Adobe touts the application building software as both a Web 2.0 platform and "Windows Vista on a diet."Adobe will release on Feb. 1 the beta version of Adobe Flex 2.0 and Adobe Flash Player 8.5. The software was released in alpha in January.
In addition to Flash Player 8.5, the beta version of Flex 2.0 will contain Flex Framework 2.0, Flex Builder 2.0, Flex Enterprise Services 2.0 and Flex Charting Components 2.0.
Flex 2.0 is marketed at developers of rich Internet content. While sharing some similarities with Flash, Flex 2.0 is a more developer-centric platform for building everything from interactive Web sites to enterprise applications.
Flex is built around a service-oriented environment," said Phil Costa, group product manager for Flex. "It's built to interact with a variety of backend data structures."
The beta versions will be available after 12:01am Wednesday, Feb. 1, at labs.adobe.com.
The Flex 2.0 product line will be commercially available in the first half of 2006, according to Adobe.
With Flex 2.0, Adobe will also introduce a new tiered licensing model that is aimed at speeding adoption within the enterprise.
The Flex Framework will be made available free of charge through the Flex Software Development Kit, which will include the command line compiler and documentation required to develop, compile and deploy Flex applications that connect to XML and SOAP web services, according to Adobe.
Flex Builder 2.0 will be sold for less than $1,000. Flex Enterprise Services 2.0 will be free of charge for use by a limited number of concurrent users on a single, non-clustered server.
Flex Enterprise Services 2.0 also will be licensed commercially on a per CPU, per project and enterprise license basis.
Adobe has not yet announced a final pricing model for all components.
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