| Title: Frequently Asked Questions |
| |
| This page covers some frequently asked questions that we get on the mailing lists. We will be updating it with more |
| content as time goes on. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Can I have write access to GIT?</h4></div> |
| Due to legal reasons, only people who have been elected as committers have write access to directly update the code in version control. |
| We at Apache take the legality of code seriously, and nothing would be worse than somebody contributing code that |
| they don't own and a 3rd party having a legal claim to our framework. That being said, you can submit code by providing |
| `.patch` files (diff files) to the project. Check out the [Get Involved][1] page for more details on how to do that. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>How is this different than Adobe Flex?</h4></div> |
| In November, 2011, Adobe announced they were no longer supporting Adobe Flex. Instead of just killing the framework they |
| donated it to Apache. Apache Flex 4.8.0 is essentially the exact same version of Flex as Adobe's last official |
| version. Since that initial donation the Apache Flex team has been working hard on fixing bugs, providing additional |
| components and finishing unfinished components. As we progress through additional versions, we will be less and |
| less like Adobe's Flex framework, but we will strive to be compatible with it. |
| |
| Adobe has offered some of their customers extended support contracts, and may produce additional versions, but |
| that is unlikely. Future support of the Flex Framework is through this project. |
| |
| There are a few differences you should be aware of in the Apache version of the SDK. Most notably, the Flash Player will |
| not cache RSLs created with Apache Flex. You can find out more in the RELEASE_NOTES file in your SDK download |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>I've used Adobe Flex before. How do I start using Apache Flex?</h4></div> |
| The quickest way to start using Apache Flex is to use the Apache Flex SDK Installer. This AIR application will download |
| the latest version of the Apache Flex SDK and all the required components to make it work. It will also set the proper |
| options so that the SDK can be used with your favorite IDE such as Flash Builder, FDT, Flash Develop or IntelliJ. |
| To use the SDK Installer, go to the ["Download the SDK Installer"][4] link under the downloads menu above. It will |
| walk you through the rest of the process. |
| |
| Once you have the SDK on your computer, it should be just like the old Adobe SDK you were already using. Make sure |
| to check the RELEASE_NOTES file for a full list of differences. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Why are you not using GitHub?</h4></div> |
| A mirror of the project is currently available on GitHub, but we are not accepting pull requests at this time. |
| (However we can accept patch files generated from pull requests.) |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>I don't have time to read the mailing lists. How can I keep up with the project?</h4></div> |
| The [Open Spoon Foundation][2] has been providing monthly updates as to the goings-on of the Apache Flex project through |
| their "Apache Revue" newsletter. You can also check out the [Apache Flex Blog][3] for critical updates. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Where can I find the Apache Flex Roadmap?</h4></div> |
| We do not have a roadmap. That is not the Apache Way™. Apache Flex is a project run and maintained by volunteers. The |
| way that Apache works is that each developer do what they are passionate about. There is no release schedule, |
| and therefore, there is no official roadmap. You can always make suggestions via JIRA or the mailing lists for |
| new features that you wish to see and if they are good enough a developer will pick them up. You can always |
| contribute your own code for new features as well. You can find out more about contributing code on the [Get |
| Involved page][1]. |
| |
| All that being said, you can check out what developers are working on by peeking in the "Whiteboard" area of the |
| source control. There is a lot of cool projects incubating there that may (or may not) make it into future |
| releases. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>What happens to my projects if Adobe Discontinues the Flash Player?</h4></div> |
| It is true that current Flex projects are tied to either the Adobe Flash Player or Adobe AIR. We have been making great |
| strides to compile projects to native JavaScript, therefore bypassing the Flash Player in the browser. Adobe |
| has made a commitment to support the Flash Player and our current runtime for at least 5 years from the time |
| they donated the project to Apache. You can find out more about their roadmap on the [Adobe Flash Whitepaper][5]. |
| |
| Event if Adobe no longer created new versions of the Flash Player, it is still had an incredible install base |
| (being installed on over 90% of internet-connected PCs). If the Flash Player were no longer updated today, it would |
| still be installed just about everywhere. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Will my code work on Platform X?</h4></div> |
| The currently released version of Apache Flex will output to either SWF of AIR. SWF is supported within browsers on |
| Windows 2000 through Windows 8, Mac OSX, Linux (using Chrome), many phones and some smartphones. AIR allows |
| you to take your Flex application and output native applications for Android (2.2+), iOS (3+),certain |
| BlackBerry QNX devices (Playbook), MacOSX and Microsoft Windows. |
| |
| We are currently working on supporting JavaScript as an output. This will increase support to anywhere HTML5 |
| is supported. |
| |
| Other platforms may be added if Adobe AIR beings to support them. Unfortunately, we are not in control of adding |
| additional support for other platforms at this time. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Can I submit apps I make with Apache Flex to App Store X?</h4></div> |
| By using Adobe AIR with Apache Flex, you can produce applications that can be submitted to the Apple App Store, Android |
| Market, Apple Mac App Store and Blackberry App World. There are very successful projects that have been submitted |
| to all of the above. In fact, you can actually use one code base to create apps for each of the different platforms |
| to submit to all of the different stores! |
| |
| Apache Flex coupled with Adobe AIR allows you to make Apple iOS Applications from a Windows PC. You will need a Mac in |
| order to submit the app to the store. |
| |
| <div class="headline"><h4>Does Apache Flex cost money?</h4></div> |
| No. This is a completely open-source project and uses the [Apache License v. 2.0][6]. This allows you to use the SDK and |
| any outputs of the SDK for personal and commercial use with virtually no restrictions. Some of the recommended tooling |
| (not produced by Apache) costs money, however you are more than free to use the included command-line compilers |
| and toolsets. |
| |
| [1]: community-getinvolved.html |
| [2]: http://www.spoon.as |
| [3]: http://blogs.apache.org/flex/ |
| [4]: installer.html |
| [5]: http://www.adobe.com/devnet/flashplatform/whitepapers/roadmap.html |
| [6]: about-licensing.html |