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Ajax

edited June 2007 in Vanilla 1.0 Help
I'm just wondering about the future of this. I really enjoy Ajax/JavaScript. It really can add a lot to the site. The one concern I have, however, are browsers that don't have JavaScript turned on. Are there any percentages on how many people have JavaScript disabled? I mean, with Google, Yahoo, all the big names using it, doesn't just about everyone have it enabled? I'd think so, but I know that when I go up to my college, I can't access Gmail because of JavaScript being turned off EDIT: actually I just think that the broswer versions they use is too old. (yes, I know you can use an HTML only version). So should a designer be afraid to use AJAX/JavaScript or no?

Comments

  • I don't think that it's a matter of being afraid of it - it's a very powerful technology. The geeks will rave about it and how it's going to revolutionise web-apps. This may be, but I reckon that it's going to change things a little but not as far as a complete overhaul.

    Don't be afraid of it, just make sure that it's completely unobtrusive; that your page doesn't hang up if they don't have JS - if a form submits with an AJAX call, make it so that if JS is disabled it'll still work.

    If you're just starting out, start out well. Learn nice, clean Javascript...not the clunky stuff of old which scared so many people out of it.
    Use clever new tools like Behaviour and tutorials like Unobtrusive Javascript which will set you off on your way well. Every web-app or site I develop for clients is completely tested on all browsers. IE 5-7, Safari, Gecko flavours, Linux browsers etc. Just make sure that it'll all disappear nicely if something goes wrong.

    Embrace it, don't shy away from it or you'll face being left behind if it does take off.

    M.
  • lechlech Chicagoland
    JS itself has been around for years, and I agree with sweeny, if you're going to learn it, learn it right. AJAX isn't something that's "entirely" new, in small shapes and forms it's been around mixed in with the regular old javascript for a while now. It seems to have only been repopularized now that people are taking their time to structure and nurture it in the shapes of classes. In the end, this is a very good thing because now we don't need 500 different ways to do the same thing. So all in all, it's the same old tricks, same old server technology (with some new ones) is how I see it. Servers have come a long way since the old days in how they treat and respond to requests sent and so have the browsers that have grown up with all of this. The trick is making it a group effort to point everyone in one direction instead of creating little javascript "factions" do create their own pop-up scripts and junk like that.
  • Just to answer the % who have it enabled question... http://www.thecounter.com/stats/2005/June/javas.php The Counter has it at 95% of users with 1.2+, so plenty!
  • concon
    edited June 2007
     Quote: jesusphreak  Are there any percentages on how many people have JavaScript disabled?

    after 11 months, are there any percentages on how many people have JavaScript disabled?

    would the counter hyperlink help ?
  • lechlech Chicagoland
    It's like CLOCKWORK with this idiot...
  • hahah, I was wondering where this thread came from, then saw con and it all made sense.
This discussion has been closed.