Chapter 2 excerpt
Ajax usage has exploded in a manner resembling the upswing of such web technologies as:
- The
blinkandmarqueeHTML tags1 - Animated GIFs
- Applets
- The
tableHTML tag - Flash
Each of these - admittedly, for the most part, less technical - exploded into usage to the point where (to varying degrees) most web designers and developers have reflexive, knee-jerk reactions upon the mention of them. The original usefulness of each technology now has an overshadowing of the preconceived notion that they cannot get used in any way beneficial to the general user2.
As such, Ajax-based functionality fits best where it makes a given task easier for the user, rather than replicating functionality easily achieved by simpler, faster-developed means. Using half a dozen JavaScript files, numerous CSS files, and several Ajax calls for content, simply in order to render a company home page uses up a lot of time and memory for very little by way of benefiting the user3, and actually makes the user wait much longer than necessary while using much more of your server resources than necessary.
In contrast, adding a light-weight content loading script that displays a blog's comments when requested by the user reduces loading time by using less bandwidth, and keeps the comments in better context rather than jumping to a comment page with (in some cases) drastically different design.
- 1 Neither of these tags actually exist within the HTML specification, but browsers have supported them for years, regardless.
- 2 With the exception of the
blinkandmarqueetags, which actually have specific instructions against their usage written up by the W3C. - 3 This does not mean that the referenced technology does not ever have benefit to the user, just that this particular use case does not benefit the user enough to warrant its usage.
Labels: advanced ajax, excerpts
8 Comments:
Ajax usage has exploded in a manner resembling the upswing of such web technologies as...
You have to wonder if in 2 or 3 years we will be talking about Ajax with the same gag reflex we seem to have when we refer to blink, marque and myspace...
...several Ajax calls for content, simply in order to render a company home page uses up a lot of time and memory for very little by way of benefiting the user...
Do I see the not so subtle jab at backbase? heh
"You have to wonder if in 2 or 3 years we will be talking about Ajax with the same gag reflex we seem to have when we refer to blink, marque and myspace..."
Pretty much exactly what I want to prevent from happening. I can only plant seeds and hope...
"Do I see the not so subtle jab at backbase? heh"
I cannot reference any particular company by name. :-) Just want until you see Figure 2.1 that accompanies that paragraph in the real version of this text, showing the loading profile for the page.
I cannot reference any particular company by name. :-)
You're absolutely correct sir.. You shouldn't slander anyone.. I on the other hand can slander whomever I like.. heh
Again, said it before, will say it again.. I think that there is a time and a place for the more "bloated" ajax packages.. I just really haven't found that place yet..
"Again, said it before, will say it again.. I think that there is a time and a place for the more "bloated" ajax packages.. I just really haven't found that place yet.."
For some applications, it does make sense to use a tool like that. Just no applications we use. Intranet portal applications would thrive on such a development tool. I have a hunch most of the big ones would perform a lot better, to boot.
One of the big issues is that most of these tools sell themselves as the next big thing. Momentum may take some companies there who otherwise shouldn't.
One of the big issues is that most of these tools sell themselves as the next big thing. Momentum may take some companies there who otherwise shouldn't.
Could you narrow that down a bit? You've just described 90% of the net-based companies in existence.
Could you narrow that down a bit? You've just described 90% of the net-based companies in existence.
90%? More like 98%.
"90%? More like 98%."
Yeah, I suppose so. I think I forgot about SoMa. That neighborhood tends to tip the average a bit.
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