So lets say I want to make some visualizations. Nothing serious and there really isn't a deadline. I just want to learn something new and I realized that making visualizations is something I've never really done before.

I have done plenty of java and php coding, for both ss and, in java's case, standalone programs. I know some javascript, but only what I learned in the process of usin jquery for a project or two. So I ask you now, which would serve better in the long run, learning more js for canvas, or learn as3 for flash?

How about if I want the visualizations to be interactive?

Sunday, October 4, 2009
WebGL, What is it and How Can I Use it?

I'm putting these links at the top for easy access, click here to skip directly to the content.

Documentation for my work-in-progress library, WebGLU, is availible here.

The current version of WebGLU, v0.1, is available as a single file, webglu.v0.1.js.

Sylvester is available from here.

Copies of the files used in the tutorial below are available individually tutorial.html, tutorialPage.js; or as an archive.

Update: Thanks to Ademan for pointing out that GLSL is not exactly c, but a c-like language, corrected.

So what is WebGL anyway? WebGL is a standard created by Khronos (the creators/maintainers of OpenGL standard) for web browsers to use OpenGL. (Specifically OpenGL ES 2.0, which is a somewhat limited version originally developed for embedded devices, I've provided some code below that adds back a small portion of what's in OpenGL but not explicitly in OpenGL ES)

Flash program using a genetic algorithm to create a vehicle to carry a load across rough terrain.

Online word processor in Flash/Flex

Online Flash game. Beautiful!

You write MXML code to render user interfaces, and rely on external systems for transactions, business logic, and back-end processing. How does Flex access external systems? Flex provides tags to make HTTP requests and call remote Java objects.

mProjector enables you to build rich-internet applications for the desktop using Adobe Flash. If you know Flash and a little ActionScript, then creating Mac and Windows desktop toys, widgets, and applications is just a few clicks away.

Screen Capture, Screen Recorder, Video Hosting, and Usability Testing Software

YourMinis, from the Goowy team, is a nice service that puts two current Web 2.0 themes together: Widgets and Aggregators. It's like Yahoo Widgets meets NetVibes.

Flash-based rich text editor

RIA development, Java, Flex etc.

The Flex Online Compiler allows you to experience Flex 2 for yourself, without needing to download or install anything.

Rich Internet Applications, Rapid Web Application Development, Open Source Flex, Open Source Flash, Adobe Flex, Flex 2, Flex 3

Zope and Macromedia's Flash are a powerful combination for building rich Internet applications (RIAs).

3D(-ish) flash interface

n this screen capture video tutorial, Bruce Eckel and James Ward pair up to create an Adobe Flex application using the TurboGears framework

Combine the power of Python with the polish of Flash to create a desktop application. This approach will also work with any language that has support for creating an XML-RPC server (Java, Ruby, C++, to name a few). Also, The XML-RPC server can easily be o