So You Know ColdFusion - What Next?

Posted At : January 30, 2007 12:19 AM | Posted By : Simon Horwith
Related Categories: Flex, ColdFusion, Java
For the past couple of years when asked what skill to learn AFTER mastering ColdFusion in order to be more marketable, most CF developers wouldn't hesitate to say 'Java'.
I'm proud to say that for the past 3+ years I've always answered 'Flex'. Many readers of CFDJ were unhappy about my trying to add more Flex and Web 2.0 content in the magazine, so I've stopped pushing the issue... but I've got to say, I still think it's a terrible injustice to not discuss Flex more in CFDJ.

One of the greatest current uses of Flex is for development of Web 2.0 applications. Whether you're into Flex or not, you have to admit that Web 2.0 apps are cool - and I have noticed a growing demand not only for Flex developers but for Web 2.0 developers in general.
The reason I'm writing about this is that ZDNet just released an interesting article about how several of the largest IT companies are about to make major investments in Web 2.0 and about the fact that it's hitting mainstream. The article is available at http://blogs.zdnet.com/Hinchcliffe/?p=79. If you don't believe that the demand for Web 2.0 developers is growing then I strongly suggest reading this article.

To everyone who thought I was crazy for thinking folks should learn Flex several years ago - a big 'I told you so' goes out to you. I'm just teasing, of course... but I'm dead serious about the fact that Web 2.0 will make you more marketable.

Comments (17) | Print | del.icio.us | Linking Blogs
Comments
[Add Comment]
Firstly I must say I ... used to ... have quite a bit of respect for you - at least insofar as a CFML developer (note CFML and not strictly CF).

So where are all the books to assist us CFML (11.5 years) guys and gals to move to the next leve; - Scoprio notwithstanding.
# Posted By Peter Tilbrook | 1/30/07 3:26 AM
See Ben Forta's post on the upcoming Scorpio CFWACK. And look way down in the comment thread for his comment about the publishing industry. Short story, too many CF books hit the market back when CF 6 was released and publishing companies were burned by lack of sales and relunctant to publish any more books (and since then, some have gone oob, or merged).
# Posted By Lola LB | 1/30/07 6:52 AM
Maybe there should be FDJ (Flex Developers Journal) or FFDJ (Flex / Flash Developers Journal). I personally don't understand why Flex is pushed so heavy in CFDJ, I know web 2.0 is important and web apps will become more like client apps, but for the CFDJ it seems like when you talk about web 2.0 it should be from the view point of CF.
# Posted By Kris Brixon | 1/30/07 8:13 AM
'used to' Peter? am I missing something?

If what you're alluding to is the book that I stated I was working on a little over a year ago - well, my wife was pregnant and I've had a son, so that's what I've been doing with my 'free time' for the past 13 months. I've also been working ridiculously hard. AboutWeb is growing... FAST... and I'm at the center of a lot of what we do. I worked about 170 the last pay period. Between that and my family at home, it doesn't leave any time for anything else.
That said, I still have plans to finish the book, but so long as it's something I have to do in my free time, folks will have to wait.
# Posted By Simon Horwith | 1/30/07 8:16 AM
Peter,

Like most of us, you are in the same bus. True, there are not as many books out on ColdFusion as it used to be. That has not stopped people from growing technically and professionaly in this community. There are plenty of CF related websites, blogs, forums out there that make learning and following the new trends available to anybody with a web connection! Sitting in front of you pc and waiting for a book to fall on your head will not make you a better developer. Getting involved in a positive manner, asking questions (there are plenty of folks; and I know from experience specially Simon; who will be more then glad to reply to an email or a question on their blogs if you seek it) and participating on forum discussions will. And best of all, it's free!

Best of Luck
# Posted By phill.nacelli | 1/30/07 10:27 AM
Simon,

I"m a long time reader of CFDJ.
I used to even shell out for a couple of extra copies for my colleagues, so that we would have at least one issue lying in the office for anyone to read.

It was always a good reference for me when I was starting out, and helped me advanced to the next level. I always found challenging examples, all realworld examples.

I don't feel the same way about CFDJ anymore though. I really started moving away from it when it got extremely FLEX-heavy.

The reality is, that Flex is not something my employers are willing to invest in.
Flex is one of those things, that when I have some free time.....
In reality, I never have the free time.

All that Flex-heavy stuff would be better suited in a FDJ, or in the Web Developer's Journal.

That being said, you've done a great job as Editor, you're a busy man yourself, and thanks for all you do for the community.

Cheers,
Ali
# Posted By Ali | 1/30/07 4:24 PM
I have to chime in here, since my company is one of many that hires Simon. In fact, we had him here in Arizona only a couple of months ago. I am HUGE CF fan. I have been deving on it for many years now, but FLEX is the future. WHY? Because you get so much more control over everything INCLUDING the CF server. Additionally, if your company wants RIA's, then FLEX is the answer. CF Flash based forms is Flex 1.5. It is slow and clunky. If you code in native Flex 2 and use CF to interface with your db's then you have a fast and simple application. I personally wish CFDJ would focus more on Flex and CF interaction as well as FDS. Simon, can you look at this real quick:

<cflock name="serviceFactory" type="exclusive" timeout="10">
<cfscript>
   factory = CreateObject("java","coldfusion.server.ServiceFactory");
   ds_service = factory.datasourceservice;
   dsources = ds_service.datasources;
   dsources["BPETSSnap"]["disable"] = "Yes";
   ds_service.restart();
</cfscript>
</cflock>

This goes back to the other post. The problem is that the ds_service.restart(); line restarts every datasource in CF. I have tried to specify ds_service.restart("BPETSSnap"); but that didn't work. What do you think it could be?

Thanks,
Mark Cadle
SPA
U.S. Border Patrol
Customs and Border Protection
Department of Homeland Security
# Posted By Mark Cadle | 1/31/07 1:10 PM
Simon, I agree. I have seen a few Flex jobs pop up in my town (San Diego). I've been "seriously" using Flex the past few months and my one complaint was a lack of tutorials online. The HelloWorld example was decent, and after a few cups of coffee one realizes how great Adobe did on the docs (like always), but god forbid we are expected to read docs! :)

Anyway, I was in Barns and Noble last week and found a single copy of the Adobe Flex 2 training source. Yes, a single copy left. Maybe this means everyone has Flex fever?
# Posted By Shane Montgomery | 3/1/07 11:24 AM
I'm not sure what the hold-up is...as said in http://www.dealderby.com maybe they have re-thought their stance on how this is going to actually make the company any money. Or perhaps their lawyers pointed out the liability of providing agents a platform to stick their feet in their mouth. Whatever it is, it's hardly something I'd claim as being "Well done".
# Posted By Elisa Fando | 5/25/08 3:23 PM
What about on this site ?
# Posted By szitakalman | 6/22/08 8:45 AM
We specialize in http://www.batterylaptoppower.com laptop batteries,laptop AC adapters. All our products are brand new, with the excellent service from our laptop battery of customer service team.
# Posted By cheap batteries | 9/21/08 12:39 AM
I worked in an IBM shop when the first GNU programs -- GCC, GDB, and Emacs -- were released. I was in rooms where the executives' take on it and interests were being explored. It was quite simple: at that time, the development tools market was starting to boom. Investment capital was concentrating on it. The first GNU releases killed that and investment in that space contracted and never picked back up to the same levels of interest. A growth market had been destroyed.
<a href="http://www.ankaralazer.net" title="ankara lazer" target="_blank">ankara lazer</a>
<a href="http://www.estetik-merkezleri.com" title="estetik" target="_blank">estetik</a>
<a href="http://www.ankaraevdeneve.biz" title="ankara evden eve" target="_blank">ankara evden eve</a>
<a href="http://www.nakliyatankara.com" title="ankara evden eve nakliyat" target="_blank">ankara evden eve nakliyat</a>
I remember reading circa 2002 that IBM employed about 600 full time OS developers; the last article in Business Week last year quoted the same figure five years later. The good thing for corporate is that although they cannot re-license it(a’la M$), the labor cost to maintaining it on a global scale is small. And, from what I've read the labor cost for OpenBSD are even less. Sounds like a deal to me!
<a href="http://www.plastik-cerrah.com" title="saç ekimi" target="_blank">saç ekimi</a>
<a href="http://www.sacekimmerkezi.org" title="saç ekimi" target="_blank">saç ekimi</a>
<a href="http://www.sacekimmerkezi.name.tr" title="saç ekimi" target="_blank">saç ekimi</a>
<a href="http://www.tupbebegim.org" title="tüp bebek" target="_blank">tüp bebek</a>
<a href="http://www.uluslararasi-nakliyat.org" title="ankara nakliyat" target="_blank">ankara nakliyat</a>
# Posted By mamican | 11/18/08 3:33 PM
I have seen a few Flex jobs pop up in my town . I've been "seriously" using Flex the past few months and my one complaint was a lack of tutorials online.
http://www.sacekiminedir.com/sac-bakimi/bitkisel-s...
# Posted By bitkisel saç bak?m? | 1/12/09 6:27 PM
Great article! Thanks for sharing http://www.top10-web-hostings.com
# Posted By Alice | 5/20/09 12:18 PM
One of the greatest current uses of Flex is for development of Web 2.0 applications. Whether you're into Flex or not, you have to admit that Web 2.0 apps are cool - and I have noticed a growing demand not only for Flex developers but for Web 2.0 developers in general.

http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=gogus-estetigi" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=kulak-estetigi" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=yanak-estetigi
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=dudak-estetigi
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=cene-estetigi-cene-dizayni" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=yuz-germe-yuz-gerdirme
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=alin-germe" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=kas-estetigi
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=goz-kapagi-estetigi" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?estetik-plastik-cerrahi=Burun-Estetigi" target="_blank">http://www.estetik-plastik-cerrahi.com/index.aspx?...
http://www.sac-ekimi-merkezleri.com
http://www.sac-ekimi-merkezleri.com/sac_ekimi_yontemleri/sac_ekimi_FUE.html" target="_blank">http://www.sac-ekimi-merkezleri.com/sac_ekimi_yont...
http://www.sac-ekimi-merkezleri.com/sac_ekimi_yontemleri/sac_ekimi_FUT.html" target="_blank">http://www.sac-ekimi-merkezleri.com/sac_ekimi_yont...
# Posted By Saç Ekimi | 5/20/09 1:35 PM
I agree. I accept apparent a few Flex jobs pop up in my boondocks (San Diego). I've been "seriously" application Flex the accomplished few months and my one complaint was a abridgement of tutorials online. The HelloWorld archetype was decent, and afterwards a few cups of coffee one realizes how abundant Adobe did on the docs (like always), but god forbid we are accepted to apprehend docs!
<a href="http://www.sacekiminasilyapilir.com/" title="Saç Ekimi">Saç Ekimi</a> <a href="http://www.arabamatik.net/" title="Araba">Araba</a> <a href="http://www.gelisimsurucu.com/" title="ehliyet" target="_blank">Ehliyet</a>
# Posted By Saç Ekimi | 6/24/09 4:23 AM
[Add Comment]
This site is hosted by HostMySite and runs off of BlogCFC - thanks, Ray.