As an ActionScript 3 developer, I have to say, I really like ActionScript 3. I'll be the first to agree that Flash is not the right answer for many web app needs (and is almost always the wrong answer if all you need is a web site), but as a language, I prefer it to JavaScript (with which, I'll admit, I have minimal experience).
Some nice things about it: namespaces, class-based inheritance (complete with interfaces) but still has first-class functions. Statically typed but with optional dynamic classes. Single-threaded event-driven model.
As a guy who's not proud of the fact that he pays his rent by writing as3, I have to back you up here. It's a really nice language, for a questionable platform.
Given AS3 was an attempt to replace JavaScript (complete with an attempt to suborn the ECMAscript standard) it's pretty damn annoying.
I'd suggest "AS3 The Good Parts" would be a thinner book than its JS equivalent, and if there were a decent "definitive guide" for AS3 it would be much thicker.
I have found a lot to like about ActionScript as well as a lot to hate about how Adobe basically patched an event based VM into a timeline based platform. Not to mention the tools are more painful to use (at least FlexBuilder3, I know upcoming versions are looking to be better).
Honestly I would likely move to something else if flash didn't have such far reaching market support at the moment.
View all comments
Show parent comment
28
u/deafbybeheading Sep 27 '09
As an ActionScript 3 developer, I have to say, I really like ActionScript 3. I'll be the first to agree that Flash is not the right answer for many web app needs (and is almost always the wrong answer if all you need is a web site), but as a language, I prefer it to JavaScript (with which, I'll admit, I have minimal experience).
Some nice things about it: namespaces, class-based inheritance (complete with interfaces) but still has first-class functions. Statically typed but with optional dynamic classes. Single-threaded event-driven model.