Web 2.0 Achilles Heel

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Web 2.0 is the hottest fad right now. Web 2.0 is basically using Javascript to add some interactive and dynamic content to your web pages. This is done by a method called AJAX (Asynchronous Javascript And XML).

Web 2.0 is being used in the most intrusive ways, such as dynamic popups by moving your mouse over part of the screen. You don't need to click the mouse. Just move the mouse over word, phrase or object and you are being monitored and clocked for web personalization. Ads and videos are literallly being pushed down your throat.

The problem is that businesses are becoming far too dependent on AJAX.

Since users have the power to turn off Javascript in thier web browsers, disabled AJAX will quickly kill many of these new web sites that based their presence, operation and business on Javascript. Try it yourself. Disable JavaScript in your browser and watch how most of the ads, video and popups disappear. It will actually make your web surfing faster.

Could this be the reason to explain the movement by many web development tools vendors are now beginning make users download frontends?

This use to be way things were done, such as with our Wildcat! Navigator. The irony is that we are looking towards making a Web 2.0 version of WcNavigators, others are looking to making a "navigator" of their own.

The point is simple - unless the browser makers remove the option to allow users to disable javascript, businesses ought to think long and hard before creating a web site that is strictly Web 2.0 based - you might find users are so annoyed but the abuse of Web 2.0 they will begin to turn it off or worst, an Anti-Ajax market will emerge.