A Quick Background
I've had the domain GotCFM.com for some time and had hopes of building another ColdFusion information portal. For one reason or another (mainly time and the lack thereof) I never got around to actually flushing it out and getting a site up and running.
For the longest time, I've been complaining about the lack of support that Macromedia and Adobe have offered to ColdFusion and the ColdFusion community. I've been very vocal about it in the hopes of getting Adobe's attention.
ColdFusion: How Misconceptions Continue to Plague It
And it looked like it worked as Tim Buntel, Adobe's ColdFusion product manager, contacted me to discuss my views and how Adobe could better tackle some of these issues.
Tim Buntel Really Cares About ColdFusion Developers
Then I recently read a post by CF Guru Ray Camden that really ticked me off.
Help spread the word at the People's Toolbox
Now, it wasn't Ray himself that ticked me off but this statement:
"apparently they had never heard of it, and I'm having a bit of trouble convincing them that a) lots of people use ColdFusion and b) that it is indeed worth adding to their site"
So Why Does Ray's Posting Bother Me?
Again, let me make it clear that Ray himself didn't bother me. But the fact that some obscure, new and relatively inconsiquential site was trying to determine if ColdFusion, BlueDragon and CFML are worthy of inclusion in their site speaks volumes about the perception. ColdFusion just celebrated its 10th year for God's sake!!!!! And it just serves as further evidence to what I posted earlier about the misconceptions that plague ColdFusion, CFML and the whole ColdFusion community!
I'm Just All Talk
Well, as I look back on the history of my interactions, I've come to realize that while my posts have done some good to get Adobe's attention, I *need* to do more. I *want* to people to know about CFML and I *want* people to know that ColdFusion, BlueDragon Railo and the Smith Project are here, they work and they are as good as any technology out there. I can't sit by anymore and let misconceptions continue to spread like wildfire as technologies that are nowhere complete as ColdFusion continue to grow in popularity.
So What Am I Going to Do About It? - GotCFM.com is the First Thing
So after reading the post, it finally hit me how I can help the CF community that I've so loved for the last 8 years; GotCFM.com. GotCFM.com is going to be turned into a vehicle for promoting ColdFusion-related technologies. It will be a site for CFML evangelism and knowledge. It will be a site that will let people understand why the CF community loves this engine and why ColdFusion-centric technologies *ARE* and amazing choice for building scalable and engaging websites.
GotCFM.com will *NOT* be a news site or a hub for custom tags. There are plenty of sites that handle this perfectly fine and I have absolutely no interest in doing that. I want this to be a site that will post methods of promoting ColdFusion-related technologies to your boss, your peers, to developers of other technologies and even to your grandma!
Ok, What's Next?
The next thing I'd like to do is to start collecting a list of CF-Powered websites. Its great that Adobe recently posted a list of top companies that use ColdFusion:
World's Top Companies Use ColdFusion MX
but that doesn't come near to listing the massive amount of smaller companies that are successfully using ColdFusion, BlueDragon or Railo every single day to run their e-buisinesses. That's where the form below comes in. I want to start compiling that list so that when some no-name site or well-known company asks, "Who is Using ColdFusion?" there is a comprehensive and up-to-date list of sites that you can offer up. CF superstar Ben Forta already has a similar list (Ben's Who's Using CF? Page) and it's certainly a great resource. But in looking at it, I also know that its not the most current list and thats what we need; up to date information.
So I want to empower YOU, the CF-community, by providing the ability to submit sites that are powered by BlueDragon, ColdFusion, Railo or any other CF-related tool.
I want everyone to submit ideas for promoting CF-technologies. Whether its a CF button, a banner ad sample that you think Adobe should see, a marketing idea that you think New Atlanta should look at, or even ensuring that the Smith Project gets more attention, its all important. And I want to hear about it. You can contact me via email below: