Aral Balkan is an internationally renowned expert on Rich Internet Applications and the Flash Platform. He coordinates Open Source Flash and provides consulting and training services through his Brighton-based company, Ariaware, to a range of clients who develop applications and web sites with Flash Platform technologies such as Macromedia Flash and Flex2, ARP, MTASC and AMES. His passions include Software Architecture and Human-Computer Interaction — in other words, making solid, usable applications. Aral is a published author and has co-wrote the books “Flash MX Most Wanted Components” and “Flash MX Most Wanted 3D Cheats” for Apress and is the director of the London Macromedia User Group. Aral regularly gives talks at international Flash conferences. In 2006 he is scheduled to speak at FlashForward (US), Flash In The Can (Canada), Multimania (Belgium), Spark Europe (Netherlands) and d.Construct (UK).You can read Aral's latest tutorials, catch up on the latest Flash and Flex news, and download open-source tools on his Rich Internet Applications blog, FlashAnt.org. Less