2010: What’s Next for Flash and Flex Developers?

Preface

With all the economic and tech turmoil the past year, many have shown a yearning for something stable amidst it all. Some of the mobile & device hype has actually come to fruition without Flash Player taking a starring role. This has had harsh marketing/PR consequences for many peoples continued, or lack of, faith in the platform.  This is ecspecially true for those of us in the Flash community for awhile; we’ve been hearing for a decade about Flash on mobile, and have long since been tired of hearing it.

We’ve already seen some luminaries leave the platform for iPhone like Aral Balkan & Keith Peters, some for good, some returning (welcome back sexy man Keith). Others have thrown in their joy with Unity 3D. All the while we have HTML5 deceitful propaganda biting at the heels for those of us who have stayed.

What’s next? What technology is coming that we should invest our time in to ensure a continued prosperous career? Should we stay with Flash Player?  Is there something I can focus on that’ll help me find a niche and as an early adopter get a payoff?

Today, I want to layout what I think is coming the next 6 years to at least put your mind at ease if you’re a Flash/Flex Developer.  These are my projections based on what I’ve read, corroborated from talking to colleagues and other reading, and based on past experience.

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What I Learned at Flash and the City 2010

While it’s fresh, here is what I learned at Flash and the City 2010 (blog).  It was a Flash & Flex conference in New York City that brought together developers from around the world.  The reasons for me to attend were (beyond being invited, duh):

  1. You don’t attend conferences, you speak at conferences.
  2. I like smaller conferences.
  3. I love Manhattan.
  4. One of my current clients is there.
  5. My wife had never been to New York.
  6. You don’t get many eastern conferences (east in the USA).

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