Thanks for your positive comments Michael, makes me fell more
optimist about learning AS3. However, all I said is still true. I
understand everything you said, especially about coding things OUT
OF THE ACTUAL objects, like attaching code to a button. I do things
like that myself, even in AS2, for more complex projects. When you
say "This was done to (as far as I know) encourage programming in a
centralized location which is better.", I TOTALLY agree with you.
This is a more efficient way of coding, no doubts about that. Note
also that this is the way most robust programming languages do
things (I beleave). Again, my point is the following: AS3 is more
focused on programmers, efficiency, speed, well organized,
centralized, etc. No doubts about that. From a programmer's point
of view, all this make sense. AS3 now looks more like C++, JAVA or
all other programming language. However, from an artist point of
view, or a kid point of view, or a teacher point of view, or my
uncle point of view, having simple code on buttons, is a LOT MORE
intuitive than to scroll of full page of code containing all the
programs. Have you ever try to teach kids (or even adults)
programming? As soon as your code reach more than a paragraph, you
lost them. To some point, AS2 was THE LIMIT they could understand
(to my point of view). I think you over estimate non programmers
skills. And it is not only about where to put codes, there is a lot
of changes in AS3 that makes AS3 cross the line separating
programmers world and artist world. For example, typing variables
maybe a little change for a programmer (even a better thing), but
this is a NIGHTMARE for people like me. When you add many of these
little pains, in the end, you found yourself with extra headachs.
Simple as that. Finally, your thing about having to deal with
hundred of buttons, again, show a programmers point of view. We
artist, never have to deal with such projects, these are projects
given to programmers . We rarelly have more that a few clips, a few
buttons, a few sounds, and many cool animations, like 80% of
personal flash website are built. If you need PHP, a hundred
buttons, speed and easy updates, hire a programmer, not an artist.
In the past, programmers could make heavy website- or programs with
.NET, Javascript, PHP, ASP, COldfusion, etc,etc. We artist, we ONLY
HAD Flash to have fun and TOO make websites. Now, what do we use to
make simple, fun, unefficient website ? Multimedia is not ONLY
about efficiency, money, security, and blablabla, it is also about
FUN, education also. Now, our kids, instead of having fun with
Flash (like they used to) and learn programming basics, even
unofficials ones, they'll have fun with their Wii and their Xbox,
wich is too bad, to my opinion. I wish my post here make you all
programmers see a different point of view than the one of
efficiency, speed, organisation, and undestand that the price you
pay for such improovments are: less fun, less easy to learn and
teach, centrelized code=frightening. To me, it is clear, a few
years ago, the web was driven by artists. Now, it is driven by
buisnessman, programmers and lawyers. Too bad, the party is over.
And you know what the next step will be ? You'll need a special
permit to run servers and publish stuff on the web in order to
garanty "efficiency, security and uniformity to the web buisness".
For me, AS3 is the begining of the end of the party. Flash soul was
sold to programmers in order to make it more: efficient, organized,
logical, uniform, etc, etc. But there is a price to pay for such
changes, and we, artists pay the bill, in my opinion.