Designers don’t always make good coders no matter how fancy the tools, and coders don’t necessarily make good designers, no matter how easy it is to splice up a few proofs in photoshop, and soon in Thermo.

I used to be a designer, so I know how easy it is for some deselopers-turned-coders to take design for granted. Then one day several years ago before the term “Flash developer” existed (there was only ‘Flash designer” back then), I did a print job for a client after not having touched print or graphic design in a while, thinking that because I used to be a designer that my designs would always be good. I was wrong. It sucked, really bad (and so I hired a real designer for the job I thought I could do ;). That was a very humbling experience for me.

That’s not to say that I suck at design, but I am now aware of my limitations. I became a coder simply because that’s where my passions took me. If I had kept up my skills, kept up with the tools, kept working at my craft, I’d still be a designer. The point I’m making is this: the person who underestimates their skill level or area of expertise, and thinks that a tool alone can compensate, will fall on their face. And a professional, be it designer or coder, doesn’t blame their tools, only their assumptions.

That’s not say that falling on one’s face is not useful every once and a while. But I try as much as possible to do all my falling down on my own time, when I’m learning something totally outside my comfort zone, not on a client project where reputations can be made or broken on the success of my code. And I never blame my tools.

So some people really need to stop bitching about Thermo and get excited about what it can do for them. This is a very fast paced industry, and either that change excites you, inspires you, propels you to excel, or you’re in the wrong line of work, bub. That’s what I say to the whiners out there.

So to them I say: don’t be a whiner. Get inspired, and figure out how that works for you. And Thermo sure as heck has me be inspired.

You sound as if you have been listening to my recent conversations with some clients educating them on the pitfalls of hiring either a Designer or Junior Level Flex Developer and expecting Senior Level results.

I have been working in Flex for the past 3 yrs or so, at all levels.
I have migrated to working primarily with Architecture, Framework, and training Flash as well as Junior Flex developers and designers who wish to make the change to developing in Flex.

Awhile back I fought the good fight, Flash Designers vs. Flash Developers.
Now of course in Flash usually the two were quite a bit different and most of the great people I worked with knew their limitations.

Over this year I have watched the demand for Flex Developers quadruple.
This of course will bring out the people new to Flex.
As well as the people who think that Flex is Flash and the Designers that although very talented in their own right are not coders.

That being said, I think after watching the presentation on Thermo, I am VERY excited about the prospect of its potential.

Now of course there will be clients who “pinch a few pennies” and hire a “non-coder” type person who can design in Thermo and then just “presto” you have a Flex application.

But in my opinion that will as always be a mistake, and in the long run the company will end of having to call on a full Flex Developer to fix the issues and get them back on track for deadline at twice the cost.
It’s not worth the risk.

But as you said, Thermo will only do so much then the coders will have to take over.
Even at the end of the presentation on Thermo at MAX, the statement is “so-in-so would then hand off the application to me to add functionality to it” (not of course a direct quote but you get the idea).

From my perspective, my design skills are intermediate at best, certainly not to the level of some of the FANTASTIC and creative designers I have worked with in the past.

So the ability to cut down on SEVERAL hours of skinning, styling, and creating custom components that I could just take a PSD, drop it into Thermo and “WA-LA” there you go a great looking Flex UI (shell that is) that looks just like the clients specs.

This would cut down on time for UI manipulation and allow me to focus on the Architecture and over all Development Design that is where my focus should be for my client.

I think Thermo is going to be a great addition to the growing number of tools at a Flex Developers disposal.

As usual, a great product requires several great people collaborating on what is best for the client.

Thanks for listening,
Kenny