Clearly, the metaphor of self-published micro-content, feeds, syndication, etc. are taking hold, and they are moving into media worlds through podcasting, vlogging, and so forth. These are some of the themes we've been working on at Brightcove, so I expect it has a bright future!

Simon: Ben Forta has been publicly stating for years now that CFML skills alone are not enough for ColdFusion developers who want to further their careers or their applications. Once they've mastered CFML they need to also learn other programming languages. What advice do you have for ColdFusion developers?

Jeremy: I agree with Ben here, though not universally. Clearly, many Internet applications require code to exist in different places, and with a different rigor applied to each. The two most natural adjacent languages to learn for ColdFusion developers are Java and ActionScript.

Simon: One technology that is becoming more common for CF developers to be proficient in is XML. When XML first hit the scene it was the biggest buzzword since "World Wide Web" and "Java." Unfortunately, in the beginning there was a lot of talk but few examples of XML being put to good use. WDDX was one of the first good applications of XML to solving a specific need, followed later by SOAP Web Services. So far you and I have already mentioned RSS and XAML -- two very interesting recent applications of XML. Many ColdFusion developers are only now beginning to examine how they can leverage XML in their applications. Do you think there will be other very useful XML-driven technologies/standards in the future? If so, what might they be?

Jeremy: Sure, it's clear that for both data and programming, tag-based languages are here to stay, and growing in popularity. I have to say, it's incredibly rewarding, as we were among the first to really advocate for this in a big way. Given that CF is a great vehicle for working with XML-based formats, I think it will continue to intersect with any emerging standard in this space.

Simon: I've just got to ask - what are your thoughts on the proposed acquisition of Macromedia by Adobe Systems Inc.?

Jeremy: I'm very positive on this merger/acquisition. I think it's a natural fit, there is very little overlap for the companies, and it will give the combined company critical mass to innovate in design, production and development tools, and also in applications for corporations. I know that Adobe is very excited about expanding their role as a platform company, and the entire family of Macromedia software - tools, servers and applications - will likely get even broader exposure and distribution through this new company.

Simon: I agree - this is a very exiting time for people using ColdFusion and the other Macromedia products. Is there anything else you'd like to say to our readers?

Jeremy: Keep developing with CF, keep telling Adobe what you need/want, and we'll be back in touch when they release ColdFusion 10!

Simon: I hope that in another 10 years, we can sit down and reminisce on ColdFusion's 20th birthday. Thank you very much for taking the time to share your views on the past, present, and future of ColdFusion and of the Web in general.