Comments on Use More JavaScript - AddedBytes.com

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2008-07-13T18:05:46+01:00

Comment by jason ( )

Hi everyone, i have only just learned how to write (x)html and css, and im currently half way through building my own site, the one problem i have is that i cannot write javascript and i dont know where to start learning it, i dont wan to use very much of it at all, ive just been told that if i want to add a better graphical/visual look to my site then i have to use j/script, but i dont know how to write it or know where i can learn it, is the advice ive been given true? wil my site be overlooked by so many people coz of not using script?
Im confused do i learn it or not? if yes how do i learn it?
Thanks alot for reading this
j.

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2008-07-04T18:13:37+01:00

Comment by Hrvoje Markovic ( http://croatiankid.com )

Pete and Paul:

I've gotten the impression that you are looking for absolute statistics, which is utterly impossible. User agent technology support statistics vary from site to site.

As Dave mentioned, user agent capabilities vary as well (although some people willingly turn off JavaScript, some don't even have a choice). As such, you would not expect many visually impaired people to be learning web design or programming, so that (among many other factors that consider the site's target audience) contributes to the smaller number of visitors with JavaScript disabled.

Dave pretty much hit the nail on the head in reply to Benjamin. You should start building your page with exclusively semantic HTML, which makes the page 100% accessible to modern user agents, then add CSS, but without changing the HTML as much to make it difficult to access for user agents that don't support CSS (don't use tables for layout). You should add JavaScript using the same principle as when adding CSS, i.e. not breaking accessibility.

JavaScript can be a great addition to a web site for those that have it enabled, but don't hinder the accessibility of those who haven't.

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2008-05-15T08:01:21+01:00

Comment by Dave Child ( http://www.addedbytes.com )

Benjamin: You are deeply deeply wrong.

What about text browsers? What about screen readers? What about search engin spiders? What about the founding principles of the web - that it be accessible to all on any device?

There are people who turn JavaScript off because they're sick of tacky effects (snow falling, something following the mouse, etc). Or because so many people write such bad JavaScript, or use so much of it, that they render a computer virtually useless while their page is active on it.

And as for your comment that it's not possible to create a decent web site without JavaScript - there are millions of examples of sites that use JavaScript well, where a lack of JavaScript doesn't render the site useless.

Progressive enhancement and graceful degradation are two principles that allow you to use JavaScript responsibly.

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2008-05-14T22:52:25+01:00

Comment by Benjamin Tremblay ( )

A web browser with JavaScript disabled is a broken web browser.

JavaScript is an inseparable component of the web experience. Debating whether or not to use JavaScript is like debating whether or not to use CSS. It's not possible to make a good web site without JavaScript, and that's the way it should be. Web sites are applications, and they must respond to user input like applications, not like so many request/response page loads. This is simply a matter of fact in 2008.

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2007-06-10T10:28:44+01:00

Comment by leipzig ( http://www.key-look.de )

i think more people need to activate it, because of the web 2.0 standards. Since a few months on our sites we recognize that trend too. What do you think is the reason?

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2007-05-15T09:50:46+01:00

Comment by Paul Walker ( )

I'm also wondering where that statistic came from - from what I've seen (on my site) its more like 98%, the w3cschools stat is 94% and rising http://www.w3schools.com/browsers/browsers_stats.asp

Comment on Use More JavaScript

2005-04-30T11:44:37+01:00

Comment by Pete ( )

Where did you get 80-85% of people have js enabled from? I've been trying to find stats on this but having been finding much as yet. Also interesting article, guess somebody out there now knows I like girls from a wide age range and backgrounds!