Macromedia Inc

Software Magazine, Summer, 2002

With the release of ColdFusion MX, Macromedia Inc. moves the server-scripting product it acquired from Allaire Corp. more closely in line with the Java language, and also moves it into its MX family of integrated products.

ColdFusion MX is designed to help developers create rich Internet applications and to work with XML, Web services and Microsoft .Net technology. Macromedia defines rich Internet applications as highly interactive on the client side, with dynamic functionality driven from the server. The MX family is aimed at leveraging the capability of Macromedia Flash Player, the rich client tool said to be deployed on 98 percent of Web browsers. The MX family supports both the Sun Java and Microsoft .Net platforms.

Cold Fusion MX can be deployed in two ways: as a stand-alone server or on top of Java application servers. Within the .Net framework, ColdFusion MX can be deployed on the .Net server and be integrated with Microsoft IIS, SQL Server and Exchange. ColdFusion Components capability lets developers encapsulate and reuse code to create well-structured applications that can be automatically accessed as Web services, or as remote services for Macromedia Flash clients using the Macromedia Flash Remoting service.

The ColdFusion MX product line, available this summer, is priced at $799 per server for the Professional Edition, with upgrades priced at $549. The Enterprise Edition is priced at $4,999 per server, with upgrades available for $2,499. The ColdFusion MX for J2EE Application Servers product line is priced at $2,999 per processor. An optimized version of ColdFusion MX for Macromedia Jrun also became available this summer. And ColdFusion MX for BEA WebLogic Server is expected to be released in the second half of 2002.

Macromedia Flash Remoting for .Net and J2EE Servers are included at no additional charge with ColdFusion MX. Macromedia Flash Remoting will also be available for purchase separately for $79 per server.

www.macromedia.com