[wilhelmtux-discussion] Code question re Microsoft's Digital Literacy tutorials (part of the IT-Fitness initiative)

Manfred Morgner manfred.morgner at gmx.net
Fri Oct 19 17:15:44 CEST 2007


Hi Claude,

if using AJAX makes sense at all is not easy to answer. I believe: No.

In special cases, as in my private CMS it may be useful, because I  
know what I'm doing, how to configure my system and I'm using  
different Browsers for my special private sites and public sites.

But in the case of a public web presence, there are lots more facts  
against than pro AJAX.

Over all: If I'm a provider of <whatever>, I do not wish to bring my  
customers in danger. Any kind of scripting IS danger. May be my site  
is not dangerous and robust behind any imagination, this does no  
matter, if I urge my customers to use scripting or plug-in's to  
simply get the information I provide, to make any kind of business  
with them. If my client opened up there systems to get the  
information from my site, there system are open to any other sites  
and (in the case of Windows) also for Email- and other attacks  
(Windows binds any system service to any other. This means, if IE  
will execute JS and Java, your Email application will do it too, as  
Instant Messengers and others.) There is a lot more to say about  
this. If a company is IT-fit, they know, why not to use Scripting in  
a professional web site.

Finally, there is not good reason to use scripting or plug-in's in  
Web Sites. Only coolness.

Nevertheless, AJAX is not a standard. One may use many different ways  
to do anything that might or might not be called AJAX. My position  
is: If I use an AJAX toolbox, I use an AJAX toolbox. If I write my  
own code, I write my own code. Microsoft did both at the same time  
and got the worst out of it, which was to expect if merging two  
different approaches.

Because AJAX is no standard, and one can do what he want and call it  
AJAX, there is no AJAX-friendly or -unfiendly server application.  In  
my eyes, the server application technology developed/stolen/used by  
Microsoft tend to be the worst anyone can wish to use. A close friend  
of me is working with MS Sharepoint and e is grateful happy about it,  
because of two effects:

(1) The customer becomes dependent on his service
(2) This application tend too slip out of control = bigger contracts  
are waiting

This is system immanent an not an accident. It's the main goal for  
companies like Microsoft. Imagine, Microsoft working on anything  
effective. It's the pure horror for the share holders. Microsoft is  
claiming to secure jobs! How will you secure jobs if you sell  
anything efficient?

I was working about 15 years in industry research, developing highly  
efficient products. This had two results - depending on the use of  
the products:

(1) The quality or material efficiency of the customers production  
were rising
(2) One product replaced up to 30 high qualified (Highschool-) jobs  
by automating the work of these people.

Most of our customers were primary interested in point (2). The  
clients interested in point (1) were only customers, which were in  
control of there processes, but this was only about 2..4% of all.  
Currently I'm working in the range of business process automation,  
especially in the very interesting field of 'connecting business  
partners'. And I thank Microsoft for there work. Without Microsoft,  
the work of 8 people could be done by one - half time.

Back to the question: Does using AJAX make sense?

Yes: If you are Microsoft, a system service provider, a Software  
seller, Service provider or anyone other making your money out of non  
functional systems, repairing virulent or otherwise remote controlled  
or destroyed systems or selling software updates to people hoping  
'the next time it will work'.

No: If you'r interested in fair play, good service, selling products  
not connected to computer health, spreading information or news.  
Means, if you'r interested in the health of your clients computer  
system (and business processes) to make your business.

Best regards,
Manfred.




Am 19.10.2007 um 13:18 schrieb Claude Almansi:

> Hi Manfred, Theo, Visnavath  and All
>
> Thank you all for your explanations, which I will have to study
> further to really understand.  But  is what I understood so far:
> "Using AJAX to call a heavy tutorial object makes sense per se, though
> not if you don't know how to,  and particularly not  if, moreover, the
> conditions (server settings) are AJAX-unfriendly" a possible starting
> point or totally off-beat?
>
> Best
>
> Claude




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