Sounds like Flash MX is still a beta release

[mikal]

I really like flash and I too sprang my credit card into action the moment my early bird e-mail came bearing gifts. Consideration for weather it worked or not was not even in the equation. It's gotta work flash 5 works right....so lets just continue developing for the client inside the MX version...why not this is a better version of flash 5 right. So why can't my client see the work I created...because it’s better..the best ever version..Just download the new player and see. Client I did, and can't see poop!..and were running out of time....Then I starting here how I begged macromedia to release a product before it was ready..and how I should appreciate what the company has done for me..Or is it what I’ve done for them...I gave them money, and have a skeptical client. The price I paid for asking a company to release a better version. You say wait for the patch and shut the Flab up!

I say whatever...I wasn’t totally screwed because I like the new features and interface...but some of us don't just play with software we use it and have real clients in an unstable internet enviorment.

Don’t leave me hanging, when I put my trust in you. The question I have now is...is your marketing department better than your product development..and for criminy sakes don't forget the innocent user and how painless it should be them to purchase development..and ...and..why can i see it and it kinda works for others, even though they have the 6 plug-in...and..Um yeah, good work on the new flash...it really does out do the old but it’s so painful at the moment....please fix the stuff quickly so I can continue to stay ahead of the game. I don't even want to think of opening up 5 now but im forced to step back. Can't offer to my clients yet..because there clients may have trouble seeing it.

Hmm...ok I’m done. I had a point but it turned into a rant sorry...had to release some tention.

M

[alohaha]

Interesting Mikal, others.. re real life issues.. I too use MM products for clients, eg the customers at my sites.. so to have them working reasonably well is important.

After seeing everyone's posts, I come to these conclusions:

1. It would have been fine for MM to release the MX 6 as an advanced beta release, Not as a final product for $500.00

How would You feel if you'd just laid out half a grand for something that has so many bugs? That stinks.

2. Having said that, it's encouraging that MM did finally *after all this time* get around to releasing the new MX, bugs and all, to the development community, so we can peek under the hood and take it for a spin, while it's being finished.

I'm sure I'll like the new version when it works. I hope they don't pull this bs with new versions of Fireworks and Dreamweaver.

So, I stand behind my point - they are making a bundle of money as we speak, selling this thing for $200-$500 a pop, bugs and all.

To me, Macromedia has lost some credibility. I hope they regain confidence by spending some of their loot on overtime pay for their design team so they can fix these bugs and release a patch asap.

my .05

[eag16]

thats why im still holding back from buy MX because of all the BUGS. but then again all products do have bugs, on the other hand MX shouldnt have so many bugs thats why they (developers) are getting pay for. do your job right fix it.

if you going to do it, do it right or dont do it at all.

i personally hate downloading patches/up-dates since im wasting valuable mins. and hrs. ... do you really think that i have all the time in the world.
.
..my 16 cents

[sks447]

I bought MX.
I personally would have been fine if MX was not released for a while, version 5 has so many possibilities and video can always be done with Wildform Flix. My biggest complaint is no option for "Flash 4 timeline and Flash 4 selection style." I do love the new compression ratio although it is really pointless because the average population will need a year to update to the flash 6 plugin. I think they should try and release the player way before the software so its not like "oh cool, wait...um I have to publish it in 5...damn."

My $1.50

http://www.shockplanet.com

[sonwah]

(off topic)
why wait?
I know I know client this client that.
Nothing moves forward unless we move it.
Computers have gotten better. Software has gotten better.
upgrades are an important part of the whole technology thing.
and if the most you ever have to download is a hefty wacking great Flash plugin, theres not too much to complain about is there?

the more people like us that develop for Flash MX right now, the more people will find it neccesary to get the new plugin.
it really is up to us.
(/off topic)

[StanThaFan]

I started out with Flash 5 about 2 months ago, and got the basics down. I didn't however get attatched to it. So when MX came out, as a newbie I just said what tha hell and downloaded the trial. I love it. There's just something about it that makes it so much better to me than Flash 5. I have only used Flash 5 a couple of times since March 15, 2002. And personally, I havn't encountered mainy bugs with MX at all. But that might go back to me being a Flash newbie and not being able to identify the bugs. In any case, I'm happy with this release, I love the components, the compresion is awsome, and I have nothing to complain about! I'm having the time of my life learning AS with MX.

[mikal]

Originally posted by sonwah
(off topic)
why wait?

Sonwah this is not off subject it’s exactly the subject. I mean if I were on macromedias side and need profits for investors then release it…they will keep there jobs and ride out the internet storm with all the extra capital. I didn’t profit…my investment is in the other column called expenditure. But there are larger implications to rocking the boat right now. Many of us real designers, who are trying to make the macromedia product a real viable option to use on client sites, are now stuck with potential clients running into..Can’t see this --can’t see that around web.

Now here you come with an alternative new media solution that’s (painless)?? Well not as painless as it was. They effectively shot many designers and developers in the foot. The suggestion about the plug in first was excellent. Were in Rome and we have to do what the roman do or die like inventors. I have a family to feed, reinventing the wheel is cool, but use some smarts about it. Hell we'll be stuck in HTML Java DHTML stuff for years. Stabilize this market MACROMEDIA POOP, FART DANG! Now's not the time to start shaking the boat.

Times are so weird and we flashers to keep designing cool new media stuff and not having clients to scared to put there products or services in it because they spent last weekend running into get plug in x get plug in y.......ok... I spend enough time learning this stuff.

And before some Naysayer come in and says something like if you don’t like it don’t use it………well just don’t. Because it’s stupid. I love flash and macromedia just muffed it..or perhaps a another company will come along and develop the same thing with no plug in required….make it painless for general surfers to see what’s developed…or Macromedia will be easy to topple with the right product.

Done...im really emotional about this thing...strange.

M

[sonwah]

no plugin?

How would you suggest that that works?
Compiled programs need something to run them. Period.
Whether you download it with each and every file, or whether you have people download it once and use it over and over. You don't need to be too smart to figure out which of those 2 choices is better.
Everything you now see on ther internet requires software on your machine to run it. HTML files need your browser (yes I know it came with your OS, but as I remember that's the subject of a very large and public law suit)
Video files need a media player of some sort (until now )
PDF's require acrobat, java requires the JVM or JRE...
etc etc etc (you get where I'm heading with this)
This is a fact of web development.
Your reference to the fact that I might not be a professional is absurd. Nothing in my initial post suggested that did it? I too have rent to pay and a rather expensive drug habit to support (joke).
This is my job. I just find it is a lot easier to try and get people to download a new Flash player so I can develop in MX than it is to try and get everyone to download IE or NS 6 so you can build them a standards compliant DHTML site.
Get my drift?
So no more of this "Many of us real designers ... " crap OK?
A little professional courtesy goes a long way, we're not all kids here.

[mikal]

Originally posted by sonwah
no plugin?

Your reference to the fact that I might not be a professional is absurd.

Whats absurd is the fact that you said I referenced you not being a professional. I don't know you from Adam. However, my comments were in general, mostly spouting off to macromedia and anyone who would listen.

You should lay off those drugs.(joke) I understand your point of view but don't buy it. I mean i guess we'll have to get people to "download the new plug-in" eventually...

Look I bought Rolls Royce with 3 wheels. Sure i can turn it on, reb the engine pour drinks in the back seat..but I can't take it out on the road and show it off or charge people to ride in it...(weak) I know...but theres my point.


Also if you havent noticed there are many so called "real desingers" out here...including myself. The only thing that makes you a real designer is to consistantly have satified customers that trust you to create real viable solutions......MX is not one i can count on JUST YET. Plain and simple.

Love that interior though! Look, a tweak here a tweak there and the romance starts all over again. Kind of puts in perpective.


m

[sonwah]

other than the fact that you have to download a new plugin,
what is it that means you can't develop MX apps right now?
what is so buggy that you wouldn't even try it?
Maybe you could get some answers here, it might be that you're doing things incorrectly.
I've been struggling the last few days getting my head around the order in which you must apply parameters to textFields so they render correctly.
my point is that it was me doing things in the wrong order.
everything else I've played with seems to work fine.

post a list, there might be some answers.

(unless the plugin thing is the big killer for you, in which case ignore everything I just typed )

[mikal]

Originally posted by sonwah
no plugin?

How would you suggest that that works?
Compiled programs need something to run them. Period.

Come on....you gotta take that back. I'm no developer, but i can read. There are a thousand real smart people saying what can and can not happen because on this thing and thing Period.

The oldest one I know about was that the world is flat. ..o yeah and that electric lightbuld thing...and the personal computers thing..and going to moon thing..and..


m

[mikal]

frankly it is the plug in thing...but yes it could be me..as a matter of fact it probably is. But i do know that i cant get someone to see something that i can see..with the flash 6 plug-in. I can e-mail you the link if you like.

m

[sonwah]

yeah feel free to send me a link,
I'll see if it works for me..
Nope, can't take it back about the player thing though,
it's hardly in the league of the world is flat, lightbulbs etc ... the fact is right now apps proprietary require software to run them, like all those examples I listed. Even embedded systems need to be embedded in the first place.
The software has to be in every download, or donwloaded once and used each time.
Pretty simple choice really.
Positivity my man. The key to life.

[mikal]

ok, I'll give you that one.

Hey no e-mail link..e mail me and send it back with the link.

m

[mikal]

Did you get it?

[alohaha]

Can let us know re when MM is planning on releasing the first bug fix/patch for the MX release?

Anyone know, eg what the plans are for fixing all the bugs? An update to let us know you care about us customers, would be much appreciated.

"ah, sometime this summer, maybe, after we're back from rio" would not be the right answer (lol).


Suggestion: Can one of you guys, or an FK admin, start an official "bug fix/wish list" thread for everyone to document what needs fixing? That would be a great start...

[jspektr]

As a "real designer" delivering mission-critical Flash (5)application work every day, I've got to say anyone that would buy MX and immediately deliver untested content to a client with it is ... well, very foolish and unprofessional. There's no nice way to say it.

I support Macromedia, and I want them to succeed. I laud those developers that went out and bought the full version of MX right away. But assuming it will work right, and delivering MX content to clients that are not capable of seeing it?

That doesn't sound like Macromedia's fault to me.

[sonwah]

Untested?
no-one mentioned that.

Whether or not you develop right away in Flash MX depends on what position you are in. Obviously.

If the large percentage of your market has Flash 5 player and NOT Flash 6 player, there are choices to be made.
All I am advocating is that it doesn't get dismissed immediately as not worth it.
Eventually people will have to get the Flash 6 player. Thats a given.
The question is, is it worth them getting it right now, for all the benefits? AND are they likely to be put off? Or are they likely to to just go and get the thing.
Depends entirely on who they are, and partially on how they get it "sold" to them.

As I posted before,
its up to us.

[sonwah]

mission critical?
sounds impressive,
but anyone who would use Flash to control their nuclear reactor or Star Wars missile defence system is, well theres no nice way to say it, very foolish and unprofessional...

( just kidding )

[mikal]

Originally posted by jspektr

That doesn't sound like Macromedia's fault to me.

Com'on boo-bee, as a professional designer you should want a better product for yourself, your client and your clients clients... Or how about "as advertised". I really don't want to start a whole new way of testing right down to the plug-in. Your point made on the obvious, so there’s really no point made.

In my case it’s simply some see it, some don't and they have the MX plug-in. Fix it. Simple, until then I won't develop on it. Or at least let me know why it’s my fault, if that makes since. I does in part. However, I’m a designer but I’m also a consumer.

If I go out and by the best car on the lot, I expect it perform flawlessly unless of course in pushing it's limitations...which I’m not........and frankly can't at this point. Hell, it works...but not without some wierd things going on...I have enough to worry about. FIXIT and I'm just another question posting fla downloading fool.

These are just ideas...nothing personal...I’ve got time to kill so I'm killing on this board tonight.

M