This talk is a departure from our usual technical focus, and we think
it will be an especially exciting one. Our speaker, Libby Freligh, was
a key player in the original definition, creation and launch of the
Macromedia Flex platform, and our talk will take a fascinating look at
the genesis of the platform from a business and product management
angle, as well as a look at the present and the future.
Libby will start with a perspective on the early history of Flex
platform, discussing how Flex evolved from an initial concept into the
major force in RIA development that it is today. The rest of the talk
will provide a business perspective on current RIA development,
looking at how the landscape has evolved and how Flex and other
platforms have essentially changed the terms of how software gets
built now. Libby will also talk about her experience since Macromedia
in designing and developing RIA products that successfully address the
online market.
douglasmccarroll....@brightworks.com> wrote:
> This talk is a departure from our usual technical focus, and we think
> it will be an especially exciting one. Our speaker, Libby Freligh, was
> a key player in the original definition, creation and launch of the
> Macromedia Flex platform, and our talk will take a fascinating look at
> the genesis of the platform from a business and product management
> angle, as well as a look at the present and the future.
On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 6:55 AM, mitch <mitch.g...@cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> This meeting sounds interesting but ...
> Has somebody decided to have all the meetings in Kendall Square
> instead of Newton? Personally for me getting to and from Newton was
> way easier.
> - Mitch Gart
> On Sep 29, 8:14 pm, Douglas McCarroll <org.google-
> douglasmccarroll....@brightworks.com> wrote:
> > This talk is a departure from our usual technical focus, and we think
> > it will be an especially exciting one. Our speaker, Libby Freligh, was
> > a key player in the original definition, creation and launch of the
> > Macromedia Flex platform, and our talk will take a fascinating look at
> > the genesis of the platform from a business and product management
> > angle, as well as a look at the present and the future.
I'm only one member of this group's 8 person board, and I'm not speaking for
the board right now, just for myself.
But I wanted to respond just a bit so that these questions weren't met with
complete silence. You see, when you have an 8 person board, all of whom are
quite busy, it can take a while to make decisions, such as "how should we
respond to this?". In fact, some decisions take us months. :) So its
probably simplest for board members to join the conversation if/when we/they
are so inclined.
Here's what I recall. Other board members - please correct me if I'm
wrong...
I don't think that we've made an official decision to hold all future
meetings in Cambridge. What I recall is that we decided to experiment with
this. Also, arranging meetings at Adobe HQ is somewhat difficult and
time-consuming - I'm not clear on the details of why this is as another
board member has been handling this - something to do with dealing with a
large organization I believe. Also, because the building that Adobe is in is
locked before our meetings begin, we have to take extra measures to try to
make sure that everyone gets in - board members lurking in the lobby,
greeting people, etc. Simply stated, it's kind of a pain.
On the other hand, holding the meetings in Cambridge is turning out to be
quite easy. As we're all pretty busy, 'easy' is definitely attractive. So,
even though we haven't made a decision to have all meetings in Cambridge, we
seem to be inclining in that direction.
So we haven't suddenly become philosophically attached to the idea of
meeting in Cambridge - and I'd encourage anyone with opinions on this
question to voice them. But I'd also like to take this opportunity to
suggest that the best way to get input into how things are done in a user
group is to get involved as a volunteer. For example, in relation to this
current question, if someone found a better place to meet out on Route 128,
or wanted to volunteer to be the person who lurks in Adobe's lobby until
after the speaker has started speaking, etc, - well, these might be ways to
make good things happen.
Douglas
On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 7:40 AM, James Nichols <jamesnicho...@gmail.com>wrote:
> And for me, I can't ever go to Newton but can go to Kendall Square.
> Can we have a like a vote or something?
> Jim
> On Wed, Sep 30, 2009 at 6:55 AM, mitch <mitch.g...@cal.berkeley.edu>wrote:
>> This meeting sounds interesting but ...
>> Has somebody decided to have all the meetings in Kendall Square
>> instead of Newton? Personally for me getting to and from Newton was
>> way easier.
>> - Mitch Gart
>> On Sep 29, 8:14 pm, Douglas McCarroll <org.google-
>> douglasmccarroll....@brightworks.com> wrote:
>> > This talk is a departure from our usual technical focus, and we think
>> > it will be an especially exciting one. Our speaker, Libby Freligh, was
>> > a key player in the original definition, creation and launch of the
>> > Macromedia Flex platform, and our talk will take a fascinating look at
>> > the genesis of the platform from a business and product management
>> > angle, as well as a look at the present and the future.
I agree that the previous meeting place in Newton was a pain because
of the security and the building being locked before the start of the
meeting. Once you were inside the meeting space was nice but getting
inside was a pain. Not nearly as much of a pain as driving from the
'burbs in to Kendall Square, but a pain.
It looks like Adobe is building a new headquarters along 128 in
Waltham. Does anybody know when they are moving there? Once they
move, could we go back to having some or all of the meetings there?
And by the way, thanks to you and the board members for organizing
this, the meetings are really useful.
- Mitch Gart
On Sep 30, 6:22 pm, Douglas McCarroll <org.google-
> I'm only one member of this group's 8 person board, and I'm not speaking for
> the board right now, just for myself.
> But I wanted to respond just a bit so that these questions weren't met with
> complete silence. You see, when you have an 8 person board, all of whom are
> quite busy, it can take a while to make decisions, such as "how should we
> respond to this?". In fact, some decisions take us months. :) So its
> probably simplest for board members to join the conversation if/when we/they
> are so inclined.
I can speak to this topic specifically from the perspective of running the
Boston CFUG. There are procedures for getting "budget" to hold these
meetings at Adobe in the evening. Typically there is some additional
security time involved, I believe. However, even more difficult is that you
need an Adobe employee to be there with you which isn't always easy due to
schedules and finding someone willing to stay late. For instance, I used to
have a contact willing to do this regularly since he typically attended the
meeting but since he is no longer there I have to rely on convincing someone
to stick around who doesn't attend the meetings. As you can imagine, this
isn't high on their list. Thus, we occasionally hold meetings there and they
always come through when I can't find an alternate location but its really
not a viable regular location unless you have a contact there willing to
handle this for you (I don't recall exactly but I think the contact for the
FUG also left Adobe and that was part of the issue).
On Thu, Oct 1, 2009 at 6:55 AM, mitch <mitch.g...@cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> I agree that the previous meeting place in Newton was a pain because
> of the security and the building being locked before the start of the
> meeting. Once you were inside the meeting space was nice but getting
> inside was a pain. Not nearly as much of a pain as driving from the
> 'burbs in to Kendall Square, but a pain.
> It looks like Adobe is building a new headquarters along 128 in
> Waltham. Does anybody know when they are moving there? Once they
> move, could we go back to having some or all of the meetings there?
> And by the way, thanks to you and the board members for organizing
> this, the meetings are really useful.
> - Mitch Gart
> On Sep 30, 6:22 pm, Douglas McCarroll <org.google-
> douglasmccarroll....@brightworks.com> wrote:
> > Hi,
> > I'm only one member of this group's 8 person board, and I'm not speaking
> for
> > the board right now, just for myself.
> > But I wanted to respond just a bit so that these questions weren't met
> with
> > complete silence. You see, when you have an 8 person board, all of whom
> are
> > quite busy, it can take a while to make decisions, such as "how should we
> > respond to this?". In fact, some decisions take us months. :) So its
> > probably simplest for board members to join the conversation if/when
> we/they
> > are so inclined.
Just to chime in too (I'm also on the board), Douglas is correct: the
logistical problems at Adobe Newton are severe, plus we all had
concerns about losing the urban UG population. So the original plan
was to alternate.
Alternation has been difficult, though. Worse than all the
inconveniences with the locks and security passes, is the fact that
Adobe has scheduled occasional, week-long shutdowns of its offices,
sometimes during weeks when a Boston FUG meeting is to be held, and we
don't hear about these things until the last minute sometimes. In
fact, Adobe Newton will be in shutdown mode again for our October
meeting (and I only just heard about it from an Adobe employee in
passing - I'm not aware that anyone informed us through official UG
channels).
So there really is no Adobe option in October at all.
...j
On Oct 1, 6:55 am, mitch <mitch.g...@cal.berkeley.edu> wrote:
> I agree that the previous meeting place in Newton was a pain because
> of the security and the building being locked before the start of the
> meeting. Once you were inside the meeting space was nice but getting
> inside was a pain. Not nearly as much of a pain as driving from the
> 'burbs in to Kendall Square, but a pain.
> It looks like Adobe is building a new headquarters along 128 in
> Waltham. Does anybody know when they are moving there? Once they
> move, could we go back to having some or all of the meetings there?
> And by the way, thanks to you and the board members for organizing
> this, the meetings are really useful.
> - Mitch Gart
> On Sep 30, 6:22 pm, Douglas McCarroll <org.google-
> > I'm only one member of this group's 8 person board, and I'm not speaking for
> > the board right now, just for myself.
> > But I wanted to respond just a bit so that these questions weren't met with
> > complete silence. You see, when you have an 8 person board, all of whom are
> > quite busy, it can take a while to make decisions, such as "how should we
> > respond to this?". In fact, some decisions take us months. :) So its
> > probably simplest for board members to join the conversation if/when we/they
> > are so inclined.
This talk is a departure from our usual technical focus, and we think
it will be an especially exciting one. Our speaker, Libby Freligh, was
a key player in the original definition, creation and launch of the
Macromedia Flex platform, and our talk will take a fascinating look at
the genesis of the platform from a business and product management
angle, as well as a look at the present and the future.
Libby will start with a perspective on the early history of Flex
platform, discussing how Flex evolved from an initial concept into the
major force in RIA development that it is today. The rest of the talk
will provide a business perspective on current RIA development,
looking at how the landscape has evolved and how Flex and other
platforms have essentially changed the terms of how software gets
built now. Libby will also talk about her experience since Macromedia
in designing and developing RIA products that successfully address the
online market.
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