Monday, January 29, 2007

Downsides of Ajax

Limited Capabilities: Some Ajax applications are certainly doing things people never dreamed were possible on the web, but there are still substantial restrictions of the web platform. For example: multimedia capabilities, local data storage, real-time graphics, interaction with hardware such as printers and webcams. Support for some of these are improving in recent browsers, some can be achieved by delegating to Flash, but many are simply not possible, and if required, would rule out Ajax.
Performance Concerns: Constant interaction between browser and server can make an application feel unresponsive. There are, however, quite a few well-known patterns for performance optimisation such as browser-side caching. These usually suffice, even for fast-paced applications like stock trading, but Ajax still might not work for really time-critical applications such as machine control.
Internet Access Required: The user can't access an Ajax application in the absence of a network connection.
Second Programming Language: Serious Ajax applications require some knowledge of Javascript. Many developers are discovering that Javascript is actually a more capable language than at first assumed, but there is nevertheless an imposition to use a language different to that on the server-side.
Easily Abused: As with any powerful technology, Ajax concepts can be abused by careless programmers. The patterns on this site are intended to guide developers towards more usable solutions, but the fact remains that Ajax isn't always used in a manner that supports usability.


SOURCE : www.referjava.com

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