes burn reading online.
So I can’t get a hold of him, I called Adobe and they don’t know what I’m talking about..
SO maybe you can help us folks who want to order this Excellent Visual Programming Aid??
Help a “Flex Brudda” out??
Kev
PS, I got the Rough Cut versions of both AS3 and Flex Programming and they are good. They are both sort of at the point now where not much new info (at least for people who are already useing Flex2 and AS3 are concerned). HOwever, I’m waiting for the future chapters to come out. I’ve even contacted Orielly and asked them to add an email feature to Rought Cut customers, where they will email us when new chapters are added and they have taken into consideration.
Ok so what I was goign to PS was that I’m really glad you posted that info, I would have NEVER found those Rough Cuts.
Hey Kevin,
I know that this week at MAX the posters are being given away. As for being available for purchase? I’m not sure. I’ll try and find out if they will be available for purchase, but I can’t guarantee it.
Andrew
Hey A,
I talked to Ted Patrick yesterday and he said he would post the copyright release as a pdf on his blog so that people like me could get them printed at Kinko’s (they wouldn’t let me have them printed without that release on Adobe letter head).
If I’m not mistaken he is your neck of the woods right now, as he said he was on a plane headed for Tai Pei yesterday.
Kev
That’s good news for everyone! Yep, we’re both in Taipei at the moment, and all the speakers will be meeting together tonight. I should be able to post my presentation slides and demo’s on here too. I’ll let you know.
I just read your presentation topics and I am so pumped about the flex2/php talk and the flex2/FMS talk… I can’t wait to read the manuscript of the talk if there is one!
hi kevin,
if you want to know when new rough cuts chapters are available for Essential ActionScript 3.0, keep on eye on my blog (www.moock.org/blog) with an RSS reader. I post a note every time a new chapter is added.
hope that helps,
colin
ps. I think O’Reilly should *definitely* e-mail subscribers when new chapters are available (almost seems ridiculous not to…)
Hey Colin, that’s great news. Thanks for posting!
I just purchased the Programming Flex 2 rough Cuts from O’Reilly and Purcashed the combo to get the online verion and Actual book. The rough cuts PDF was 50 pages , and the information contained in these pages has nothing you cannot get from the Adobe documentation. So I was nto impressed. I hope the Actual Book is better.
Gary
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