It has been a very interesting week in the Flash world. Who would have known that the biggest deathblow to Flash would have actually come from the company that is responsible for it? After announcing major layoffs, Adobe slowly started revealing their intentions to end Flash Player development on mobile browsers. Adobe tried to message that this was not going to be a big shift in their overall Flash roadmap but yesterday they reveled that Flex is being shelved and turned into an open source project after version 4.6. Make no mistake, Flash is now a dead platform and here is why:
Continue Reading
November 12, 2011#
Game Over: How Adobe Killed Flash
September 18, 2011#
Windows 8: Fulfilling A 5 Year Old Promise
About 5 years ago I spent over a thousand dollars on a device called the Samsung Q1. It was part of a new group of devices called UMPC (Ultra Mobile PCs). The Q1, and other UMPCs like it, were simple slate devices, without a keyboard, required a pen for input and were around 7-8” inches. They all ran Windows XP, had incredibly weak processors, not enough ram, terrible battery life and were supposed to usher in a new age of tablet computing. It wasn’t until a few days ago that a promise Microsoft made to people like me who bought these UMPCs was actually fulfilled. With the announcement of Windows 8 at Microsoft’s Build conference it looks like we will finally see a new slew of devices that assume the role of the UMP but are powered by an OS that is up to the task. Even better, I have a front row seat to contribute to the success of this platform by creating my own apps and games for it.
Continue Reading
August 19, 2011#
Interviewed By Brad Manderscheid
I was just interviewed by Brad Manderscheid on Google+ today and thought it would be good to repost it here. You can also follow the conversation that followed here.
July 25, 2011#
Getting Started With HTML 5, JavaScript And Canvas
For the past month I have been digging deep into HTML 5, especially building games in JS and Canvas. I have been fighting having to go back to JavaScript, especially since I have grown to fall in love with languages like Java and C#. It wasn’t until I went to Seb Lee-Delisle’s Creative HTML 5/JavaScript workshop here in NYC that my fate was sealed.
July 5, 2011#
Being A Successful Developer In NYC
Before we begin I just have to state the obvious that there is no magic formula for being successful here. I recently read the book Outliers by Malcolm Gladwell and there were two points in his book that I feel play a very important role in being successful in the city: one is becoming an expert (putting in your 10,000 hours of practice) and the second is being at the right place at the right time. Of course skill, savvy, drive, ambition, and persistence all play an important role in success here, but New York City really is a place that revolves around knowing the right people. Here is a little background into what launched my career.
July 4, 2011#
NYC Flash Developer Salary 2011
There is a famous saying about New York, ”If you can make it here, you can make it anywhere.” Not only is NYC incredibly expensive, it’s super competitive. Our quality of life sucks, our apartments are smaller than you could imagine, and commuting to work in an overcrowded subway is mentally and physically draining. Even with all of this, people still come to the city in hopes of becoming successful. After reading an excellent post by Ben Stucki on what he made this year as a Flash developer in Nashville, I thought it was about time to do a post on what it takes to live in NYC and what you can make if you work here.
July 4, 2011#
Shoot Video Tutorials Like A Pro
As many of you may have noticed I have been doing more and more video tutorials lately. Before I really got into Flash, I was actually doing video production in a TV station. I also have a few years of editing in Final Cut under my belt as well. But if you want to start making your own video tutorials, you just need to get the right equipment and put in some time learning the tools of the trade. In this post I will highlight a my setup and what you should consider buying to make professional looking video tutorials.
July 3, 2010#
The Making Of FlashBum.com
In 2004 I decided it was time to go back to school and get a masters degree. I was accepted to SVA (School of Visual Arts) in Manhattan and during my two years in the program I created a project that has become my brand. This is not an easy task, and something that took a very long time to develop.
January 6, 2010#
The Renaissance Developer
When I was an artist I loved to paint. Oils were my primary medium but I also used watercolors and acrylics. When I wasn’t painting I was using chalk and pastels. Sometimes I sculpted with clay or stone. I would even do etching and print making when the need hit me. My transition from fine art to digital art wasn’t nearly as painful as my transition from artist to developer. Then a funny thing happened. Once I learned Flash I didn’t go any further. Sure I know PHP, Ruby, JavaScript and a few other languages but not as well as I know ActionScript. Where am I going with this? Well, when I was an artist I picked the right tool for the job, but as a programmer I locked myself into one language and made that my focus. In 2010 my New Year resolution and life goal is to become a Renaissance Developer just like I was as an artist.
