We recently released the updated version of Macromedia Central under the version number of 1.5 (code named "Gemini"). Gemini is still a developer release, however it is a very important step in the evolution of Flash technology on the desktop. This article provides some background on what we’ve been up to with Gemini, and explores the future of Flash on the desktop.

To find out more about Gemini:

• Install Macromedia Central 1.5
• Read "What's New in Central 1.5"
• Visit the Central Developer Center
  

Central 1.0 — A Retrospective

Flash has been remarkably successful in the browser, and has become a very comprehensive application development tool. Rich Internet Applications (RIAs) have been growing in popularity, and each release of Flash has given developers more of the tools they need to build larger and more complex web applications.

But what about the world outside of the browser? Web applications are great because they are typically easy to update (since you don't have to install new software on the end user's machine), easy to deploy (since you don't have to burn, package, and distribute CDs), and are usually location and platform agnostic. Desktop applications, however, are generally more responsive, versatile, and support the type of functionality that can make for a more intuitive and streamlined user experience. If both models offer distinct sets of advantages, the ultimate application development system must be one that combines the best of both worlds.

In order to start exploring the space between the desktop and the web, we built the 1.0 developer version of Central in November of 2003, introducing a new application development and deployment environment.

Developer releases of software are not intended for wide distribution and adoption by the general public, but rather provide software developers and early adopters with a chance to experience and help shape an emerging technology. Since Central is such a unique application environment, we wanted to open it up to our developer community very early in the process in order to get as much feedback as possible and help make sure we build the capabilities you want and need.

The idea of Central is that it combines the advantages of the web with the advantages of desktop applications. Central is a next-generation environment where applications are installed and updated over the network, yet run locally in a secure environment. Central applications are written in Flash, which allows expressive content and applications to be easily created.

Central is also designed to exist in an "occasionally connected" world where we wander in and out of hotspots, or zones of connectivity, since Central applications run whether or not you have a network connection. Remote data is cached locally allowing you to work efficiently while offline, and data synchronization can occur automatically when the Central environment detects a restored network connection.

In addition, Central leverages key standards like SOAP and XML. This makes integrating Central applications into new or existing service-oriented architectures very straightforward.

The Central 1.0 developer release generated significant feedback from early adopters and helped us drill down on a number of areas that needed attention, such as:

• Development workflow. The workflow developers had to adopt in order to author Central applications was cumbersome.
• Licensing. The licensing models we proposed did not fit with how developers wanted to use the system.
• Network detection. Although Central applications did function while the user was offline, it was not possible to automatically detect whether a user had a network connection or not.
• More operating system integration while still retaining the secure environment.
• Performance and resource management. Central 1.0 consumed too many system resources.
• The Central "chrome." Central applications did not allow for a fully customizable look and feel.

The goal with these developer releases is to elicit feedback from the community, and learn how Central could better meet developers' needs. The launch of Central 1.0 marked the first time we had been so open with the development process of any of our technologies, and it is definitely paying off.

Gemini — The Next Step

Gemini is an important step in the evolution of Flash content and applications on the desktop. While still very much a developer release, we have made improvements in a number of areas, including:

• Automatic network detection, which now works on Mac and PC platforms
• Flash MX 2004 extensions to ease the development workflow
• Simpler and much less restrictive licensing models
• Support for securely accessing the local file system, and support for remote file upload and download
• Support for Flash Player 7, ActionScript 2.0, and the new component architecture
• Early support for building Central applications with Macromedia Flex

In addition to these core improvements in Central, we worked in partnership with AOL to create the AOL Instant Messenger SDK, which allows developers to integrate instant messaging and presence detection into their Central applications by leveraging the AOL AIM and ICQ networks.

Gemini is the result of a great deal of hard work, dedication, and feedback from you, although we still have plenty of work ahead. Gemini is ready to be released to developers and early adopters, and we're looking forward to the feedback process for this next phase.

Beyond Gemini

So what's next? Where is all of this going? If Gemini is still a developer release, what changes are in store as we move closer to a full production version? Well, a lot of that depends on what you tell us about Gemini, although we already have some interesting ideas.

We are already working on significant performance and resource management improvements based on a next generation Flash Player. Of course, these improvements will benefit applications running the Flash Player in a browser as well as outside the browser.

OS integration is something you have consistently told us is important. Although Gemini applications can behave more like native desktop applications compared to Central 1.0 applications, they are still visually tied to the Central "shell," or chrome, and they still have the feel of running inside a very distinct container.

We're thinking hard about ways to evolve the environment for Flash content and applications on the desktop, and we're actively researching requirements. Developers are telling us that would like more control over the look and feel of the applications. They are also saying that they would like the freedom to build rich and expressive platform-independent applications that appear to be fully standalone, that incorporate OS-specific functionality, and with completely customized branding. We’re continuously thinking of ways to effectively blur the line between traditional native desktop applications and networked on-demand applications.

Integration with other Macromedia technologies also presents some interesting potential. Breeze and Flash Communication Server offer a versatile communication and collaboration system enabling streaming audio and video, and Macromedia Flex provides developers with a powerful, streamlined, and intuitive development model for building and maintaining complex Rich Internet Applications. We're thinking of ways to allow developers to leverage these technologies for use on end-user desktops.

OK, So What Does It All Mean?

It means that Gemini is an important step in our goal to create a ubiquitous, transparent environment for deploying rich applications and content. Gemini is about taking the next step toward giving application developers a level of power, flexibility, and efficiency they have never had.

We invite developers and early adopters to install Gemini and download the Gemini SDK — to not only catch a glimpse of the future of Rich Internet Applications, but to help us create it.

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