Comments on: Tutorial on using runtime skinning in Adobe AIR applications

By: Charles

Charles — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 18:45:12 +0000

This is a wonderful article on AIR and functional UI. I got the Times reader so that I could check it out while reading your article.

I don’t think that application is just a web app. It obviously incorporates the AIR htmlLoader, but there is also the crossword, news in video, and news in pictures sections that are awesome. Seems like this app would clean up shop on a tablet.

Its unfortunate that in AIR beta 2 there are still huge limitations on interfacing with peripherals. At least it incorporates socket server methodology. It would be nice if the platform started supporting multi-threading as well.

Great article!

By: Rob Christensen

Rob Christensen — Wed, 10 Jun 2009 19:48:55 +0000

@Dan — Thanks for the feedback. I am a product manager on Adobe AIR and wanted to let you know The AIR team is actively thinking about this — stay tuned.

By: Justice

Justice — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 14:36:54 +0000

Thanks for the reply Dan, you hit it right on with the AIR and OS integration. Even if you skin it, it is still not a real desktop application due to limitations of its integration with the OS. I have used Merapi, but it does not have a place in package distribution with an app – just way to many variables.

By: Dan Orlando

Dan Orlando — Tue, 09 Jun 2009 08:38:57 +0000

Amen Brotha!!!

I too am sick of web sites that only use AIR to “fake” a desktop application that is really just a web site running from the AIR runtime. I am also sick of seeing dinky widgets. At the same time, AIR needs to continue to evolve into a solid and legitimate desktop development framework by giving the developer the power to communicate directly with the O/S and it’s libraries, rather than having to use a TCP/IP proxy just to access the stupid USB port, for example.