Adobe Users Group: Flash 10th Anniversary Showcase

About a week ago, I mentioned that I might be speaking at an event at the Apple Store, on Michigan Avenue. Well, tonight was the event… and I showed up with Liz, hoping that I’d get a chance to talk about one of my projects.


Outside the Apple Store.


Front door, looking in. Lots of traffic today, possibly due to the announcement of the new Mac Pro.


Stairs, leading up to the software area and the 2nd Floor Theater.


Software Aisle. I never really documented my first trip here, so I figured a few extra shots of the layout were in order.


Looking down and out onto Michigan Ave.


I got excited by these machines, and thought they were the new Mac Pros (sadly, they were the regular Power Macs). Still though, that display is killer.


Theater area. I spoke briefly to Michael Schaffner, one of the event organizers, and he was still unsure whether or not there would be time for me. I sat down, notes in hand, and basically tried to watch the presentations in the hopes that folks would finish early, and leave time for me.


As luck would have it, one of the presenters didn’t show – and so I got to get up and talk a bit. However, on arriving at the workstation… I put the mouse onto this lit pad area (for some reason, I thought it was the mouse pad). I effectively shut down the entire projection system, and it took a solid 2 minutes for the thing to power down (and another minute before it could power back up). A bit embarassing, as I just stalled the entire event – but after that, things got a bit better.


Of course, before I began I talked about the blog and snapped a quick shot of the audience. This is from my point of view, looking out onto the theater seats.

I talked about the collaborative You Are I Am project, and how it all came about. I tried to go slowly (thanks Liz), but I know I was pretty nervous and sped through things a bit. Mostly, since I knew others were waiting to present, I wanted to do my bit, and politely move on – so others would have a chance on stage.

One thing I realized, listening to some of the presenters: I’m a total Flash snob. I’ve learned a good deal in my time, and I know there’s a lot more for me to learn yet. But I caught myself scoffing more than once, at someone else’s approach/methodology. I guess I’m used to a certain tier of quality – in both design and programming, given how amazing my coworkers are, and given how amazing some of my online friends are. I can’t help it – I’ve been spoiled.

The other thing I realized was that this event was, in essence, an open mic. I was under the impression that it was more of a curated thing, with the presenters being the top picks from among all the submissions. But as I sat listening to the presentations, it dawned on me that pretty much anyone and their brother could have shown their work, and a few guys presented multiple projects in a “this is what I’m working on” kind of way.

All well and good. I got to see a wide range of things, but maybe only one or two really caught my eye. This was an open mic event for Flash developers, and in all honesty it felt rather masturbatory. This wasn’t really a “showcase” of Flash work so much as it was a presentation made by the first eight people to reply to a call for submissions.

I may have to look in to the other meetings run by AUG Chicago. I’m all for people sharing ideas and information and techniques. Hell, I know I could stand to learn a great deal more about this program I’ve been using for so many years now. But as far as these dog and pony shows? I think I’m done.

Tonight’s event was interesting, but the overall theme of “celebrating Flash” quickly gave way to “look at what I made.” For me, I like going to poetry readings, to fiction readings. I’m less interested in open mics, and that’s really what tonight felt like.

// Edit: I was sent a page that contains links from all the presenters. Not all of the folks on this page were actually in attendence, and not everynoe’s projects are accessible/online. The page is here.

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