Here are some excerpts from an article i came across that would be useful to get to know Adobe AIR.

Published 28 May 2008 by Gil Harland

AIR stands for, the Adobe Integrated Runtime (AIR) and is one of the latest interesting development from Adobe.

AIR runs on Windows, Mac OS X and a very usable Beta version for Linux. It installs the first time you download and run an AIR application, much in the same way that Flash is installed on a computer if the user visits a web site using Flash and they don’t already have it installed.

AIR applications run on the desktop and are half way between web based applications (which run in a browser) and full blown desktop applications such as Word or Photoshop.

Developers can create AIR applications using the HTML, CSS, Javascript, Flash, Flex (A flash framework) and PDF knowledge they already have and AIR acts as a wrapper that allows them to run on the desktop and go beyond the limitations they would normally have if they were running in a web browser.

AIR applications differ from current web applications because AIR applications do not run in your web browser and therefore are able to use desktop features such as full drag and drop between applications, save files to the local hard drive or network and store data locally in a database.

When compared to traditional desktop applications, AIR applications are simple to deploy, easy and cost-effective to build, have better web integration and will run on all three of the major operating systems.

AIR is also smart enought to know when it is and isn’t connected so you can create programmes that work with online data and use the local database as a fallback if the connection to the internet is dropped.

more on AIR at Adobe® AIR™ Applications Wiki

Download the latest version of Adobe AIR

RefreshingApps.com – Showcase for Adobe AIR Applications and Resources

10 Adobe AIR -Must See- Applications

Adobe AIR Marketplace

I have a 9  year (& 3 months) old computer at home and yes! it is still operational and i am using it.
When i got it it was the highest config anyone could get…so far i just keep upgrading the RAM…now i gotto change the motherboard and the size of the monitor
Has the computer slowed down? why is my system slow?
The answer is, i have gotten used to a faster machine

I, no longer have the patience for any program to load on my machine, as i need to get my work done fast….and so the upgrade.

Upgrade which reminds me of my parent’s dvd player for the TV, bought at a bargain (couple of years ago) will not play certain formats such as mp4!Now how do you upgrade such an equipment? well for one thing, take the mp4 format and covert (on the comp) to the format acceptable by the dvd player. yup! havent you done it?

Right now, i working on getting my wireframes converted into ’spectacular’ visual designs and it is not Easy!!
Came across Can you rescue your ideas? by Eric Karjaluoto.

Excerpts from this post:
If you can’t effectively sell your idea, it will die.

Let’s face it; the risk is starting to set-in for the design buyer. I’ve seen it many times, and I have to say that even the most sensible people can lose their nerve at this stage.

If you can, arrive 30 minutes early to set-up the presentation and talk to people individually as they arrive. This can “loosen you up” and help you build rapport with attendees.

Here’s a secret about presenting creative that many designers find difficult to accept: it’s not about the visuals.

It’s also nice to begin with a review of the points to be discussed in the meeting. This allows people a clear idea of what they can expect from the talk. And by all means, DO NOT hand out any documentation until the end of your presentation. If you do, they’ll skim it quickly and leap to conclusions. I’ve seen entire projects get the axe from a person who’s having a bad day. Take your time and get them “on side” first.

Ensure that this remains a “business” discussion; avoid allowing it to become subjective and about personal preference. So, instead of, “Do you like this?” ask, “Does this meet the project objectives?” You’ll maintain your course by doing so.

It’s in your interest to remain open to good feedback and accept that you might not have it all quite perfect yet. This means avoiding the desire to defend and instead just listen. Take in all of what your client is telling you and make clear notes of their feedback.

Additionally, everyone’s a critic. Ask a hundred people for feedback on a film and you’ll get a hundred responses. But, is all of this feedback relevant? (I have lots of opinions about health, but you don’t want me performing heart surgery.)
Do what you can to keep the focus on the project goals and the informed responses of committed stakeholders.

Sometimes clients will try to “help” by building their own visuals; we call this “design by committee”. In our experience, this is always a bad sign and must be addressed immediately. You’ve been hired for your professional abilities. In turn, the client’s role is to comment upon whether your proposed solution works or does not.

Through all of this, it’s easy for a “client vs. designer” battle to result. This really shouldn’t (and mustn’t) happen. Talk to your client and explain that your goal is to help them do what’s best for them.

Always get documented approval to proceed, whether it’s in the form of a sign-off, or even an email asking you to continue. Either way, have this documented and stored safely; not doing so is perilous and will cost you at some point.

Frankly, ideas die all the time. I’ve seen it happen on numerous occasions, and often for the wrong reasons

As more applications are moving on to the internet, it is getting more challenging to create user experiences for the non-IT savvy people.

10 Usability Nightmares You Should Be Aware Of is worthwhile read, found when i was browsing for more categories to be added to the customised usability checklist, while doing a Heuristic Evaluation of an application.

Thoughts on Interaction Design is added to my blog roll , i have found Welie’s Pattern library extremely useful for UI patterns while designing for webapps.