AJAX
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I'm sure you're familiar with the traditional interface model for a web application. The user requests a page from the server, which is built and delivered to the browser. This page includes an HTML form element for capturing data from the user. Once the user posts their input back to the server, the next page can be built and served based on the input, and so the process continues. This is largely dictated by the nature of HTTP and differs from the traditional desktop application model of an interface which is inherently connected to the application layer. Take the simple example of filling out a serial number box to register a desktop app on a platform like Microsoft Windows.
HTTPRequest object at XML.com
AJAX
If anything about current interaction design can be called “glamorous,” it’s creating Web applications. After all, when was the last time you heard someone rave about the interaction design of a product that wasn’t on the Web? (Okay, besides the iPod.) All the cool, innovative new projects are online.
Two weeks ago I highlighted the most important usability issues with XMLHttpRequest . This week we are going a step closer to see how you can mix the two - including a practical example, just for the fun of it. One of the great benefits of XMLHttpRequest is that you can use it to make complex WYSIWYG. This has previously been hard to do on the web. Take a "build your car" feature that you often find on sites of car manufacturers.
Usable XMLHttpRequest