Feedback: Why bother with Javascript?

Feedback on: Why bother with Javascript?

Sent by Pat Magnan on September 15, 1998 at 21:22:25: - feedback #10

Hmm... this topic raises a whole pile of thoughts here. It could be bad luck, or superstition or both. But I can answer positively that I use JavaScript simply because, I can't seem to get CGI scripts to work properly. One of the authors makes the comment they're afraid to learn Java, which I've done (or started to, I guess there's no end to learning, which is why I like programming :-). I have learned some C++ (harder than Java IMHO), and C, but for the life of me, can't get a CGI to work... and I wonder how many would be web gurus are stumped by similar problems.

As far as learning the technology, while there are a multitude of resources for learning JavaScript on the 'net, written to take everyone (including novice programmers) into account, I can't say I've had the same success finding resources for CGI. I know I will learn it, it's just harder to come by free.

As for the cross browser argument, are there really that many non-Javascript enabled browsers out there? I have to be honest and say I don't honestly know, but I use Linux and understand where the Mac users were a couple years ago, watching everything come out for Windows first, (and now it's Windows, then Mac, and often much later, if ever for Linux), but all that aside, how many users don't even have access to Netscape 2.0?

Or do more users disable it than I realize?

Ah well, one man's rambling thoughts...

Sent by Michel Plungjan on September 16, 1998 at 03:14:04: - feedback #12

I went to www.cnn.com the other day
It is a graphics intensive site and has a graphical navigation bar - a sort of 'where am I' (Image map)

Every time I clicked on this image map, the complete page refreshed INCLUDING the image - downloading a new gif while I waited.

With a frameset and javascript image updating, the same site would be a pleasure to navigate, now I found it a pain, even with a 512K access - I wouldn't even dream of going there with 14k4.

Imagine the server hit when the complete page is regenerated each time one visits.

Then imagine this only happening when the browser is Lynx or mosaic.

I am a strong believer in a good mix - give them JavaScript to enhance the experience and server side processing when needed.

On a ste I created, two buttonbars were created completely with JavaScript, updating REALLY fast without server hit. A fallback to a cgi for non JS browser was provided, everybody was happy and it was only a little extra effort.

I think the keywords here are percieved speed, server hits and degrading gracefully.

Michel