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Microsoft Joins OpenAjax Alliance

Kurtz writes "Microsoft has joined The OpenAjax Alliance, which is focused on accelerating the use of Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, or Ajax, technologies. Microsoft said it agreed to join the alliance to work with other vendors to evolve Ajax."

70 of 104 comments (clear)

  1. Only fitting... by Niten · · Score: 3, Insightful

    Well it seems only fitting, since they're the ones who invented Ajax in the first place...

  2. Embrace, extend... evolve by subl33t · · Score: 3, Insightful

    "to work with other vendors to evolve Ajax."

    Hands up, everyone who thinks Ajax is now doomed...

    1. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by afidel · · Score: 1

      Yep, I can feel the chants of embrace, extend, extinguish from here. Somehow I can't help but fear that MS will be adding proprietary COM addins to their XMLHTTPRequest implementation to "aid developers in promoting a more rich experience" which will of course tie most AJAX implementations to Windows and IE.

      --
      There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    2. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by kestasjk · · Score: 4, Interesting

      Developers will soon have to pay big bucks to use ajax technologies. It's the Microsoft way.
      Spoken by someone who clearly doesn't understand the first thing about AJAX or where the first functions which initiated it were developed.

      Back in IE 5.0 when XMLHTTPRequest was an ActiveX function commentators, by the logic used in this thread, might have cried "Embrace extend extinguish! This is MS trying to remove competitors and forcing them to play catch up!".

      Years on XMLHTTPRequest is a JavaScript function which is the backbone of AJAX everywhere; Microsoft officially joins an initiative to get a more uniform AJAX platform and people cry "Embrace extend extinguish! This is MS trying to remove competitors and forcing them to play catch up!".

      I'm not saying others wouldn't have come up with it if Microsoft hadn't, but it does say something about calling foul too often and too early.
      --
      // MD_Update(&m,buf,j);
    3. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by EvanED · · Score: 1

      Speaking of tags, is it really necessary to tag this BOTH "embraceextend" and "embraceandextend"?

    4. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by jenkin+sear · · Score: 1

      Nah, they'll just sit on some submarine patents around XmlHttpRequest, and then sue Firefox out of existence.

      --
      What a strange bird is the pelican, his beak can hold more than his belly can.
    5. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by smartfart · · Score: 1

      I think their big worry is web-based office applications, such as Google's. Maiming AJAX (undoubtedly their aim here) is the logical thing for them to do, IMHO.

    6. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by HangingChad · · Score: 1

      raises hand.

      Microsoft said it agreed to join the alliance to work with other vendors to embrace Ajax.

      There, I fixed the headline.

      --
      That's our life, the big wheel of shit. - The Fat Man, Blue Tango Salvage
    7. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Insightful

      No, not really.

    8. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by Frizzle+Fry · · Score: 3, Funny

      I think the tag was originally embraceextend and then some other group decided to embrace and extend it.

      --
      I'd rather be lucky than good.
    9. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by hachete · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Why is this "interesting"?

      Look at the OpenAjax HUB:

      http://ejohn.org/blog/thoughts-on-openajax/

      This is clearly an attempt to wrest control of Ajax from the spotty oiks out there who made Ajax a success whilst Ms dropped the ball.

      "Open" my arse. Open in the sense of this dungeon door is open, walk right in. Bring your wallet with you!

      --
      Patriotism is a virtue of the vicious
    10. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by shaitand · · Score: 2, Insightful

      There is no question that Microsoft stumbled upon the function that has ultimately become the heart of AJAX. Nobody is denying that.

      Claiming that means Microsoft actually wants AJAX to be the first widespread technology that they don't hook with proprietary extensions is ridiculous. Just because they had a part in the technology existing doesn't mean they want it to be a uniform platform and play well with others. History has shown that there have been literally no instances where Microsoft has embraced an open technology and failed to extend.

      Microsoft has never been interested in making anything truly open. Be it a standard, format, protocol, or anything else. There is fairly substantial historical basis for calling foul the moment they send representatives from the dark empire to join a commitee to develop an open anything.

      The only role Microsoft will play on this committee is keeping the standard conservative and covering only core functions. That way there is plenty of room for them to extend the hell out of it.

    11. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by shaitand · · Score: 1

      shh don't tell anyone but USB is hardware. On the software side there are a number of proprietary Microsoft solutions surrounding USB.

    12. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by chaosite · · Score: 1

      "AJAX" is just some JavaScript code which passes XML back and forth from the server and changes the current page according to it. Things like gmail use it extensively. Its very much unlike ActiveX, which allows code to run unsandboxed in the client machine.

      In short: AJAX is a buzzword for fancy JavaScript. Nothing to see here, move along.
      An NoScript is very nice indeed.

    13. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by Dragonslicer · · Score: 1

      "AJAX" is just some JavaScript code which passes XML back and forth from the server and changes the current page according to it.
      "AJAX" is some JavaScript code that sends an HTTP request to the server and receives a response (normally available in both plain text and XML/DOMDocument formats). It doesn't inherently send XML to the server, though you can certainly send XML as part of the request if you want. Any changes made to the page are done through DOM objects/methods and are completely independent of AJAX.

      </pedantic>
    14. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by afaik_ianal · · Score: 1

      Yes, because they have such an extensive history of doing such things.

    15. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by AvitarX · · Score: 1

      'Ajax' is not lame. It is totally awsome, and you are missing out if you don't use it.

      When you go to a map webstie and decide to drag that map to another area it's 'Ajax' and it's quite amazing if you have never seen it.

      Maybe I set the bar low, but when I first when to google maps I was completly amazed by what I saw. I could find the part I wanted on the map without it taking forever as the map jumped around and redrew a few inches at a time.

      Ajax, javascript, and activex have been all been a huge success already with Ajax starting to fullfill promises made to use about the web in the 90's. I strongly recomend you go to google maps and let their script run, or even log into /. and see what it is like to browse the threads now.

      --
      Wow, sent an e-mail as suggested when clicking on "use classic" banner, and got a fast response that addressed my msg
    16. Re:Embrace, extend... evolve by aztracker1 · · Score: 1

      Which is funny, considering Microsoft.XMLHTTP was a proprietary extension, built on a proprietary interface ActiveX/COM in the browser, that extended on Javascript to provide said interface... A few years later, Mozilla and a few other groups virtually copy the object interface created by MS, I don't know how much was funded by Google... So that Google could create some cool features without a page refresh, without Flash. That was still a "proprietary" extension to the browser's DOM within Firefox... however, it is about ubiquitous in use now.

      Microsoft created it for the Exchange/Outlook Web interface. Which in all honesty is to this day about the best webmail interface out there. I hate Exchange, am not fond of Outlook, and to be outright honest am not fond of a lot of moves MS has made politically. MS will have their ways, and many will use them...

      To be honest, the "core" has already been defined... Common libraries like prototype, scriptaculous, and others are already well under use. Yahoo, Google and others have more extensive libraries, and scripted controls... To be honest, the #1 thing I'd like to see is the TABLE tag definition extended to support scrolling within the X/HTML spec... I'd also like to see other browsers enable CSS expression when scripting is enabled in a site. That would be another nice thing.

      --
      Michael J. Ryan - tracker1.info
  3. can't wait by gEvil+(beta) · · Score: 1

    Microsoft said it agreed to join the alliance to work with other vendors to evolve Ajax.

    I can't wait for MS to release "Internet: Ajax Evolved".

    --
    This guy's the limit!
  4. How about a link? by Per+Wigren · · Score: 5, Insightful

    OpenAjax Alliance.

    That said, I have no idea why this alliance is needed, even after reading most of their site. We already have Prototype, MooTools, jQuery and other great libraries. I'd be perfectly happy if Microsoft could just make IE fully support CSS instead of joining this buzzword-masturbating alliance...

    --
    My other account has a 3-digit UID.
    1. Re:How about a link? by kjamez · · Score: 2, Informative

      don't forget the dojo toolkit, http://dojotoolkit.org/

      --
      you can't have everything, where would you put it?
    2. Re:How about a link? by klept · · Score: 1

      Who said the alliance is needed. Microsoft is merely following the old mob maxim "Keep your friends close. Keep your enemies closer".

  5. boon and bane by j.metasyntactic · · Score: 3, Insightful

    How could this be bad? It is a good thing that Microsoft is working with an Open Alliance, in that Microsoft will be the better able to contribute to the developments and innovations. That Microsoft money will assist in any Open system. And do it in a way that works the technologies that are already out there, and that the community has already embraced- instead of developing a proprietary system that does things in a Microsoft way, and does not play nice with others. And since it is an Open Alliance, Microsoft cannot steer the technology in a direction that would benefit Microsoft solely.

    1. Re:boon and bane by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Interesting

      How could this be bad?

      Do you remember how they supported Java? Lots of stalling, equivocating and Windows-only Java extensions, all while promoting ActiveX over Java. Eventually, all these actions prompted a lawsuit from Sun which Sun won. After this, Microsoft totally dropped support of their JVM in a fit of spite.

      Let's face it: Microsoft doesn't promote or like standards. What they like are proprietary technologies that only they can effcetively use.

    2. Re:boon and bane by j.metasyntactic · · Score: 4, Insightful

      Undoubtedly they joined up to benefit microsoft. Any company would be foolish to throw down for any other reason. However, to assure that the technology works with Microsoft products, and to assure that Microsoft products work with the innovations that are emerging with AJAX, is within Microsoft's best interest- and therefore (in MS's idea) worthy of contributing some money and attention to. Standards are good. If an Open Alliance creates standards so that everyone's software and products work the same way when using it, then it does not matter who is funding the project. As log as everyone agrees. Not like I.E. which in many cases, ignores standards and does things in a completely different way. When doing web development we must already serve multiple stylesheet directives to accommodate inconsistencies across browsers. Miscrosoft being in on the AJAX Alliance will hopefully eliminate the possibility of needing to serve in multiplicity when using AJAX.

    3. Re:boon and bane by UnknowingFool · · Score: 1

      How could this be bad?

      You must be new here. MS has a long history of polluting things with proprietary extensions. Java and Kerebos, for example.

      With Java they added two commands that Sun's version did not have. With Kerebos, they took a free implementation from MIT and changed it so that it is incompatible with every other Kerebos implementation.

      Then there are all those promises of MS in terms of interoperability. HTML, XML, CSS2, etc.

      --
      Well, there's spam egg sausage and spam, that's not got much spam in it.
    4. Re:boon and bane by pak9rabid · · Score: 1

      Read between the lines. Microsoft doesn't do anything to benefit humanity unless it benefits themselves more (or has the potential to benefit themselves more). This has been exemplified many times in the past. This is the first step of the 'embrace, extend, extinguish' strategy. I admit that I may be quick to call foul on Microsoft, but given their reputation, can you blame me and others for doing so?

  6. well, well by l3v1 · · Score: 1

    Thing is, they had a hand in starting the async. xml and javascript story. Another thing is, they don't really have a good record on standards compliance. Add them together, what do you get ? Yep, innovation at it's best: going backwards.

    On the other hand, MS just has to be in there, like in everything else, since it;s harder to influence and/or control if you're not inside. That's all. All the rest about great innovations and lotsa tall blondes and free beers is just a bedside story.

    to ensure interoperability among tools built by different vendors

    Yupp, MS's paradise.
     

    --
    I am putting myself to the fullest possible use, which is all I can think that any conscious entity can ever hope to do.
  7. Sweet by loafing_oaf · · Score: 3, Funny

    Sweet, now I don't have to learn AJAX. I can't wait for AJAX#.

    --
    Always someone has power over you. The thing to consider is this: Is the power good, or bad?
    1. Re:Sweet by Scaba · · Score: 1

      You don't even need to wait: http://ajax.asp.net/

  8. they have a better Ajax by 140Mandak262Jamuna · · Score: 1
    They have announced that they will "improve" and "enhance" Ajax to give it "new" and "exciting" features. Too bad IE7 is the only browser that will support these features. And the API and documentation will be known only within MSFT. There will be bugs in the server side which IE7 will work around, and there will be bugs in IE7 side that the server will work around. But the new and exciting OOAjax will be "new industry standard".

    Embrace. Check

    Extend. pending.

    Extinguish. soon

    ...

    ...

    profit. forever.

    --
    sed -e 's/Chuck Norris/Rajnikant/g' joke > fact
    1. Re:they have a better Ajax by truthsearch · · Score: 3, Interesting

      Microsoft created the XMLHTTPRequest object in IE. Then other browsers implemented it. So AJAX effectively went from being IE-only to a de-facto standard. I think your point of view is backwards.

      Don't get me wrong. I hate Microsoft and they have embraced-extended-extinguished many things. But AJAX probably won't be one of them.

  9. The hole is getting deep by cloudkiller · · Score: 1

    MS could come out tomorrow and say that they will be donating $100 million dollars a day to the development and enhancement of Ubuntu as a replacement for the failed Windows Vista and everyone would still be filling up the /. comments sections with "on noes" and ??? > profit! all day long. Not that I would not agree and then wrap foil over my unbuntu distro CDs, I'm just saying it is about time MS just give up and embrace their evilness.

    --
    [an error occurred while processing this sig]
    1. Re:The hole is getting deep by stratjakt · · Score: 3, Insightful

      Maybe /. should grow up and quit personifying corporations?

      Seriously, this website serves absolutely no purpose, and has no weight in the industry. It's a place for geeks to verbally masturbate.

      Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I read on slashdot..."

      --
      I don't need no instructions to know how to rock!!!!
    2. Re:The hole is getting deep by value_added · · Score: 2, Funny

      ... quit personifying corporations?

      They hate it when you do that.

    3. Re:The hole is getting deep by Viceroy+Potatohead · · Score: 1

      Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I read on slashdot..."

      That kind of depends.... You're probably on safe ground if your boss is wearing a shirt that says: "I'm CowboyNeal's Lovechild", has a poster of Chuck Norris, or repeatedly says: "I'm your boss, you insensitive clod..."

      For other bosses, I suppose "I read in the blogosphere..." will have to do.

    4. Re:The hole is getting deep by anomalous+cohort · · Score: 1

      Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I read on slashdot..."

      Not necessarily so. I don't bother mentioning the source but I have incorporated lots of technologies that I've heard about on /. into our products and/or processes. Perhaps 99% of the content here is sophomoric but the remaining 1% is pure gold and worth every minute of sifting through the same old tired jokes repeated endlessly.

    5. Re:The hole is getting deep by dubbreak · · Score: 1

      "Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I read on slashdot..."

      Your exactly right. When they go to their boss the proposal goes, "I came up with a great new solution.." or, "I was doing some research into tools.." I.E. they'll just claim the idea came from them.

      Slashdot isn't a reputable source for anything, however it is a great hydrant of various ideas, software and hardware. As with any source you have to do your own research and sift through the misinformation and/or useless stuff.. but slashdot is still a great source for cutting edge stuff (as well as old stuff you haven't seen before).

      I have to admit though, this article is garbage ;).

      --
      "If you are going through hell, keep going." - Winston Churchill
    6. Re:The hole is getting deep by aeoo · · Score: 2, Insightful

      Seriously, this website serves absolutely no purpose,
      The purpose is to communicate.

      and has no weight in the industry.
      It has the same weight as any other communication -- no more, no less. When you participate in a group discussion, you are probably going to respect some people and not others. Those that you respect will influence you and that influence will carry through to your day job.

      It's a place for geeks to verbally masturbate.
      Communication venues are what you make of them. Since you say that, I have to surmise that you are verbally masturbating right now. As they say -- don't cut the branch you're sitting on.

      Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I read on slashdot..."
      Nobody goes to their boss with a proposal or idea that begins with "I was thinking in the shower..." or "While I was taking a massive dump..." or "I dreamt about..." and yet our thinking process from dreams, bathrooms, and so on, does influence us on our day job. Of course due to social conventions you are not likely to disclose that to your boss. That doesn't mean it has no weight!
    7. Re:The hole is getting deep by Stanistani · · Score: 1

      >It's a place for geeks to verbally masturbate.

      So was it good for you too?

  10. Control by Archangel+Michael · · Score: 3, Interesting

    Microsoft only seeks to control that which threatens its bread and butter.

    In this case, the concept that AJAX presents is a killer app to the bread and butter business of Productivity Software. With AJAX one can create the software one needs, and there is no restrictions on client OS other than a browser that properly displays AJAX components.

    Combine this with the idea from Adobe on sandboxing this in a wrapper for distribution away from Client/Server architecture which is completely platform independant, and you have a huge problem for Microsoft.

    They are going to try to tie specific implementations to Proprietary products (Windows, IE etc).

    Resistance is Futile.

    --
    Agent K: A *person* is smart. People are dumb, stupid, panicky animals, and you know it.
    1. Re:Control by naoursla · · Score: 1

      Meanwhile, Microsoft releases a new version of Visual Studio with JScript support and a library that makes AJAX programming dead simple.

      Microsoft has zero interest in killing AJAX, JScript, or the web.

    2. Re:Control by Ctrl-Z · · Score: 1

      Yes, I remember when the very same thing happened ten years ago and all of Microsoft's productivity software was replaced by Java.

      Er, um, I guess that didn't really happen. Maybe it's because the software platform doesn't matter?

      --
      www.timcoleman.com is a total waste of your time. Never go there.
    3. Re:Control by StrawberryFrog · · Score: 1

      They are going to try to tie specific implementations to Proprietary products (Windows, IE etc).

      That is fact-free spin.
      The MS Ajax toolkit has a stated goal of "work with any browser".

      --

      My Karma: ran over your Dogma
      StrawberryFrog

  11. Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1, Insightful

    Microsoft has turned the inherently open XML tech that is the "X" in XML into a battleground of propretary XML dialects to protect their MS Office formats. Just the latest in MS monkeywrenches in open format technologies like HTTP, HTML that force everyone to support the format that's best for MS. MS will surely turn AJAX into yet another "success" story.

    --

    --
    make install -not war

    1. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      You're just spinning gibberis, Anonymous MS fanboy Coward. The whole point of XML is to open data format dialects, getting out of the proprietary ghetto. Just like one fundamental point of HTTP and HTML were cross-platform data formats. When MS joined the working groups for those, of which I was a member, MS proceeded to damage them so the proprietary extensions could force the Web to be "more Microsoft". It's obvious that MS will do the same again to XML.

      Your hairsplitting tells us nothing about how MS will fail to do exactly that. But it does reveal how it will succeed: enlisting the astroturf of Anonymous Cowards like you.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

    2. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Dog-Cow · · Score: 2, Interesting

      To quote someone or another, "you sir, are an idiot." The AC was perfectly correct in stating that XML is nothing more than an overhyped method for organizing elements of a document and that it does nothing what-so-ever to define the semantics of the elements. A CSV file has 99% of the same benefits of XML for most uses. Just about the only thing you can't do with a CSV vs an XML document is easily transmit hierarchical data.

      The fact that MS can generate an XML document that has no human-understandable elements is a failure of XML, and nothing less.

    3. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by icepick72 · · Score: 1

      If Microsoft is agreeing to evolve AJAX within an open standards body then inside that context they cannot introduce proprietary features. This is much better than Microsoft evolving AJAX all by itself -- of course Microsoft may do that regardless as another in-house development stream. Dismissing Microsoft's efforts is a common theme. As with anything you can always look at the negative aspects instead of the positive. I wanted to note a positive point.

    4. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      The point that MS "evolving" AJAX inside an open standards body at least offers some opportunities to keep AJAX "equal opportunity" for everyone, not just MS, is a good one.

      And discussing the need for that alternative to MS just hijacking the tech on its own is part of the way to ensure that the open groups are watching for MS tricks and manipulation.

      Together, the two competing interests can engage in the open group to help keep open the tech it produces.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

    5. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      Moderation -1
          100% Troll

      If kicking an Anonymous troll Coward goodbye in the same style they slimed hello is a "Troll", then maybe I earned that one.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

    6. Re:Embrace, Extend, Exterminate by Doc+Ruby · · Score: 1

      Except that MS uses its announcements to "support XML" to confer the cloak of respectability as an open standard. Then they use XML to keep it proprietary, while saying they're not.

      If people can't follow the story enough to track how MS abuses everything it touches, so I can just refer to it, then I'm really not interested in discussing it with them. I'm not writing a book here - I'm looking for discussion with people familiar with the issues.

      And besides, since your argument claims that it's fair for MS to say they're using XML, I find your post to be more like a "concern troll". I don't think anyone who isn't already sympathetic to MS propaganda would find my perfectly legitimate accusations about MS and XML in this AJAX group context to support MS in any way. So thanks for your concern, but I'll just keep on.

      --

      --
      make install -not war

  12. *Raises Hand* by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Insightful
    The reason why Ajax took off in the first place is because of techniques and libraries that have allowed for a *normalized* interface that strattles the inconsistencies between IE, Firefox and other browsers.

    Well, okay, mostly IE and everyone else. So count this AC in: I question Microsoft's involvement in anything that attempts to erode their hedgemony over any market space. From www.openajax.org:

    The prime objective is to accelerate customer success with Ajax by promoting a customer's ability to mix and match solutions from Ajax technology providers and by helping to drive the future of the Ajax ecosystem.

    MS is obviously joining to help ensure that IE isn't written out of the future of web applications - how they accomplish that here, especially when most ajax libs steamroll over all browser inconsistencies anyway, is beyond me.
  13. Corporate rubbish? by Bogtha · · Score: 4, Insightful

    John Resig, lead developer of the jQuery library, has already written about this alliance. Choice quote:

    This is all (hopefully) an overreaction. But the very fact that no non-legally-backed entities exist in the alliance (and the fact that no good corporation would sign a legal agreement ambiguously defining the status of an "organization") leads me to believe that many of today's poplar JavaScript libraries are intended to be left out of the drafting of the OpenAjax requirements.

    --
    Bogtha Bogtha Bogtha
  14. Not really by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 1, Informative

    They developed parts of it. That the extension to http. That is it. They did not develop javascript, the browser, the web, etc. They, like others, stood on the shoulders of giants. But to say that they developed ajax it wrong.

    1. Re:Not really by bberens · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Edison didn't invent glass, didn't discover electricity, etc. but he DID invent the light bulb while standing on the shoulders of giants. Microsoft invented ajax regardless of how blinded by hatred you are. What might infuriate you even more is that if they hadn't created active-x they would never have created ajax. Imagine that, active-x, famous security nightmare, responsible for the great and powerful ajax.

      --
      Check out my lame java blog at www.javachopshop.com
    2. Re:Not really by AeroIllini · · Score: 1

      Imagine that, active-x, famous security nightmare, responsible for the great and powerful ajax. And the moral of this story is: don't blame the idea for the implimentation.
      --
      For security, the MD5 hash of this message and sig is 09f911029d74e35bd84156c5635688c0.
    3. Re:Not really by AuMatar · · Score: 1

      He didn't invent the lightbulb, he engineered a lightbulb with a reasonable lifespan. The first lightbulb was invented long before Edison started in on it.

      --
      I still have more fans than freaks. WTF is wrong with you people?
  15. What about server push / comet? by ratta · · Score: 1

    Ajax is currently supported on many browsers, even if a more standardized way would be welcome. What is really missing is a way for server to send data to the client, and this is often emulated using hidden iframe's that never load completely. Is there any plan to improve on this?

    --
    Wondering why i am doing so strange posts? I am trying to get a "+5,Flamebait" or "-1,Insightful" rating.
  16. JavaScript namespacing by Darkforge · · Score: 2, Interesting

    The most important advantage we're hoping to get out of OpenAjax is JavaScript namespacing. Prototype, Dojo and others will all too happily clobber each other's functions and objects, rendering them useless when used together. A consistent naming standard is one of the most immediate tangible benefits of the alliance.

    --

    When I moderate, I only use "-1, Overrated". That way, I never get meta-moderated!

    1. Re:JavaScript namespacing by Denney · · Score: 1

      Mod parent up!! This is a very important benefit.

    2. Re:JavaScript namespacing by zoips · · Score: 1

      Right, so we need another group in order to push ECMAScript 4 (aka Javascript 2.0)?

      AJAX: The latest masturbatory buzzword for the clueless and stupid.

  17. SOAP-ification by hey · · Score: 2, Insightful

    Right now AJAX is pretty simple.
    Just like XML-RPC was. Then Microsoft made it all complicated and called it SOAP. Now you need a library to use SOAP because its so complicated.
    I hope this doesn't happen to AJAX!!

    1. Re:SOAP-ification by sconeu · · Score: 1

      What do you mean complicated? SOAP can't be complicated, the name says it's simple! Simple Object Access Protocol!!!!

      --
      General Relativity: Space-time tells matter where to go; Matter tells space-time what shape to be.
    2. Re:SOAP-ification by giafly · · Score: 1

      Now you need a library to use SOAP because its so complicated.
      No you don't. And no it's not. I support a product which includes a SOAP API and several clients access it using hand-crafted XML for their SOAP calls. This is pretty straightforward, certainly easier than e.g real-world CSS or XSL.

      To return to the original subject of this thread: if you think SOAP is complex, no way should you consider using AJAX!
      --
      Reduce, reuse, cycle
  18. Microsoft joins a standards body...again? by HomerNet · · Score: 1

    How long will it be before Microsoft gets cranky, takes their ball, and goes home this time?

    --
    I have no tag line
  19. You obviously don't understand by deadkevin · · Score: 1

    Microsoft wants stuff to only work Better in windows. Notworse. Remember when they "helped" Java. deadkevin

    1. Re:You obviously don't understand by Locutus · · Score: 1

      And it just so happens that EVERY TIME they do this, they make their version incompatible with the others.

      So you think they are doing it to make it run better on Windows? Can I interest you in a piece of land on the moon?

      Don't kid yourself, EVERYTHING Microsoft does is tweaked to act as a protection mechanism for the Microsoft Windows monopoly. And unfortunately, these tweaks always make the developers job more difficult and customer experience confusing in a heterogeneous environment.

      LoB

      --
      "Anyone who stands out in the middle of a road looks like roadkill to me." --Linus
  20. Ajax spammers - sys-con.com by jazman · · Score: 1

    Whatever you do, don't sign up to sys-con.com's mailing lists unless you know for absolutely 100% positively certain that you want to be pestered about Ajax conferences for the rest of your life. They WILL NOT remove you from their mailing lists. TBH I've no idea how I actually got on their lists in the first place.

  21. Mod Parent Up - Not Troll by giafly · · Score: 1

    "Sun's license for Java insists that all implementations be "compatible". This resulted in a legal dispute with Microsoft after Sun claimed that the Microsoft implementation did not support the RMI and JNI interfaces and had added platform-specific features of their own. Sun sued and won both damages (some $20 million) and a court order enforcing the terms of the license from Sun. As a result, Microsoft no longer ships Java with Windows, and in recent versions of Windows, Internet Explorer cannot support Java applets without a third-party plugin." - Wikipedia

    Dunno what "100% pure Java apps" are, but MS Java ran better than Sun Java at the time. Sun didn't want to lose control, hence the lawsuit and also Sun's delay in Open-Sourcing Java. Unfortunately some readers are too young to remember these events.

    --
    Reduce, reuse, cycle
    1. Re:Mod Parent Up - Not Troll by ClosedSource · · Score: 1

      "100% pure Java" was a logo program that Sun created that was supposed to certify that a qualifying application "conforms to the Java ideal of universal portability". I assume that the word "ideal" was used because Sun realized that Java apps couldn't actually achieve universal portability. Like many others, I suspected that its main purpose was to discredit MS's JVM and Java apps that were based on it.