Google have released a beta of Gears - a browser plugin (.xpi for Firefox) that allows you to store offline content on a user’s hard-drive, via javascript. This allows AJAX web applications to continue working offline, using the stored content. I lambasted JavaFX for the same feature, but I only realised what they might’ve meant after looking at the Gears examples, and the potential therein. It’s not so much a case of fetching new data from the server, but say in the case of Google Apps, continuing to edit a spreadsheet even though you’re offline. Gears could then synchronise your local copy to the server when you connect again. JavaFX should’ve compared itself to Gears, if it were around.

There’s also a local SQLite database you can run queries on through javascript, and it also provides a non-blocking thread system so that you can run intensive javascript without locking up your web app.

Unfortunately this all only works after you’ve installed the plugin, which I imagine is some horrid ActiveX affair in IE on windows.

I’m probably setting myself up for a nice big fall - straight onto my ass - but why is it that supposed programmers/web developers have a seemingly limitless ability to abuse the english language. I don’t want this to be another “the internet is ruining spelling” post, and that’s not what I’m saying; what I am saying is that the internet allows you access to a whole lot of written work that you usually wouldn’t see. I might be friends with x and y, but 10 years ago I wouldn’t see much of their writing outside of school. Suddenly introduce the internet and weblogs, and it becomes disturbingly apparent that a lot of people can’t spell a lot of words. I’m not trying to be a grammar/spelling nazi; I mean I am quite the comma abuser, but I like to think my sentences and paragraphs generally leave little room for ambiguity or downright confusion.

On top of this, some of the worst offenders are programmers, and this really annoys me. Programmers are supposedly meant to have a logical mind - sure you can go on about the creativity of coding and letting your raw brain waves shape some sort of master program, or some other crap - but facts are facts, a compiler/interpreter has to parse your code at some point, and it can only parse something that follows the right conventions and uses the correct symbols. I know some people whose spelling is predictably terrible, so at least (or unfortunately) when they misspell a variable name, they consistently misspell it, and thus the compiler never knows the difference. And let us not delve into the abuses exclamation marks suffer.

Multiple exclamation marks are a sure sign of someone who wears their underwear on their head.

Furthermore, Firefox 2 comes with a built-in spell checker that underlines any errors that you may have made when filling in a text area on a web page… and if you’re in the web development business and not using Firefox, perhaps it’s time you left the web development business, preferably via way of suicide.

I shall leave you with a list of correct spellings for common errors that really make me go, “Grrr… “:

weird, dependent, guarantee, government, definite.

World, this is a press release. Press release, say hi to the world…

Does JavaFX Spell The End Of AJAX?

You know all that AJAX code you’ve been writing and tearing your hair out over as you attempt to get the JavaScript working in both Internet Explorer and Firefox? Yeah, that AJAX code.

Oh, that thing I use JQuery for (or some another reasonable library)? No, I’ve never really had javascript compatibility issues - I’m more scared of the inconsistencies in HTML and CSS between the two browsers.

It’s all going to be useless real soon.

Sure, I’m sure there are more people with the Java Runtime installed with a vaguely decent internet browser than people with just a vaguely decent internet browser.

JavaFX will also trigger desktop integration of over-the-wire applications with Java, rather than relying on a constant connection for the JavaScript used in AJAX.

There are more perks with JavaFX, Sun officials claim. One of the knocks on AJAX applications, aside from browser compatibility, is that it requires a large amount of JavaScript to be sent over the wire; that script could have something malicious embedded in it.

Constant connection? Large amount of javascript? 3kb of cacheable javascript versus a 50mb JRE download? Ok, so javascript code that is plainly visible for anyone to read via their view source option in the browser, is worse than some proprietary module that sits on my machine and has potential access to my HDD?

So instead of relying on the browser to sandbox off JavaScript code, the applications use the security features in Java SE to control an application’s hard drive access. Because it runs on the client and is not dependent on code sent over the wire, it also means applications written in AJAX, such as Google Apps, can be used offline.

Where exactly are you going to get the information to return via JavaFX if you’re offline? Wait, unless all you’re talking about is fancy special effects… which AJAX can also do whilst disconnected…

I think someone has gotten very confused and is comparing JavaFX to the nearest big thing she/he could think of. JavaFX is obviously some kind of competitor to Silverlight and Adobe’s Flex or whatever it’s called, and hence is catering to a different kind of development problem that AJAX caters for.

Does registering a .co.za domain annoy you? Having to copy/paste your address everywhere? Well, it annoyed me enough to make this little web-based form that’ll spit out a copy of the text form ready for you to email off (once you’ve confirmed it manually, of course).

coza Registration form generator

Also, some people are under the impression that registering a .co.za is hard - quite the opposite, it’s just a bit time-consuming. Once you have your nameservers and they have records for your domain, fill in the form and send it off. Provided everything is ship-shape you’ll get a confirmation email back shortly, and you can then deposit your annual registration fee.

What else is up? Not much, working. Saturday’s Nirvana tribute at Mercury was really good, louder and heavier than the Armchair gig (which is good, but the quieter gig was also really cool). Hot Fuzz (the new Simon Pegg/Edgar Wright movie) is really funny, I’d recommend seeing Shaun of the Dead first though. Actually, try pick up some copies of Big Train before as well… if you’re really dedicated!

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seven fore ee three five bee dee eight four
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eight eight see oh