BlueDragon Blog
Here you'll find tips and information about making the most of BlueDragon, which offers several compelling implementation alternatives for your CFML applications. This blog was created originally by Charlie Arehart, who was New Atlanta CTO from 2003-2006.,He has since moved on to become an independent consultant but continues to answer comments raised in existing blog entries. BlueDragon continues, and you should look to the newer BlueDragon blog, from New Atlanta president, Vince Bonfanti, for more updated information.

Run your CFML on OS X today

« H E For All CFers--not just BD :: BlueDragon Evangelism :: Charlie Arehart :: email
posted Monday, 26 September 2005

In a blog entry in his "Ask a Jedi" series, Ray Camden answers a lament from someone wanting to run CFML on OS X, and fearing having to run it via J2EE. While he (and Sean) point out that the next release of CF (Merrimack) will offer that, it seems some may benefit knowing you can run CFML on OS X today via BlueDragon. While we, too, have a J2EE edition for those needing/preferring that, we do have a standalone edition (Server or Server JX) that run's on OS X--and it's supported for commercial use. No need to learn J2EE, for those fearing that. 

We've supported OS X for a couple years, and while some may wonder "so who's following who?", we'd rather say simply that BlueDragon exists to solve problems for CFML customers. What kind of problems can we solve for you? You may be surprised to learn all the things BD can do that you've wished CF could. See other blog entries here, and our site (of course) for more information.


comments (5)


1. Scott Stroz left...
Monday, 26 September 2005 10:50 pm

Yes, but what about event gateways, flash forms, cfreport, etc...


2. Seth left...
Monday, 26 September 2005 11:31 pm

What is so difficult about installing CFMX?

Step one: unzip the TomCat package in /usr/local

Step two: move to the webapps directory of TomCat

Step three: run jar on the CFMX war file you get from the java installer

Minus a few configuration steps that are outlined in numerous how-to's from Apache and Apple you're done. There are even shell scripts you drop in to the startup items folder to make it run as a service.


3. Charlie Arehart left...
Tuesday, 27 September 2005 12:15 am

Scott, as the blog entry says, BlueDragon exists to solve problems, and its focus right now is solving problems for people with legacy CFML investments, who mostly aren't needing to support CFMX 7 features yet. Of course, we're aware of the interest and as explained in an ear lier entry, we will be addressing it in our BD 7 release, due out next year.


4. Charlie Arehart left...
Tuesday, 27 September 2005 12:24 am

Seth, we don't disagree that J2EE deployment can be drop-dead simple. Indeed, I did a CFDJ article in June 2004 that described how that very simple 3-step process works in BD/J2EE (and for all J2EE servers, not just some).

Still, the gent who raised the issue on Ray's blog reflects a large audience of CFML folks for whom J2EE servers and their setup has always been foreign. (Indeed, for those who entirely prefer .NET, we have our .NET edition--the only way to run CFML natively atop .NET.)


5. Vince Bonfanti left...
Tuesday, 27 September 2005 5:57 am

It should also be noted that running the J2EE editions of BlueDragon or CFMX can be fairly expensive ($2500 per CPU for BD, $6000 per CPU pair for CFMX). BlueDragon offers a free server edition for Mac OS X (and Windows and Linux), and BlueDragon Server JX is only $899 per server for Mac OS X, Windows, and Linux.