Comments for Free Flex Builder for Unemployed, Students and Faculty (http://www.insideria.com/2009/04/free-flex-builder-for-unemploy.html)

Free Flex Builder for Unemployed, Students and Faculty

2009-04-06T13:05:00Z

Adobe has a terrific offer for unemployed programmers and students: a free, fully enabled copy of Flex Builder 3! See for yourself at https://freeriatools.adobe.com

The criteria for unemployed programmers is:

To receive the product under this program, you must attest to the fact that you are currently unemployed and that the software will be used only for your personal use not for any production or commercial purposes.
I attest that the following statements are true:
I am not currently employed or being paid to develop software applications or web pages
Adobe Flex Builder 3 Software I receive under this program is for my personal use to learn about Adobe Flex and improve my skills
My license to use Flex Builder 3 under this program will not be used for production or commercial purposes, nor will it be transferred to any other person or entity, including to my employer should I become employed.

The criteria for students and faculty is:

To receive the product, you must upload a valid proof of eligibility to get the serial numbers to activate the product. Valid proofs of eligibility are:
a student ID showing current enrollment,
a Faculty ID showing current employment
an employee ID showing current employment, or
a letter on an educational institution letterhead stating that you are either a current student, a current faculty member or a current employee of the institution.

_______________________________

Mike Slinn
Independent full-service software contractor and author
http://slinnbooks.com
http://mslinn.com

Comment from Daryl on 2009-04-06

2009-04-06T15:32:21Z

I hate to say it but this is the same old sh## I m 52 unemployed and looking for another vocation .In case u haven't noticed all the money for reeducation has run out .Here u make an offer that I can't possably qualify for and as far as I can see only benifits younger pop. Also if I were to use it u don't want it used for finanual gain .But you know man has got to eat .Personaley I feel that the only person this is benifiting is u.I m betting u get some type of tax beneifit plus a bunch of unemployed programmers with adobe skills that u can draw on .Man what an offer!!!!!1 . Yah you're right its people like u that make the world go round. Well best reguards Daryl

Comment from me on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T13:10:22Z

Daryl,

Someone who is able to write gems such as "u don't want it used for finanual gain" should be unemployed.

Comment from JP on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T15:05:11Z

This offer is lame.

How about encouraging unemployed programmers to use your RIA tools to build any kind of applications? You have to attest that you won't build a commercial application? Seriously? Perhaps Adobe should embrace their developers and give a goodwill offering to those who may benefit.

Dear Adobe:
Look at Microsoft's strategy with Visual Studio Express editions. I really hope Silverlight won't eat your lunch.

-JP

Comment from Thomas on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T15:12:53Z

Funny folks round here. You get something for free (hey, you don't have to accept it!) and people still keep complaining. Do you expect Adobe to provide well-paid dev jobs for Flex beginners?

btw: I would certainly not hire someone like Daryl, with that language skills and attitude.

Comment from Mike Slinn on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T15:24:27Z

To set the record straight: I am an independent contractor, self-employed. I do not work for or represent Adobe.

Comment from JP on 2009-04-07

2009-04-07T15:58:23Z

Let me be clear. I don't expect Adobe to give anything away for free. It's their product and they can do as they choose. However, when they position themselves to give away a free product (with restrictions) to an unemployed software developer, who does it help? What are they trying to accomplish? I understand the offering to academia. I think that's great. But, I think it's a big F-U to the unemployed to expect them to embrace this without potentially using it for a commercial gain. What are they suppose to do? Start using Flex for a hobby? I'm sure that will put food on their plate.

Comment from The Flex Guy on 2009-04-08

2009-04-08T11:46:33Z

Well, it's great that Flex builder is available for free to at least some developers, but I'm not sure I can see how the "no gain" scheme is going to work either. If a person takes the time to study Flex, it's but natural that he/she is planning to be professionally involved in Flex development. Wouldn't it make sense to include just educational facilities in the offer?

Comment from George on 2009-04-08

2009-04-08T13:54:06Z

Er ...is it not saying: While you're unemployed you can use this software for free to gain/polish skills that might help you become employed, at which point you (or your employer) need to buy a copy.

Comment from Marciano on 2009-04-16

2009-04-16T19:07:42Z

Guys

Let us not bash Adobe for a gesture of goodwill for providing a free tool to those that need it. If you are not interested in Flex then leave it, we live in a free country.

I was an ecommerce developer in Middle tier .NET and Java when last employed and now need to learn a Web 2.0 RIA.. My employer never approved any RIA software tools, nor training , nor time to explore new technologies. Yes I am as resentful, as Daryl above, and have a hard time coping with unemployment, but I welcome the free offer. A lot of Job listings in my area require some Flex in combination to .NET or JAVA. Having mostly back end skills I am not a very appealing candidate. So I NEED to learn FLEX to distinguish myself.

Also I am convinced that if my employer had invested in training for a RIAs framework I would be still employed because their site looks like a half baked Web 1.0 with buggy AJAX patches. Not having a clean RIA really killed this company. Most clients are leaving in droves to competitors with full blown WEB 2.0 RIAS. Nothing wrong with AJAX but it just takes to longer to code without an IDE like FLEX.

Have you all tried to get the same deal at Microsoft via their Micro ISV? Good luck !! Microsoft is a major pain and wants money first then talk later. :) The express version of Visual Studio is useless since you need at least the Professional Edition. Also FLEX skills are actually more transferable into Silverlight then the other way around. I am not yet convinced that Sliverlight will eat Flex for lunch but history will need to tell that.

So take advantage of this offer and I apologize that you need to listen to my predicament but I believe that learning FLEX will increase the number of interviews and hence job offers in the very short future.

Comment from Mike D on 2009-05-08

2009-05-08T19:32:55Z

This offer has ended. Apparently there are a lot of out-of-work developers out there. This excerpt from the page at https://freeriatools.adobe.com/learnflex/:

Thank you for your interest in the program for unemployed developers. We have received over 15,000 requests for participation in the program, so we are currently not able to accept new enrollees.