The look, feel, and function of your project have a major impact on users and, therefore, sales, so you want to consider your choices carefully.
AJAX
AJAX stands for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML and is a relatively new approach to mixing and applying well-known web technologies to change the fundamental interaction model of the Web and develop interactive web applications that do not require reloading a full page when being used. We have been using this approach before the term was coined, and continue to use it everywhere where it is appropriate. The resulting - AJAX - web pages are dynamic, fast and usable. The data are exchanged behind the scenes and requests to the server are made without the pages reloading.
AJAX incorporates:
- Standards-based presentation using XHTML and CSS;
- data interchange and manipulation using XML and XSLT;
AJAX does not imply any specific programming language, but with some development tools - like Ruby on Rails or InterSystems Caché CSP - it comes natural.
Advantages
- Improved bandwidth utilization: if just a single line is changed on the page, AJAX page does not reload as a whole, and only data updated are downloaded from the server.
- Interactivity: This process is executed mainly on the user's computer, where the current page is manipulated within the browser using document object model manipulation methods.
Frames vs. No Frames
Studies have shown a decided lack of enthusiasm for frames by the savvy Internet user; additionally, browsers support frames differently, producing a design variance that is often undesirable. In general, we avoid the use of frames wherever possible, opting instead for DHTML/AJAX or Flash/Flex2 for better results in generating rich internet applications.
Page Weight
Each page on the sites we develop is benchmarked for download times at 56k connection speeds (although broadband is more the norm these days). Pages including extensive graphic imagery include optimized HTML alternatives that decrease wait time, ensuring user interest is preserved.
Browser compatibility
All work is tested and certified compatible with standard browsers (as determined by frequently published percentage of use statistics from W3C and other standards organizations) used on multiple platforms (Windows, Mac OS, Linux).
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