Comments on: Should Flex stick to AIR? http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/ Fri, 21 Nov 2008 23:09:13 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.3 By: John Dowdell http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38902 John Dowdell Fri, 14 Sep 2007 16:56:33 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38902 Ajax has another issue, because assets (including scripts) are transferred as separate HTTP requests. Most browsers default to handling eight simultaneous requests, with only two from any given domain. (SWF files contain multiple assets within a single HTTP connection, and can start to display before fully downloaded. Flex defaults to an upfront load, however.) Bottom line: For comparable content, SWF can be more responsive. The points above about modules and caching are spot-on. More background, and a link to Dirk Eismann's recent work: http://weblogs.macromedia.com/jd/archives/2007/09/fast_flex.cfm jd/adobe Ajax has another issue, because assets (including scripts) are transferred as separate HTTP requests. Most browsers default to handling eight simultaneous requests, with only two from any given domain.

(SWF files contain multiple assets within a single HTTP connection, and can start to display before fully downloaded. Flex defaults to an upfront load, however.)

Bottom line: For comparable content, SWF can be more responsive.

The points above about modules and caching are spot-on. More background, and a link to Dirk Eismann’s recent work:
http://weblogs.macromedia.com/jd/archives/2007/09/fast_flex.cfm

jd/adobe

]]> By: Harald http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38890 Harald Fri, 14 Sep 2007 15:14:27 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38890 The biggest thing about flex is the framework itself which loads on startup. Flex 3 will introduce framework caching. which will reduce the startup time dramatically. That means it loads the framwork on the first flex site you visit and it gets cached. The second flex site you visit whill only load its own assets. With this caching you can reduce your app to just a few kb. The biggest thing about flex is the framework itself which loads on startup. Flex 3 will introduce framework caching. which will reduce the startup time dramatically. That means it loads the framwork on the first flex site you visit and it gets cached. The second flex site you visit whill only load its own assets. With this caching you can reduce your app to just a few kb.

]]> By: Matt http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38886 Matt Fri, 14 Sep 2007 14:47:26 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38886 Not to mention that Flash Player 9 added support for caching the Flex Framework within the Flash Player itself. Not to mention that Flash Player 9 added support for caching the Flex Framework within the Flash Player itself.

]]> By: Rob McKeown http://neilmiddleton.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38878 Rob McKeown Fri, 14 Sep 2007 13:52:38 +0000 http://blog.feed-squirrel.com/2007/09/14/should-flex-stick-to-air/#comment-38878 As a flex developer you have options to reduce the initial wait time. For example, breaking the application into modules will allow each to be downloaded on demand. This reduces initial load time and has the added benefit of saving bandwidth since if a user only uses part of your app, you only need to send that part over the wire. To say that AJAX apps don't have this problem is not necessarily true. If you are doing something where the layout of the screen is based on widgets, you will most definitely have an initial wait as the HTML renders in the browser and then the Javascript parses and rearranges it. Take a look at the initial load of a very complex app built with Dojo or YUI for example. As a flex developer you have options to reduce the initial wait time. For example, breaking the application into modules will allow each to be downloaded on demand. This reduces initial load time and has the added benefit of saving bandwidth since if a user only uses part of your app, you only need to send that part over the wire.

To say that AJAX apps don’t have this problem is not necessarily true. If you are doing something where the layout of the screen is based on widgets, you will most definitely have an initial wait as the HTML renders in the browser and then the Javascript parses and rearranges it. Take a look at the initial load of a very complex app built with Dojo or YUI for example.

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