AJAX, AFLAX, and XAML: flingin’ acronyms like beers at a frat party.

There has been a ton of buzz lately about AJAX, you know.. the hot, the hip, Asynchronous JavaScript and XML. Now, here comes Microsoft with XAML (pronounced ZAMMEL – now Microsoft even tells you how to say the stupid acronyms they come up with) and AFLAX. No, not AFLAC – it has nothing to do with Gilbert Godfried or a sassy duck.

If it walks like a duck:

AJAX has been around for quite some time, and Google has been making it popular again. Since we all know Google can do no wrong, it must be the thing. Right? Well, sure. I can see a ton of instances where AJAX can be useful, but it is not the end all to be all. There is no need to go and redevelop your face so it runs on AJAX when, the fact is, your current system for making your face hold that dumb look – works just fine.

and it quacks like a duck:

Now getting into Microsoft and the whole "we’re gonna win the web" thing. They are in the midst of releasing their new Expression suite in which there is an Illustrator knock off, a Flash knock-off and a Dreamweaver knock off. This whole suite actually seems pretty interesting, and I will be looking at it for really only one reason. At work, we are developing in .NET. So, if using these new tools will speed development, and offer significant improvements in our process – then it would be worth it to switch. I’m not holding my breath. I am more interested in the functionality and features of the Web Designer software, or Quartz. Since Dreamweaver doesn’t really interface all that well with Visual Studio, it would be nice to have a intermediary tool. I really have no real desire to become an application programmer in .NET. I develop all my applications in Flash, and will continue to do so. We don’t really do any advanced applications for the desktop – so I don’t really see any benefit for us right now to even think about XAML, or what it can do for as far as desktop applications. I work on the web. I’m really much more interested in seeing where the Adobe/Macromedia merger will take me than trying to learn some new Microsoft application.

Serve it up for supper.

So along comes AFLAX, Asynchronous Flash and XML. So, as usual, Flash is a good kicking post for everyone to rip on. The IDE sucks, they only support ActionScript, Flash 8 isn’t out for Linux, it’s too hard to learn, it’s not designed for developers, blah blah blah. So, in response (I guess), or to generate hype to get a better job, which you sorta have to admire, Paul Colton hedges his bets and either develops AFLAX. On his site, he has some really lame examples. Examples that have no merit or actual benefit to how the technology could actually be used. It’s sort of like 5th grade show and tell actually. Now don’t confuse what I said with me saying that AFLAX has no merit, because I think it’s an interesting concept – one that XAMLON is building applications and a business around – sort of. They are using XAML, but the idea is similar enough to note here.

There has been talk around the shop before of creating dynamic forms based off an admin interface for some of the sites that I have developed, but it was decided that no one would use them so it would be cool – but have no real value. That’s pretty much how I feel about this, to a lesser degree. I would be far more likely to invest, or recommend the investment of funds into FLEX, simply because I have no significant qualms with Macromedia. They have a time tested application, and a proven track record for developing well thought out applications. Besides, if you look at cost, XAMLON stands to make a ton off of server fees and developer licenses. $499 per developer and $495 per server where they’re product is deployed. Ouch. Lats time I checked, Flash is free to deploy where ever the hell you want to. The only time you get into pricing issues is with FLEX and if you want to run an instance of the Flash Communication Server.

I’m not sold. I will stick with the tools I have thank you very much. It will be, however, interesting to see where any of these acronyms sit in 6 months to a year… isolated to the wiki entries… just a thought.