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Ana Dujmovic was formerly the product
manager for the Answers Panel, Exchanges, and other Macromedia
developer-relations
initiatives. With seven years of experience in the Internet
industry, she has been a web developer, research analyst,
consultant, and product manager for various companies in
Silicon Valley and Europe.
Logged In
Get logged in to the web development community. Just as
you log in to your favorite website to find the latest news,
"log in" with us to hear about happenings in web
development and the latest trends in Macromedia products—directly
from the teams that create, market, sell, and support them.
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Are great web development tools, by themselves,
enough to produce great results? Almost—but
not quite.
Actually, having the right resources is just as
important as having the right tools. Most of
us spend significant time outside of our development
environments searching for information, resources,
or inspiration. Whether our main task is design
or development, we regularly reach out to the developer/designer
community to learn more, get tips, find answers
quickly, reuse code, troubleshoot, or just get ideas
from others. This process can be time-consuming
and even tedious, but there's good news. Online
research just got easier with a new MX feature:
the Answers Panel.
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So, what is the Answers Panel?
The Answers Panel is a network-based feature in
MX products, including Macromedia Flash MX, Dreamweaver
MX, and Fireworks MX. The Panel integrates online
resources directly into your workspace, providing you with
the most up-to-date online resources through regular
live updates and dynamic queries. (If the Answers
Panel does not appear in your panel group or you are
unsure how to access it, you can open it by choosing
Windows > Answers.) Browse or search for technical
updates, extensions, components, code samples, and
links to training and support. The Answers Panel is
your gateway to online information, tools, and the
developer community. |
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What's in the Answers Panel?
The Answers Panel is dynamically populated with
various types of content, including:
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Technical
updates (most recent TechNotes and product
and documentation updates) |
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Productivity
tools (extensions, components, and code
samples) |
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Ideas
(design ideas, development tips, and sample
applications) |
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Learning
links (online and local help files,
tutorials, white papers, and articles) |
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Access
to the developer community (links to
DevNet) |
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How can you use the Answers Panel?
Wish you were more efficient? Wondering if anyone
already developed the functionality you are working
on? In the past you had to leave your workspace and
search the Macromedia Exchange website for product
extensions. Now you can search for extensions or view
the newest extensions directly from the Answers
Panel—without
leaving your MX tool.
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If you see the extension you're looking for on
the Answers Panel, a single click will lead you
to the extension download. Because the Panel updates
for the newest extensions, you can always stay abreast
of the latest streamlining opportunities. (For more
information about extensions and how to use them,
see Matt Brown's article, "Rapid Development
with Extensions.")
Need ideas?
Hit the creative corner of the Answers Panel, the
Site of the Day. Macromedia
producers keep a careful eye on cool and innovative
uses of Macromedia technologies to showcase each
day. Use the Answers Panel to explore these real-world
websites for new ideas and technical tips.
Like to stay up-to-date on product support?
Open the TechNotes module for the newest
announcements from our Support group or let the
Answers Panel be your first stop to resolve a problem. Macromedia
takes a proactive approach to product support by
posting announcements through the Answers Panel,
including documentation availability, release updates,
and support tips. (You can skim the newest
articles just published in the
DevNet to improve your
technical know-how, too.)
Want fresh articles and white papers delivered
to you?
The Articles section in the Answers Panel brings
you the newest edition of DevNet, filtered for topics about your MX product. |
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If you use multiple MX products, or just like to
stay up-to-date with Macromedia technologies, switch the article display settings
to "all articles" to enjoy the full edition. The DevNet regularly features experts on Macromedia
Flash, Dreamweaver, Fireworks, and the newer Macromedia
products like Flash MX Communication Server. In
addition to white papers, technical tips, and sample
applications, DevNet's
columns address current trends in web development
and Macromedia's vision.
Want to learn more?
If you're a beginner, Getting Started shows you the
quickest path up the learning curve. Read
Me serves as a reference to a wealth of resources
for the expert and novice alike. If you're
an advanced user, the Articles section will help
you keep an eye on new white papers added to the
DevNet.
What's new in the Answers Panel?
In July we added two new features to the Answers
Panel: the Site of the Day and DevNet Articles section. Moreover, we
plan to continue adding new features and topics
to the Answers Panel. Our on-going goal, in addition
to providing you with top-notch tools for web development,
is to increase your productivity and provide you
with optimum support. The Answers Panel automatically
updates itself whenever new versions
are available—at no cost to your pocketbook or schedule.
Will new features continue to be added to the
Answers Panel?
Our goal is to anticipate your questions and
help you find the right resources and the right
answers. Look for these cool features in the future:
- More links to the developer community (forums,
experts)
- Interactive features
- Search capabilities across resource categories
and sources
- Leads to training and tips
- Better management of product extensions
- Automated product updates
- Integration of popular independent resources
(non-Macromedia)
Now, what answers are you looking for?
Not finding what you need in the current Answers
Panel? Don't see your favorite online resource
included? Just had a killer idea for the Answers
Panel? We would love to hear your ideas! Just
submit a feature
request and mention which MX product(s) you
use.
We hope you'll open the Answers Panel frequently
to view new features and experience how the Answers
Panel helps your daily workflow, improves your efficiency,
boosts your creativity, and keeps you up to date
with technical news and tips. In other words, you
don't need to search for resources anymore, we'll
bring them to you—in the Answers Panel.
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