Web Development Articles

AJAX isn't a technology. It's a combination of technologies. And what a combination! Asynchronous JavaScript And XML. A combination of technologies that enable the functionality of desktop applications to appear online and be used through a web browser.

Google Suggest demonstrates a simple yet effective use of the AJAX method.

Michael Robertson has launched ajaxWrite which is a fully functional word processor in your browser (FireFox is currently required). There is no doubt that it contributes towards the ever decreasing differentiation between desktop applications and online applications. 

The interesting thing with ajaxWrite (apart from the fact it was launched by Michael Robertson, the founder of MP3.com) is that it can open, edit, and save Word documents. Yep that's right... Microsoft Word documents.

People won't need a PC with MS Word installed to create a Word document. People won't need MS Word installed to view a Word document either. Why don't we just forget MS Word altogether...

Ok maybe a bit too far. But times they are a-changing. Incidentally, on the topic of desktop publishing, MS Office and MS Word, I would recommend Open Office as a high quality open-source alternative.