Curtis Hermann

This is a very good time to be a Web application developer. Over the years we have moved from complex and proprietary methods of sharing data, to a more standardized and easy-to-implement method of exchanging simple or complex objects over the Web. Though nothing is perfect, data transfer via Web services is much more standardized and hasbeen made more simple than anything we have had in the past. Web services allow us to not only share data but to share complex data. With Web Services you can send and receive objects that range from simple numbers to record sets. This is accomplished by defining interfaces and by passing data back and forth in XML format. Both ends of the communication pipe know how to translate the XML to native objects, like a String or Array. Since the data is defined with XML, it is platform independent. As long as this data adheres to the sh... (more)

Ramping Up on Flash MX 2004 and ActionScript 2.0

I could not be more excited about the release of Flash MX 2004 and the new ActionScript 2.0. This new version of ActionScript has taken a huge leap in standardizing a more object-oriented programming structure to its syntax and has given the developer the ability to catch many more errors at compile time than in ActionScript 1.0. For many developers, this advancement will help increase development time and quality of code. Some of the language's feature enhancements include strong data typing, a more standard way of class declarations, inheritance, interfaces, packages, and erro... (more)

Flash Application Development Guidelines

Flash MX is not a new technology for many ColdFusion developers. Many have started to write serious applications in Flash MX and have since searched for a way to improve structure and performance. Developers apply Flash MX technology to create entertaining animations, business and communication applications, and more. Developing in Flash before the creation of Flash MX had its difficulties and kept developers apprehensive about using it. A primary source of hesitation arose out of the lack of standard components and the need to have some sense of design to develop an attractive ... (more)