Articles by Simon Horwith

Adobe ColdFusion 8

Wed, 10 Oct 2007 16:45:00 EDT

Exciting news for organizations and developers using ColdFusion: Adobe released ColdFusion 8 on July 30. This release is a major milestone for the product: it is the first full-version ColdFusion release by Adobe since the acquisition of Macromedia. With the release of CF 8, Adobe has shown their commitment to the product and their commitment to enabling ColdFusion developers to build better Web-enabled applications faster than with any other technology.

What Kind of ColdFusion Developer Are You?

Sun, 07 Oct 2007 11:00:00 EDT

My editorial last month was a high-level overview of all the new features in ColdFusion 8. Many of these features were generally divided into one of two categories: features that address developer productivity and those that focus on integrating with other products and technologies.

New Adobe ColdFusion 8 Tools "Invaluable"

Mon, 30 Jul 2007 13:30:00 EDT

'As someone who often has to troubleshoot, improve, and analyze client applications and server performance, I've also found the new debugging and server monitoring tools to be invaluable. I can't imagine going back to not having them available and making use of them daily.'

ColdFusion 8 Makes Developers' Lives Easier

Sat, 02 Jun 2007 15:30:00 EDT

On May 30, Adobe released the public beta of ColdFusion 8. Although things can change between the public beta and the final release - the features included in CF 8 are unlikely to change between now and the official release, so I thought I'd give a high-level overview of some significant new features and why developers and companies should be interested in ColdFusion 8.

What's New with Flex, ColdFusion, and More

Tue, 29 May 2007 07:15:00 EDT

Today I'm speaking with Ben Forta, the technical evangelist for Adobe. The first thing I have to ask you is - the acquisition has happened, Adobe is now controlling ColdFusion and has taken over everything that Macromedia was doing, and this is my first chance to really speak with you since that happened - what is going on in the ColdFusion world? How has the acquisition gone for the ColdFusion team and yourself and what's in store for us in the near future?

Scorpio and Apollo - Coming Soon to a Town Near You!

Sun, 13 May 2007 21:00:00 EDT

Yes, you read the title correctly: 'Scorpio,' the highly anticipated eighth major release of ColdFusion is coming soon to a town near you. Even before the release of the highly successful ColdFusion MX 7 two years ago, the ColdFusion team was already hard at work scheming, experimenting, planning, building, creating...and the result is 'Scorpio.'

Career Growth 101 for the ColdFusion Developer

Mon, 07 May 2007 01:30:00 EDT

A student recently asked me what he could do to further his career, and inquired as to how I got to the point I am at on my own. This is a subject generally reserved for informal chit-chat among developers at conference social events and after user group meetings, and is one that is very important to each of us.

ColdFusion and AJAX

Mon, 02 Apr 2007 17:45:00 EDT

Since our last issue, several events have transpired that have significant impact for ColdFusion developers. I have been keeping my eye on several trends and have been evaluating whether or not they deserve focus in ColdFusion Developer's Journal. I've begun blogging about these trends and about my observations and ideas regarding these trends and the future of CFDJ.

ColdFusion: So Easy, Even a Caveman Can Do It!

Tue, 06 Mar 2007 18:45:00 EST

While recently channel surfing, one of the 'Geico caveman' commercials came on the tube to remind me that Geico.com is so easy to use, even a caveman can do it. Plenty of ColdFusion developers are not what some people might call 'real programmers.' This is not necessarily a reflection on the platform; I've met plenty of Java and .NET developers who couldn't code their way out of a wet paper bag either. The very idea that someone is 'not a real developer' is ridiculous. You're either a developer or you're not. If you get the job done and you do it fast and well, I don't care what you wrote it in - even if you are a caveman.

A New Year's Resolution: Get to Know ColdFusion

Wed, 27 Dec 2006 04:15:00 EST

Keeping up to date with the most recent versions of software and programming languages is the toughest challenge for me as a developer. With each passing year it seems that the demands of being a top Web developer require proficiency in more and more tools and languages. Gone are the days of just knowing HTML and JavaScript Validation.

CFDJ Editorial — Making Heads or Tails of the Many CF Conferences

Thu, 07 Dec 2006 12:00:00 EST

ColdFusion developers today are presented with more options than ever before - more developer tools, more conferences and learning resources, and more development choices in the form of frameworks and language features.

Adobe University Evangelists

Mon, 06 Nov 2006 13:00:00 EST

Spending as much time as I have speaking before audiences, I try very hard to keep an eye on trends and attitudes within demographic groups, including university students. I have also had the opportunity in the past to represent Macromedia as a lecturer at Ivy League universities.

CFDJ Editorial — Increase Your Productivity 100%

Tue, 24 Oct 2006 17:00:00 EDT

Usually, when something sounds too good to be true, it probably is. We've all seen the spam - 'Increase your 100%' e-mails that are clearly nothing more than ridiculous claims with no validity.

CFDJ - The Ultimate Resource for ColdFusion Developers

Tue, 03 Oct 2006 12:00:00 EDT

When ColdFusion Developer's Journal was launched eight years ago, it was the first printed periodical exclusively by and for ColdFusion developers. Over the years there have been many changes in format, authors, and publishing/editorial staff. One thing has remained constant, however: the focus of the magazine has always been to serve the CF development community with the best content possible.

CFDJ Editorial — Good 'ol CF" and the New Frontier

Fri, 25 Aug 2006 09:00:00 EDT

Let's face it, the web is a frequently changing landscape - more so now than it has been since its inception. When the term 'Web 2.0' first set the industry on fire, I have to admit, I was not terribly excited.

CFDJ EDitorial — Thoughts from My Blog

Thu, 03 Aug 2006 13:00:00 EDT

I was really busy for several weeks prior to CFUnited and am back on the road again... but there's a silver lining. I'm basically done with my first round of SAM docs and I will be making those available very soon; I have the code and stories/advice to post as well - I just haven't had the time. I do promise I'll be blogging and posting interesting stuff very soon, though.

What I Love About ColdFusion

Thu, 20 Jul 2006 13:45:00 EDT

When ColdFusion was first released there was one main feature, more than any other feature, that made it very popular very fast: ColdFusion makes it ridiculously easy to create Web pages that can talk to databases and display database information. Now, almost 11 years later, this is still one of ColdFusion's primary strengths and most popular features.

Showing Commitment to the CF Community

Wed, 19 Jul 2006 08:15:00 EDT

I've written a lot lately about the growing strength of the ColdFusion development community - shown by the onslaught of frameworks and the rapid adoption and support for these frameworks, the growing number of bloggers, new conferences and the great success of the CFUnited conference, and by the commitment to the community being shown by Adobe.

How ColdFusion MX 7 Made Me A Hero In The Office

Sun, 04 Jun 2006 17:00:00 EDT

Last month I announced a CFDJ essay writing contest; the topic for the essays was 'How ColdFusion MX 7 made me a hero in the office.' I received many great entries and thank each of you for your submissions.

Flex 2 Beta 3 Is Released

Tue, 09 May 2006 08:15:00 EDT

Flex 2 beta 3 was just publicly released at http://labs.adobe.com. There are some nice changes in beta 3. I won't list them all here, but a few changes that I've been most impressed with so far are a bunch of nice enhancements to the Flex Builder IDE interface and performance and much better java-to-actionscript serialization. The flex framework source code is now distributed with the SDK and builder, which I think is very cool.

CFDJ Contest - Has ColdFusion MX 7 Made You a Hero at Work?

Mon, 17 Apr 2006 10:45:00 EDT

We're fast approaching CFUnited 06, and time for another contest to give away seats! For those of you not familiar with CFUnited, it's a conference that's grown from its grassroots beginnings to become the premier annual ColdFusion event.

The Future of ColdFusion – Major Flex 2 Deployments Are On Their Way, Says CFDJ Editor-in-Chief

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 10:00:00 EDT

'I'm shocked...shocked, I say, at just how much the ColdFusion landscape is changing. I'm specifically impressed with the impact that recent trends and events have had on the community.' His editorial this month is a detailed look at some recent events within the community and how they will impact things to come.

i-Technology Viewpoint: We Need Not More Frameworks, But Better Programmers

Thu, 30 Mar 2006 10:45:00 EST

It's no secret that I've been outspoken about not liking frameworks for quite some time now. The truth is, I believe that frameworks have a lot to offer. The most significant benefit that organizations stand to gain from using frameworks is a standardized way to code and an environment that is generally more conducive to allowing multiple developers to work on a project at the same time. If frameworks help to standardize how things are done and make it easier for many developers to work on a project, why have I been vocal about not liking them? Am I just trying to create controversy?

Implementing SOA Using Flex, Flash, and ColdFusion

Tue, 21 Feb 2006 12:00:00 EST

Adobe provides the development community with the best tools available for rich internet development and dynamic web application development. Flash is the platform of choice for developing next generation web applications, the Flex 2 platform is Adobe's new rapid development environment for flash applications and is suited to developers (rather than designers), and Adobe ColdFusion is their J2EE based platform for rapid development of web applications.

ColdFusion Developer's Journal Special "Frameworks" Focus Issue: SAM

Wed, 01 Feb 2006 12:30:00 EST

I've been fairly outspoken for quite some time now about the fact that I don't subscribe to any one framework. I've also spent many years refining what's proven to be the best methodology possible for developing ColdFusion applications. I recently promised my boss that I would learn and evaluate several of the popular ColdFusion frameworks.

ColdFusion Developer's Journal Special Focus Issue: Frameworks

Sun, 29 Jan 2006 08:30:00 EST

I've been a certified ColdFusion instructor for six years and speak regularly at user groups and conferences. One thing I've learned without a shadow of a doubt is that talk is cheap. Anyone can talk a good talk, but the proof is always in the pudding. Okay, enough clichés.

Misconceptions and Myths About ColdFusion . . .

Tue, 24 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST

As someone who stands in front of audiences and evangelizes ColdFusion, often times I not only find myself preaching to the choir, but I sometimes find myself defending the product to misinformed or disheartened individuals. In the role of developer I, and many of our readers, find themselves in the same predicament.

2005: "One of the Most Significant Years in ColdFusion History"

Sat, 21 Jan 2006 07:30:00 EST

'2005 has been one of the most significant years in history for ColdFusion developers and Web developers in general,' writes CFDJ Editor-in-Chief Simon Horwith. '2006 looks to be a very promising year as well, between the impending release of Flex 2, the beginning of seeing what Adobe does with the product, and the continued development of ColdFusion 8, code named 'Scorpio.' Still, at the end of the year it's good to look back on the legacy we will inherit and build-on in the year(s) to come.'

Java Vendor NGASI Updates AppServer Manager

Fri, 20 Jan 2006 14:15:00 EST

VPS runs multiple application servers in separate Virtual Operating Systems on the same machine in a seamless manner, NGASI reports. Also included in the company's recent update are installation and configuration tools for the Apache Geronimo Application Server. These are in addition to the existing tools for other application servers, such as Tomcat, JBoss, and JOnAS. This is part of the company's ongoing commitment to provide automation tools, designed to enable developers to rapidly deploy enterprise Java J2EE Web sites and applications for their customers.

Where's ColdFusion Headed Under Adobe?

Thu, 19 Jan 2006 09:00:00 EST

Adobe has been very successful in selling into the enterprise. This can only help ColdFusion going forward,' says Dave Mendels, in this exclusive interview with ColdFusion Developer's Journal. Here Dave discusses 'Scorpio,' how the ColdFusion product development team is already hard at work devising the best way to harness synergies between CF and Adobe's LiveCycle products, and more.

Simon Horwith's ColdFusion Blog: Using Includes in CFCs

Fri, 13 Jan 2006 15:15:00 EST

Several people, Sean Corfield and Joe Rinehart most notably, have been blogging and emailing lists talking about the pros and cons of using cfincludes in CFCs. Sean is opposed to it, as am I, but Joe's got some mixed feelings. In a rush I simply commented on Sean's blog that this is bad form and defeats the purpose of Components. Joe'd like me to elaborate, so I will.

Welcome the Arrival of Adobe and Web 2.0

Wed, 04 Jan 2006 13:45:00 EST

It's official - the Adobe acquisition of Macromedia has been finalized and our beloved ColdFusion has a new home. Is this a bad thing? No, not at all. There was a lot of talk within the community about how this may adversely effect the server, but talk is cheap and, in this case, also very premature.

What is the Future of ColdFusion? Adobe Speaks Out!

Thu, 08 Dec 2005 10:00:00 EST

I have also noted many people expressing question and concern on various list servers. Well, Ladies and Gentlemen, let me tell you that the future is looking great. Of course, I don't work for Macromedia/Adobe, so why should you believe me? Maybe you shouldn't... but I've gone straight to the horses mouth, so to speak, on this one.

ColdFusion CFC Query in Dreamweaver

Fri, 21 Oct 2005 21:30:00 EDT

As a developer I tend to focus my attention on learning the tools that best meet my immediate project needs. As a Macromedia Certified Instructor I am in the position of having to learn all of the new features and tools, even those that I may not personally use very often in development, in order to teach them to my students. My role as a developer is unique in that I spend the majority of my time dealing with application architecture and business objects, whereas the average developer focuses more on the presentation tier on a day-to-day basis. It's very important that I am able to teach Flash forms, PDF and FlashPaper generation, the report builder IDE, and new Dreamweaver features to name a few to people who really need and rely on them to get the job done when they leave the classroom and go back to the office.

MAX 2005 – CFDJ's Editor-in-Chief: "Be Sure to Stop By and Say Hello"

Mon, 17 Oct 2005 02:00:00 EDT

It was exactly one year ago that ColdFusion Developer's Journal began focusing heavily on a different topic every month. The feedback that I hear from our readers at conferences and via email indicates that it has been a well-received change in format. While there is no plan to stop this practice, there are other ideas that I'd like to experiment with in order to try and give our readers the most useful content possible. The specialized focus issue format was introduced in order to make each month's issue more informative and to offer something for everyone, regardless of the level of expertise. The new format will be to have both focus and non-focus issues, but with certain common themes that are touched upon all year round.

CFDJ Product Review "CFMX Exam Buster 7"

Sun, 16 Oct 2005 11:15:00 EDT

Macromedia has been offering ColdFusion Developer Certification since version 4.5 was released. Though it's arguable that there is no such thing as an exam that accurately measures a person's ability to develop applications, some employers do value such things and there's no denying that it certainly doesn't hurt to have the certification listed on one's resume. To help developers practice and prepare for the certification exam, CentraSoft offers their CFMX Exam Buster software, recently updated for the ColdFusion MX 7 Certification exam.

Got Flash? Macromedia Teaches RIA Development Like Never Before

Wed, 14 Sep 2005 22:15:00 EDT

Several years ago I reviewed DRIA - 'Developing Rich Internet Applications.' At the time it was the first official Macromedia Curriculum course to teach Rich Internet Application development. I thought I'd do a follow-up on that, as things have changed in the past couple of years.

It's a Great Issue This Month, Even Better Issues on the Horizon!

Wed, 17 Aug 2005 17:00:00 EDT

In addition to the XML and community articles I've mentioned, we also have some terrific articles about other topics. In the regular 'Macromedia Speaks Out' column, Tim Buntel introduces the ColdFusion Administrator API. This API is new in CFMX 7 and allows developers to programmatically access the CF Admin functionality and data. Duncan Jack has written a terrific article about UML and UML tools, which I highly recommend. In his regular column, Hal Helms has written another 'etudes' article - focusing on ColdFusion structures this month.

July Was Busy for the ColdFusion Community!

Tue, 09 Aug 2005 16:00:00 EDT

July was an exceptionally active month in the ColdFusion Community. First, the month began with the conclusion of the CFUnited Conference. Formerly known as 'CFUN,' CFUnited was a ColdFusion Conference the likes of which I haven't seen since the old DevCon days.

"Convergence Is Now Coming Alive" Says Jeremy Allaire

Sun, 07 Aug 2005 00:45:00 EDT

On ColdFusion's 10th Birthday, ColdFusion Developer's Journal editor-in-chief Simon Horwith sat down with one of the true pioneers of the Web, the man who started it all, Jeremy Allaire, to talk about the past, present, and future of ColdFusion...