On August 16, 2007 SYS-CON Media has launched Flex Developer's Journal, an online technical publication for developers that are using or considering Adobe Flex as a technology for creating rich fronts end for Web applications.  While in the past Sys-Con was publishing Flex-related articles here and there, now we’ve got the critical mass of interest required to have an independent publication covering this solid platform for creating Rich Internet Applications (a.k.a. RIA).  You can have lots and lots of people screaming and shouting “Flex is cool”, but publishers of technical magazines are very pragmatic people, and they would not start a new publication unless the software has already some serious following and good growth potential from the business perspective. Today, Adobe Flex has both.

I was delighted to receive an offer to lead this publication even though this will become my “after hours” activity. I will continue making my living as a software developer and an architect of enterprise applications.  For several years I’ve been serving as an Enterprise Editor of Java Developer’s Journal , and have a pretty good
understanding of what it takes to build a loyal technical readership. 

Having spent almost two years studying, working, teaching and writing about Adobe Flex, I’ve got to know many talented developers who are passionate about this emerging technology. I’m constantly browsing Flex blogosphere trying to find people who are not only technical gurus, but who also can and want to share their knowledge with their peers.  If you are a blogger, please submit your technical articles to Flex Developer’s Journal (FDJ).  How? Just shoot me an email at yfain at sys-con.com. Include the description of the article you’d like to publish and a one paragraph BIO.

Here’ My Bio:
Yakov Fain is a managing principal of Farata Systems, consulting and product company.  He's authored and co-authored several Java books and dozens of Java and Flex technical articles. This year, he co-authored the book, "Rich Internet Applications with Adobe Flex and Java: Secrets of the Masters". Sun Microsystems has nominated and awarded Yakov with the title Java Champion. He leads the Princeton Java Users Group and New York Rich Internet Applications special interest group at nysia.org. Yakov teaches Java and Flex 2 part time at New York University. He is an Adobe Certified Flex Instructor.

I’d like to ensure that Flex Developer’s Journal  is created by people that represent various types of Flex developers – from practitioners to evangelists.  To achieve this, we are creating an advisory board for FDJ. The fact that this is an independent publication, does not mean that we can’t have people from  Adobe Flex team on board, and as a matter of fact, a well known and respected Flex engineer from Adobe has already accepted my invitation to become a board member. To be included in the advisory board  you must be actively programming in Flex.

I’m sure that together we’ll be able to create an interesting publication catering to people who use Flex covering everything that Flex developers care about: technical tips, industry trends, and best practices.

Best wishes,
Yakov Fain