I am in Dallas, the first of three Scorpio Usergroup tour venues in Texas, and later this week I visit Phoenix and Detroit (on the way home). If you are in the area, please drop by this evening where I plan on showing Scorpio features not shown previously (not even at the presentations last week).

CFML is a tag based language. When tags need arguments or options passed to them, they are passed as attributes. This is an integral part of what makes CFML so easy and so productive. But sometimes, having to pass attributes can be a hindrance. Consider a simple example, a <CFQUERY> where you sometimes just need basic attributes (NAME and DATASOURCE perhaps) but other times want additional optional attributes (like USERNAME and PASSWORD). There is no way to conditionally include attributes in a tag, and so you end up having to write code like this:

It's just an example, but it's not pretty at all. And this same is true if you conditionally want to add query caching, or specify an SMTP server in <CFMAIL>, and so on.

Scorpio solves this problem in the simple and elegant fashion we've come to expect from ColdFusion. In Scorpio you can pass all tag attributes as a single structure, an ARGUMENTSCOLLECTION. Here is a simple <CFQUERY>:

As structure members can be added conditionally, passing optional attributes becomes a simple matter of conditionally adding members, as seen here:

This new syntax can be used by all sorts of tags, including <CFCONTENT>, <CFFILE>, <CFFTP>, <CFIMAGE>, <CFMAIL>, <CFXML>, and many more.

I post ColdFusion (and occasionally Flex) related job listings on this blog, never more than once a week (and usually on Fridays) and sometimes less frequently. For as long as I have been doing this I have had people contacting me (or sometimes leaving comments) asking why I do so, stating that it's not something that I should use my blog for, and even suggesting that my doing so reflects badly on ColdFusion and the ColdFusion market and community.

So why do I do it? It's very simple really. This week, at a usergroup event, someone came up to me to tell me that they managed to hire a ColdFusion developer via a post that I recently made. That's really gratifying. But this week I also received thank you e-mails from two individuals who were out of work and who have found jobs via posts a made. And those messages made my week - to be able to help people that way, honestly, there really is little more gratifying than that.

Three this week, including one outside of the U.S. for a change:

• Competition Pool Inc. (Blainville, Quebec) is looking for an intermediate ColdFusion developer for a full time position. The applicant must have at least 3 years experience with ColdFusion, have intermediate knowledge of Java and web site administration. Experience in developing shopping cart web applications preferable. Basic knowledge of Flex 2 and Flex Builder would be a plus. Contact Yves Custeau.
• Georgetown University (Washington, DC) is looking for a junior web developer to work on applications for the Law Center. 3-5 years of ColdFusion experience is required. Details posted online.
• Environmental Management Support, Inc. (Silver Spring, MD) is looking for a ColdFusion developer, and explicitly wants one with CFMX7 experience and a desire to be using Scorpio ASAP. JavaScript experience is required, as is knowledge of Access and MySQL, and familiarity with 508 requirements. Details posted online.

I'm on my way out of Denver, heading home. Last night's presentation was great, 85 attendees, and so many questions that the event ran almost 3 hours! Next week is TX, AZ, and MI. If you are in the area, please drop by. The full list of Scorpio Usergroup tour venues is online.

Adobe has announced plans to open source Flex under the Mozilla Public License. This includes the source to the ActionScript components from the Flex SDK (which have been available in source code form with the SDK since Flex 2 was released) as well as the Java source code for the ActionScript and MXML compilers, the ActionScript debugger and the core ActionScript libraries from the SDK. The Flex SDK includes all of the components needed to create Flex applications. Details posted on Labs. Scoble has posted comments, interviews, and more.

Terrence Ryan apparently is pleased with the Microsoft Exchange integration functionality in Scorpio that we've been demonstrating at usergroup meetings this week.

As some of you will recall, I asked for feedback on Exchange integration over a year ago. Those comments helped drive this feature, so thanks.

Like Seattle the night before, last night's presentation in San Francisco was very well received. I just arrived in Denver, the next stop on the Scorpio Usergroup tour. If you are in the area, please drop by this evening!

ColdFusion users have long wanted a way to define settings per application, rather than server-wide. In truth, this is doable right now, just install multiple instances of ColdFusion an each instance gets its own CF Admin and own settings. But, if that is not an option, then Scorpio will help, as I explained last night in Seattle.

ColdFusion MX7 introduced Application.cfc as an alternative to Application.cfm. Application.cfc does everything that Application.cfm does, and added important new features (like methods that get executed OnSessionStart and OnSessionEnd). To set application settings using Application.cfc, variables are set in the THIS scope. THIS.name to set the application name, THIS.sessionManagement to enable session state management, and so on.

In Scorpio, Application.cfc and the THIS scope can be used to define per application settings. For example, THIS.mappings is a structure which contains the currently defined ColdFusion mappings. To set a mapping you just modify that structure like this:

Or like this:

To set the Custom Tag path you can update THIS.customtagpaths which is a simple ColdFusion list. You can set the path like this:

Or use ListAppend() to add a path, like this:

You get the idea. It's clean, simple, and highly intuitive.

Which means you now have yet another reason to use Application.cfc.

Adobe and Carahsoft are hosting a 1/2 day seminar in D.C. entitled "The Future Of ColdFusion". The event is May 17th (the morning after the D.C. CFUG presentation), and I'll be presenting along with Tim Buntel and Adam Lehman. Unlike the CFUG presentations, this one is a little more oriented towards execs and technical decision makers, so you may want to bring your boss. Breakfast will be provided. Space is limited, and registration is required.

Flex Component Kit for Flash CS3 has been posted to Labs. This kit allows you to create interactive and animated content in Flash CS3, and then use that content in your Flex apps. This way the designers on your team get to use Flash, the coders get to use Flex, and everyone gets to contribute to the development process.

Last night's presentation in Seattle went very well, and the enthusiastic crowd reinforced what we already knew - that CF8 (Scorpio) is exactly what customers want. I am now in Adobe's San Francisco offices, venue for the next stop on the Scorpio Usergroup tour. If you are in the area, please drop by this evening!

I am in Adobe's Seattle offices, working on last minute demos for the kickoff of the Scorpio Usergroup tour. If you are in the Seattle area, I hope to see you later this evening

No, MAX 2007 registration is not open yet, but pricing details have been posted online.

Five positions at three organizations this week:

• Advanced Media Productions (Natick, MA) is looking for two full-time ColdFusion developers, one senior and one entry level. The senior developer must have experience with ColdFusion MX, CSS, SQL Server and Mach II or Fusebox. AJAX experience is a plus. Details posted online.
• UVa Health System (Charlottesville, VA) is looking for a senior ColdFusion developer. At least 5 years of ColdFusion experience is required, as is a strong working knowledge of SQL and database design, and Apache administration. Experience with application stress testing tools and Windows Server performance troubleshooting is strongly desired in order to maintain site performance and to make infrastructure recommendations based on anticipated traffic. Contact Kim Guenther.
• The Federal Reserve Bank of Dallas (Dallas, TX) is looking for two experienced object oriented ColdFusion developers. These are permanent full time positions working on a small development team. Must have OOP experience in a multi-tiered environment using frameworks like Mach-II, ColdSpring, Reactor, Fusebox, Model-Glue, etc. Must be proficient in OOP best practices and design patters. Experience with creating and consuming CF web services, heavy JavaScript and MS SQL Server are required. J2EE programming experience, knowledge of the Unified Process and CM Synergy a plus. Details posted online.

The big ColdFusion Scorpio Usergroup tour starts next week in Seattle, WA (where I'll be presenting) and Jacksonville, FL (where Adam Lehman presenting). Next week we'll also be in California (San Francisco), Colorado (Denver), and Florida (Tampa and Davie). The full location list is posted online.

As we've already said, we'll be giving away software (including a copy of ColdFusion Scorpio) at each location. But I just learned that we'll also be giving away ColdFusion Scorpio branded goodies, some of the wearable variety, and some which are edible! (Yes, you can have your Scorpio and eat it too, apparently).

See you there!

Kyle Hayes has posted a really nice Captivate tutorial showing how to create a basic ColdFusion powered Flex application.

A while back I asked for your input on what to do with my ever-growing ColdFusion books. Lots of you responded, and your feedback was and is invaluable. I'm please to announce that we are indeed working on the 3 book plan that most of you supported. Ray Camden is once again joining me as a lead author, and the contributing author team is made up of all sorts of experts ensuring that you'll get quality coverage of topics, especially all that's new in ColdFusion Scorpio. More to follow.

I've always respected Vince Bonfanti and his New Atlanta team. We've spoken at events together, we're cordial and respectful when we meet, and on occasion we've even chatted about our products and direction. Although I don't know him personally, Vince has always struck me as a sharp guy, someone who understands and is passionate about technology, and he seems like a decent person. That, even though we are competitors.

Over the years I have been very careful to never negatively comment on his company or products, even when asked to make comparisons. Never, I just wouldn't do that. And frankly, I've never even felt the need to do so. It's a big pond out there, and if ColdFusion does well while its clones do the same, well, that's good for everybody.

Which is why Vince's recent post on who leads and who copies bothered me. Vince has every right to say what he wants, and at the end of the day he wants to sell product, and I understand that. But when the message changes from one of selling your product's benefits and virtues to a rant that more closely resembles preschoolers in the sandbox arguing "my daddy is bigger than your daddy", well, that's both sad and pathetic.

But it's gotten worse, and thus this post. Recently, one of Vince's staff was discussing his product with a member of the press at a trade show, and used the opportunity to badmouth ColdFusion and Adobe, as well as to imply that Adobe is abandoning ColdFusion, almost trying to position them and their product as the heir apparent. How pathetic! I have briefed the press on lots of products hundreds of times in a decade and a half, and I have never yet had to resort to badmouthing others and lying about their products or plans so as to make my point. It feels a bit like presidential political races, where those who have little positive to say about themselves have to resort to innuendoes and mudslinging, and those on the sidelines shake their heads in dismay and mutter disappointedly. Honestly, having that little faith in your own product is rather sad.

New Atlanta is a privately held company, so no one outside really knows how well they are doing. Over the years Vince and others have told me that they were doing well, and I have always believed them and have been happy for them. But the increasingly defensive positioning and rants, not to mention shenanigans with the press, well, that really smells of desperation. And that's rather sad, too.

Next week we start the big Scorpio Usergroup tour. Tim, Adam, and myself will visit dozens of locations and get the chance to speak to thousands of customers, introducing them to what is shaping up to be a truly incredible new ColdFusion. And I can assure you that I'll have no difficulty demonstrating and pitching ColdFusion without having to resort to even mentioning any other vendor or product. And I definitely won't have to badmouth them or make up stories for uninformed reporters.

I guess when you actually have a story worth telling, taking the highroad is easy.

InfoWorld's Andrew Binstock has written an article on dynamic languages, explaining why these are becoming more important and more prevelent. All in all it's a good article, but can you guess which dynamic language he omitted? Humm. There is an e-mail link and a Talkback link on the article page, and I think that Andrew needs to be informed about his omission.

Ray has posted details about his latest ColdFusion contest, this time one for beginners. He explicitly says that I can't enter, which is a bummer, because he wants developers to create a Tamagotchi-like virtual pet, and way back when my CFWACK included exactly that, a virtual pet app (I forget who wrote it, but it was used in a lesson on session variables, back when those were first introduced). I guess that means that if any of you have a real old version of CFWACK then you have a working solution, and it also means that Ray better look out for that. ;-)

InfoSoft Global, the creator of FusionCharts, has released FusionCharts Free, a no-cost version featuring beautiful animated Flash charts which can be used with ColdFusion (as well as other back-ends).

Lots of positions to post this week (including several in nice warm climates):

• Ourscene.com (Miami, FL) is looking for 2 full-time ColdFusion developers, one senior and one more entry-level. Flex experience is a plus. Contact Jason Calleiro.
• Unnamed large company (Greensboro, NC) is looking for a ColdFusion developer to work on a 3-8 month contract starting in June. The project is centered around a PaperThin CommonSpot implementation, and so CommonSpot experience is required. Remote development (with occasional trips to Greensboro) is an option. Contact Patrick Flanagan at Beacon Technologies.
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) is looking for a full-time ColdFusion developer to work on internal and public facing sites. Experience with SQL Server, XHTML, and Fusebox is required. Please apply online for Job ID 5922.
• NASA Jet Propulsion Laboratory (Pasadena, CA) has an open part-time intern position for a ColdFusion developer. Experience with SQL, XHTML, and Fusebox is required. Please apply online for Job ID 5382.
• SmartMoney.com (New York, NY) is looking for a full-time ColdFusion developer. Must have experience with ColdFusion MX, CFCs, SQL Server (especially writing and using stored procedures), and CSS. MVC experience and Ajax experience preferred. Details posted online.
• Amkor Technology (Chandler, AZ) is looking for a Sr. Web Application Engineer. This position requires a Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience and at least 5 years of experience developing and maintaining web based applications in a corporate environment, and at least 3 years development experience using ColdFusion with an emphasis on CFC based development. Details posted online.

Flex.org is hosting a Flex Applications Showcase, complete with RSS feed (so you can keep tabs on new submissions) and the ability to add your own applications.

Sorry for the lack of posts or e-mail replies the past couple of weeks. I was off sick, and am now trying catch up with thousands of e-mails and lots of overdue tasks. Fun stuff. Thanks for the concern, and I'll be back to normal operating speed and mode shortly (I hope).