We first met Richard this past spring, at 360|Flex San Jose. He submitted some speaking topics, and despite being from Europe, was more than happy to come over to present! When we waned to make sure he knew we couldn’t afford airfare, his reply was “…I’ve wanted to come to 360Flex for some time – there’s very few hardcore technical Flex/Flash conferences – but couldn’t justify the expense of travelling from Europe. If I’m selected to speak, then I need only pay the flight and it becomes far more affordable. “Will speak for entry and accommodation” sounds like a good trade when it’s a great conference…”
He’s coming back again, and as always his sessions are gonna rock! That’s right, Richard is another of our two’fer speakers, doing double duty with “Re-architecting the designer-developer workflow” and “Open Source is for life, not just for Christmas”
both sessions are gonna kick ass, don’t miss them!
Q: How long have you been working with Flex?
A: Three years, on and off. Sometimes we don’t work together so much as fight together but we always make-up in the end.
Just like me and Tom, since well, the day we met!
Q: What do you like most about Flex.
A: Data binding. It makes developing views so much easier.
LOVE Databinding! What an awesome idea that was!
Q: What 1 session are you most excited about seeing at 360|Flex DC?
A: Jeff & Michael on Writing Testable Code. Most of my code is testable, but that’s more by luck than judgement. I’d like to be more deliberate about it.
Testable code is so important! I never got much into testing my code and wished I had.
Q: What about 360|Flex DC are you most excited about?
A: My session on Open Source is quite a departure or me. Previous sessions I’ve presented have been focused on code, but this one is about experiences managing an open source project. It’s stories and anecdotes, some of them painfully honest, others painfully funny. Hopefully the audience will laugh. I’m more scared about this presentation than any I’ve given before, yet I’m also more excited about it than ever before. The combined emotions are a heady mixture.
That’s awesome! We love sessions that stretch our speakers to new levels! It’s gonna be great!
Q: Do you prefer ninjas or robots?
A: To be a ninja, to own a robot.
Good point, I’d love to own a robot, or three. Heck maybe a complete dozen!
Q: What is one thing you’d like to see improved in the Flex Framework?
A: I’d like to see the framework use more containment and less inheritance, particularly where the bulky, bloated UIComponent class is concerned.
I think UIComponent must be the bane or most developers’ existence, LOL.
Q: Is there someone you’re hoping to see at 360|Flex DC?
A: All the many friends I met at the last 360|Flex and haven’t seen since. Twitter’s good and all, but there’s nothing like real life, with real conversations and real beer.
That’s the reason we do this! Letting the community come together, share a beer or three, and swap stories, and techniques.
Q: Lastly, what would you tell someone who was on the fence or hadn’t heard (I know, they’re out there though) of 360|Flex to get them to come?
A: There’s many Flash platform conferences out there, but 360|Flex is the one that focuses on developers, on the technical rather than the visual, on the code rather than the design. That’s why I travel all the way from Europe to be there. I’m a developer and 360|Flex is my conference.
I don’t think I could have said it better myself. There’s lots of events out there, but none are concerned with the community!
Don’t miss out! Register now, and lock in your room at the Hilton before the room block fills up!