One of the problems with AJAX technology is, strangely enough, the fact that it is JavaScript based. This is not to complain about JavaScript per se or its general functionality but rather the lack of a support structure around JavaScript.
Here are three quick questions to support my statement:
1)Who invented JavaScript and how do they support and develop it now ?
2) Name 3 cross platform IDEs that support JavaScript ?
3)Why hasnt the recommended E4X extension to JavaScript been adopted ?
Here are the answers –
1)Brendan Eich led the team at Netscape and they currently use JavaScript in their browser and servers. However, Brendan has moved to Mozilla while Netscape has not done any major development on JavaScript in the past 5 years that I am aware of.
2)Visual Studio JScript – not cross platform and proprietary
… ActiveState Komodo – cross platform but really only an editor; poor debug support and visual editing
… Macromedia Dreamweaver – cross platform too; but again poor debugging and visual editing support
3)Now that AJAX shows how useful local cached XML access in JavaScript can be – shouldnt E4X be a no-brainer ? Let see what Microsoft in IE and Visual Studio 2005 do, or Adobe+Macromedia in Dreamweaver/GoLive or BEA(originators of the E4X design ideas)or Borland or IBM or Oracle ….
Meanwhile, Jon Udell beavering away at InfoWorld, has found yet another developers nugget. Tibco General Interface division has come up with what looks like a super-powered AJAX IDE. Check it out at Jons weblog link. This, at first glance, with database, SOAP, and messaging enablement (synchronous, asynchronous, and real-time connections) and powerful visual editing – it appears to be a large dollop of javaScript goodies where virtually nothing has been the going fare. However, it appears users have to commit to Tibco/General Interface GUI Objects – rather than the HTML forms standard GUI components much as users do with Flash, ASP, and JSF to an extent.
In early 2004, James Hobart asked the question is HTML [Forms] going away- well not exactly. But one of the vendors on his list may , Isomorphic, may have had one of the first AJAX development tools – about 12 months ahead of all the Google and Flickr hoopla. Check out our the coverage of Rich Internet Applications from a year ago – and see Isomorphic there too. In the meantime, check both AJAX IDEs out.
(c)JBSurveyer 2005