Flex Joins the Open Source Club
Friday, October 19th, 2007On April 26, 2007, Adobe Systems Incorporated announced plans to release source code for Adobe Flex as open source. This development means that both open source and commercial developers will be empowered to extend and enhance the Flex framework to suit desired needs, while simultaneously contributing to the evolution of Flex software.
So, what are the components being released in the newly open sourced design of Flex? Adobe hasn’t held back much; offering all components of the Flex SDK applications: source code for ActionScript, MXML compilers, ActionScript debugger, ActionScript libraries that make up the core Flex framework, and more. Also, the expectations to complete the transition to a fully open sourced project—one that will include Adobe Flex Builder along with all the other components—are expected for release fourth quarter 07.
For the sharing and contributing of Flex as open source, Adobe will use the Mozilla Public License. By licensing Flex under the MPL, Adobe is showing that they are understanding of many open source projects that need to balance the necessities of open source community and commercial software vendors. With the MPL, Flex can now be extended, contributed to, or incorporated into desired projects (barring a developer does not follow the Flex terms of use agreement). Also, MPL is already being used by many other well known open source projects (ICEFaces Ajax Development Platform, ECLiPSe) with both thriving communities and significant commercial users; demonstrating Adobe’s confidence in the open sourcing of Flex.
Adobe is banking on Flex, and by doing so they are demonstrating tremendous commitment to the recently open sourced application. With continuous developments and improvements being supplicated into the ongoing framework and language evolution of Flex, companies around the world are taking notice, and using the Flex capabilities to progress their needs and interests.
By Haley January Eckels
