> Behalf Of Nick Lo > I think Scott touches on a good point here that GMail is really a web > application and many of Google's current projects are really pushing > into quite new areas, Google Maps in particular. ... > GMail > is a web application and is using technologies (like XMLHTTPRequest) > which are themselves pushing the capabilities of current browsers. > > Web applications already struggle within the constraints of browsers > and depending on their use often need to be doing so. This is > one area
And the reason for that is, of course, that HTML was never designed to be a rich and interactive web application platform. That's what Java and co were promising to be (shame really). However, the point is (as I see it anyway): as it *is* delivered via the web, some consideration should be given (within reason) to constraints of the medium. A lot of the core functionality of GMail and similar services can be done with nothing more than standard HTML. Sure, it may involve multiple calls to the server, and change a one-page process into a three or four page process...but at least it's possible. It usually is considered best practice to cater for the largest possible audience by providing some graceful paths of degradation. Yes, use the bells and whistles which XMLHTTPRequest and co can offer, but don't forget about other platforms which may not support it. Sure, Google don't *have* to make their site accessible at all (not under current legislation, anyway), but the point is that it's a shame they didn't. IMHO, anyway. Patrick ________________________________ Patrick H. Lauke Webmaster / University of Salford http://www.salford.ac.uk ****************************************************** The discussion list for http://webstandardsgroup.org/ See http://webstandardsgroup.org/mail/guidelines.cfm for some hints on posting to the list & getting help ******************************************************
