Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#1

Post by juwo » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 1:09 PM UTC

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Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#2

Post by juwo » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 1:13 PM UTC

Even Bruce Eckel who wrote the popular Java books, "Thinking in Java", has switched sides and is backing Flex.

Qs: Can your application if written in Flex;

1) can it open/close files, in Flex?

2) FTP stuff across, open network connections?

3) can it work offline?

If ActionScript is simply a scripting language in the browser, then I doubt it can do the above. So why the hype? - Anil

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#3

Post by fauxto » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 2:29 PM UTC

juwo wrote: post #2

Even Bruce Eckel who wrote the popular Java books, "Thinking in Java", has switched sides and is backing Flex. Qs: Can your application if written in Flex; 1) can it open/close files, in Flex? 2) FTP stuff across, open network connections? 3) can it work offline? If ActionScript is simply a scripting language in the browser, then I doubt it can do the above. So why the hype? - Anil

http://flexblog.faratasystems.com/?p=115

The answer to the initial question, "Is Actionscript 3 a 'real' programming language?" depends entirely on who you're asking.

1) Flex application run in a sandbox, much as Java applets do. Locally, and currently, Flex applications can open files for parsing, but can not write to them. This is remedied with Apollo which is in alpha. Apollo is essentially a Flex application wrapper that provides a file system API, among other things.

2) This really becomes a question of whether or not someone is inclined enough to write the necessary Actionscript 3 as it supports binary sockets and byte arrays currently. Someone has already created a ZIP library.

3) Again, when Apollo launches, then yes. Although, a Flex application can run offline should it not require file system access, and even then files can be opened, just not written to.

Actionscript runs in a VM just as Java does, which is irrelevant given that the questions you're asking are entirely arbitrary. The answers to which only tangentially, and tenuously, provide support in defining whether or not a programming language is 'real'.

In the interests of providing my own answer... I would say no, it's not quite a 'real' programming language.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#4

Post by danw » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 2:34 PM UTC

ECMAScript (the standard that action script is built upon) is turing complete, therefore Actionscript is a real language.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#5

Post by ryantmulligan » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 2:40 PM UTC

juwo wrote: post #2

Even Bruce Eckel who wrote the popular Java books, "Thinking in Java", has switched sides and is backing Flex. Qs: Can your application if written in Flex; 1) can it open/close files, in Flex? 2) FTP stuff across, open network connections? 3) can it work offline? If ActionScript is simply a scripting language in the browser, then I doubt it can do the above. So why the hype? - Anil

The hype is because you can possibly simplify rich websites by fitting your web content into the standardized widgets that Flex provides you, thus speeding up development a lot.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#6

Post by fauxto » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 3:15 PM UTC

danw wrote: post #4

ECMAScript (the standard that action script is built upon) is turing complete, therefore Actionscript is a real language.

Touche.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#7

Post by danw » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 4:17 PM UTC

ryantmulligan wrote: post #5

juwo wrote: post #2

Even Bruce Eckel who wrote the popular Java books, "Thinking in Java", has switched sides and is backing Flex. Qs: Can your application if written in Flex; 1) can it open/close files, in Flex? 2) FTP stuff across, open network connections? 3) can it work offline? If ActionScript is simply a scripting language in the browser, then I doubt it can do the above. So why the hype? - Anil

The hype is because you can possibly simplify rich websites by fitting your web content into the standardized widgets that Flex provides you, thus speeding up development a lot.

I think flex will be the perfect platform for mobile devices where the offline/online is needed more.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#8

Post by russ » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 7:24 PM UTC

danw wrote: post #7

ryantmulligan wrote: post #5

Earlier quoted context omitted.

The hype is because you can possibly simplify rich websites by fitting your web content into the standardized widgets that Flex provides you, thus speeding up development a lot.

I think flex will be the perfect platform for mobile devices where the offline/online is needed more.

Not to mention Flex/Flash's ability to scale to screen size is much more flexible than laying out pages via XHTML/CSS

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#9

Post by jaggederest » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 8:46 PM UTC

Why would you want to compare it to java? Ye gods man, java/c/c++/c# aren't exactly the kind of languages I'd want a new language to compare with.

Python, Ruby, Haskell98, ocaml, etc. Consider those your languages that set the bar right now. Java is 'the new' C.

Re: Is Flex/Actionscript a real programming language? Can it do what Java does? (work offline, write files, networking etc.)

#10

Post by woot » Sat, Apr 28, 2007, 10:31 PM UTC

Yes , it can be used to build applications with those capabilities. But depends on how you implement it ..just like Java. When implemented in browser, most of the sandbox restrictions apply.[Like java applets]. But when implemented in a desktop environment [using an OS dependent wrapper or on top of runtime like Apollo], it can write files to disk and do otherwise taboo karmas.

For updates on whats going on in actionscript community[or Adobe technologies in general], subscribe to Adobe's MXNA . Some of the finest Actionscript coders can be found at flashcoders pipermail list. [chattyfig.figleaf.com/mailman/private/flashcoders/]

For an opensource perspective on Flash and Actionscript visit: osflash.org