So it almost the New Year again (already is for some). I figure I should make a list on things I want to do this year as a programmer/developer. This last year I’ve accomplished very much as far as learning new technologies, programming languages and stuff. I didn’t have a list last year though, so here’s a list for this year in order of how much I want to do them (I think of this as more of a “could-do list”):

• Find a full time job in web development, right now I’m thinking in Flex development (I’m presently a student)
• Start, and hopefully accomplish a great deal of work on developing a long term Flex 3 project
• Learn Visual Basic .NET
• Become proficient in Java
• Learn ColdFusion
• Learn Ruby/Ruby on Rails
• Learn more JavaScript
• Do a Python port of PureMVC

I figure if I do at least 60% of this I can be happy with myself. Leave a link to your own Developer’s Resolution I’d love to read through others. Don’t forget, 2008 is a leap year so you have a whole full extra day to get stuff done!

Cliff Hall just announced the release of PureMVC 1.7 for AS3.

If you haven’t had the opportunity, PureMVC is a great Model-View-Controller based framework. I have only spent a few days with it and I have to say I’m getting an understanding of it faster than my previous attempt to understand Cairngorm. The main benefit I see of this framework over Cairngorm is that Cairngorm focuses too much in Flex. PureMVC’s independence of Flex also means easier programming of AIR applications. Also, Cairngorm’s framework is far too interwoven, with Model code spilling over to Controller code and on and on. PureMVC keeps these areas completely separate but allows them to work with each other through a Facade class middleman. Also, you can also override PureMVC’s default behavior if you don’t like what it’s doing as it has been coded with subclassing in mind. PureMVC is solely an AS3 project and it is presently being ported to a number of other languages.

I have to say that so far PureMVC makes application programming an absolute pleasure.

If you still have doubts, take a look at this beautiful diagram of how PureMVC works.

Every time you upgrade to a new version of software it of course takes you a couple of weeks to get accustomed to changes and new features. For fun I’m going to highlight a few things I noticed within the first 24 hours of using Flex builder Beta 3 vs. Beta 2.

Application Menu

The first thing I noticed is a few new entries in the application menu. The are now immediate shortcuts to import Artwork and Web Services and to export a Release Build. Additionally, when you choose to import a project. You now have the option of importing a project folder, instead of just a zip file that must have been specially exported from Flex Builder. Thank you Flex Builder Team this is a huge feature. I no longer have to create new projects and copy folders because a code sample zip file wasn’t exported from Flex Builder.

Reorganized Help Docs

The help documentation files have been reorganized so it is much easier to find what you’re looking for without having to dig through seven layers of nested docs to find it. The only thing I would have appreciated here is some notes about what class methods/properties had been deprecated between Beta 2 and 3. This is especially noticeable in the AIR Beta 3 docs.

Advanced UI Constraints(Gone!)

Also noted here on Deepa Subramaniam’s blog, this feature has been dropped from Flex Builder 3. Sad to hear this, because honestly, this made Flex Builder 3 a pleasure to work with. But fortunately, the feature will be back in the future. On the bright side, a feature drop like this does give us an indication that the Flex Builder Team is really starting to finalize things for release. They obviously dropped it because they don’t have the time to make it work flawlessly before release. The Flex Builder Planning document states early 2008 as the release period for Flex Builder 3. Here’s hoping for March.

Can’t use Flex 2 License to Extend Trial Period

You should be happy for this feature. Flex Builder 3 Beta 3 expires after 90 days. Flex Builder 3 was released on 12/12/07. If you installed on 12/12/07, your Flex Builder will expire on 3/11/08. Take that how you will, but it looks like a good omen for a probable release date (or at least a projected release date). It’s just a guess, so don’t take my word on it, it’s not like I’m on the Flex Builder Team.

Today I added an About section that is basically a description of myself. Coming later this weekend I will be removing the Portfolio section in favor of a Projects section which will contain code examples, information on applications I’m currently working on, and other such material. This is a move on my part to add more substance to this site as presently most of the content is in the form of my blog posts.

Keep and eye out for this stuff over the next few days.