Code name Jason
It cracks me up, computer geeks… err… programmers have a wierd sense of humor and the folks at Adobe aren’t any different. Today I was privvy to a glimpse of Illustrator CS3, or code name Jason. It even came complete with a set of Harlequin masks styled after the jason hockey masks as a loading Icon graphic. Since this is the 13th installment of the app, I guess it’s sort of fitting.
All cinematic puns aside, the new version looks like it will be as revolutionary as I would have hoped from the marriage of my two favorite companies. With enhanced Flash support, and many new features they wouldn’t even go into, I cannot fathom why anyone would even bother to use the new Expression tools soon to be offered by Big Blue.
Set it ablaze
So next on the docket was some info about what is coming in the next version of Flash. Luckily, we will get some new features from Flash Player 8.5 before Blaze ever hits our desktops. Right from Mike Downey’s blog:
Flash Player 8.5 will add a new virtual machine, AVM2, and a new programming language, ActionScript 3.0. This player release will coincide with the release of FlexBuilder 2, the new Eclipse-based developer tool for creating rich Flash-based applications.
The icon for the next version (Blaze icon) is pretty sweet too. They should make some shirts of this stuff and sell it. I’d buy one just cus’ I’m a Flash uber-geek. Unforunately Mike and Mike were quite uninformative as to what we can really expect from Flash 9, but we can expect an upgraded AS IDE, which will include AS 3.0 and collapsable code blocks.
So long to Central?
Also talked about was the Adobe Engagement Platform. Very Interesting, and then came talk of Apollo, the Universal Client. Apollo is being billed as a browser independant Flash delivery platform. This will enable Flash to be a desktop application capable of being ported to the desktop sans any corporate branding and or standard window frames. Up until now, this is something that can be done, but only with the help of 3rd party tools; like Zinc. It should also expected to be cross-platform. I can’t get any info on what they plan to do with Central, but since it never left the Developer Release stage, and folks from Adobe have gone out of their way to point that out on several occassions, I would imagine that Central will follow the Dodo’s.
Relax & recharge
I love coming to these things, and I am sure – certain actually – that I will return next year for the next FITC event. This event beats the FlashForward conference I went to hands down. Shawn Pucknell and his group do a wonderful job getting speakers, even outside of this venue. They sponsored the David Carson event I went to last year, and it was well worth the price of admission. I don’t get the creative input and industry support living in small town America, and this is just what the Doctor ordered.
I’m just not sure I’m going to want to leave. I love the city. 2.4 million people aside, Toronto is great – and I can certainly see why it has the rep it does…