NEWSLETTERS
 

CIO.com updates, insights and advice on technology, management and your career.

 CIO BlackBerry News and Tips
 CIO Research and Analysis
 CIO Microsoft
 CIO Insider
 
 
 
SUBSCRIBE TO CIO
 
Are you involved in setting the direction for your company's IT budget or strategy?

Apply today for a FREE subscription to CIO Magazine!

 


Mon, Dec 3, 2007 16:23 EST

Eeek! The Web without JavaScript

Topic: Development

Blog: You're the Boss

Current Rating: 3 Comments: 10

There are good reasons to insist that developers take extra time to make Web sites accessible—such as enabling it for the screen readers that blind users need—not the least of which is ADA legislation. But who's paying attention to making a site run well without JavaScript? It might be more necessary than you imagine.

For the last several weeks, I've been living in the future. I interviewed some of the smartest people around about where the world of Web development is headed, much of which centers around "Web 2.0" — which means AJAX, which means JavaScript.

Concurrently, my spouse just launched his client's Web site for a specialty bookstore. He took the time to ensure that its e-commerce system worked even when JavaScript is disabled. It's ugly, he says, but it works. However, he was astounded to see that, in its first week, about 40% (yes, 40%!) of people buying mystery books online (such as a first edition of Diana Gabaldon's Outlander or a signed copy of Joe Garagiola's Just Play Ball) make the purchase with JavaScript turned off.

Is this common? We spent some time puttering through popular sites to see how well they worked with with the feature disabled in the browser, and as expected most of the sites are ugly, lose functionality, or are essentially useless. (CIO.com is better than some, worse than others. But you won't be able to reply to this message unless you turn JavaScript back on.) Yet—as I wrote in that Beyond Ajax set of articles—the world is poised to use more JavaScript, not less. Do you see a problem here?

Before you rush to examine your own site statistics, look at how those metrics are gathered. Your site may not know about the visitors who have turned off JavaScript, giving you questionable numbers (I'm not quite certain of that; I'm sure the SEO techies will clarify for me) and moreover giving you the idea that everybody is using JavaScript when that's not the case.

For example, the Google Analytics UrchinTracker uses JavaScript to collect customer data, using a combination of server and client-side technology including cookies. It promises to let you track events on your site that do not generate a pageview. "Using the urchinTracker JavaScript, you can assign a specific page filename to Flash events, JavaScript events, file downloads, outbound links, and more," they say. The site tracking software we use for CIO.com said that 100% of our visitors use JavaScript; and although it did log our experimental visit (100% minus 1), I'm not sure if I believe it.

Essentially: If your tracking data incorrectly implies that all site visitors use JavaScript, you may be coming to the wrong conclusions.

This sidesteps the issue of why someone would turn off JavaScript, and whether they're dumb to do so. Some people see JavaScript as a security hole; others want to block advertising; still others see user tracking as an invasion of privacy. Some companies turn it off as corporate policy. This isn't about whether they should do so; the bottom line is that they do, and what (if any) consequences that has for your Web site development efforts.

Your developers probably hate to invest the time in writing and testing code for the site to make it "play nice" with screen readers and other legally-mandated accessibity/ADA issues. I understand why. Programmers design apps that do what they must, and use the best technology available, and it's time consuming and annoying


You do not have flash or javascript support.
Average (2 votes)
3
 
 
Tue, Dec 4, 2007 17:14 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: Justin
Rating: 10

As more applications require javascript, it will create a competitive advantage for screen readers and search engines that can work with javascript. The problem will eventually be solved.

 
Tue, Dec 4, 2007 17:59 EST
Posted by: Esther Schindler
Rating: 90

If search improves and brings the non-JavaScript people to your site, but your site is still unusable without JavaScript, how would this solve anything?

 
Wed, Dec 5, 2007 14:33 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: doyle
Rating: 30

If you write a program to do something you should start with no browser. Get that working. Then write a front-end. Write the no javascript version. Then build the javascript version. If you have the javascript one detect no javascript then redirect using http. You can do that various ways. Cookies and session state.

Using xml to render and decorate as needed.

 
Thu, Dec 6, 2007 12:49 EST
Posted by: Esther Schindler
Rating: 70

Is it common?

 
Mon, Dec 10, 2007 11:22 EST
Anonymous user
Posted by: doyle
Rating: 63.3333

Yes ... The other consideration people do not take in to consideration is that if you want page rank your site needs to be open to the crawlers and spiders. Having a two or three phased approach is recommended. You would be shocked to find that some sites server different content when the google bot stops by. It's hard to do it right and think about all those angles.

No sadly most do not develop sites that way. It's a problem with maturity in the business.

For example this site has the preview for comments as a way to deal with second submit.

Post new comment

* Subject:
* Username:
* E-mail:
The content of this field is kept private and will not be shown publicly.
Homepage:
* Body:
  • Allowed HTML tags: <a> <em> <strong> <cite> <code> <ul> <ol> <li> <dl> <dt> <dd> <img> <blockquote> <strike> <p> <br>
  • Lines and paragraphs break automatically.
More information about formatting options

* Denotes required field.

About this Blog

How would you solve this management problem?

Start a Conversation
Click to post

Got something to say? We want to hear it! Click the Post button to get started. GO»

EXPERT ADVICE
See our roster of experts.

Advice & Opinion from more than 113 of IT's most insightful thinkers.

  PARTNERS       WEBCASTS    
 

Windows 7 Webcast Series

There's a lot of buzz about Windows 7 out there. Each month in our webcast series, listen to analysts and customers discuss how Windows 7 and the Windows Optimized Desktop is impacting large companies around the world. Learn how they evaluated Windows 7, including the cost of deployment, deployment strategies, and tangible benefits.

Sponsored by Microsoft  Listen to on-demand Recordings »

 

Service Level Management Best Practices Life Cycle Overview - Improve Service Levels

Best practices for Service Level Management (SLM) is a process for consistently meeting customer requirements and delivering on IT's promises. See the steps required to ensure high-quality SLM.

Sponsored by Compuware  Read this White Paper »

 

Keeping Your Members Safe from Online Scams and Predators

In order to keep fraudsters out, romance sites must deploy effective solutions that look at information independent of what is supplied by users. A device fingerprinting solution such as iovation ReputationManager™ provides unique insight into the computers being used to create multiple accounts and exposes hidden device-account relationships that identity-based fraud solutions often miss.

Sponsored by iovation  Read this White Paper »

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notifications by topic when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library.

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library. Don't just be up-to-date—be up to the minute with our new Resource Alerts.

Defend Against Blended Threats: What You Need to Know

Blended Web and email threats are becoming increasingly complex and represent a huge...  View Now »

 

Prescriptive Actions to Reduce Risk

In this Webcast, learn best practices for effective systems management in a heterogeneous environment and keep client systems cost under control.   View Now »

 

Webcast- Vantage 11: Redefining Application Performance Management

Compuware's latest release, Vantage 11, is a major advance in end-to-end application performance management--bringing together proactive issue identification, quantification of business impact and problem resolution into a single solution. Tune in to learn how Vantage 11's top-down approach helps you make better decisions and dramatically lower operations costs.  View Now »

Resource Alerts

Get instant email notification when white papers, webcasts, and case studies are added to our library. Don't just be up-to-date—be up to the minute with our new Resource Alerts.

 
NEWSLETTER

Sign-up for the Blogs & Discussion Newsletter

 
FEATURED SPONSORS
 
 
 
SPONSORED LINKS
 

Return on Information: Google Enterprise Search pays you back. Get the facts.

VMware. The source for Business Infrastructure Virtualization.

ShoreTel tells businesses to untangle from competitors' complexity and turn to its brilliantly simple UC solution

See how AT&T can help protect your network.

Streamline IT Costs. Boost Performance with WAN Optimization.

Build your 1st app FREE with Force.com

TDWI checklist helps define data readiness for analytics. Download report.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

The rules of infrastructure management just changed.

A Clear View Toward Virtualization

Interactive Q&A helps you discover key ways to maximize IT assets.

Ready to virtualize tier one applications? Check your virtualization maturity.

Think you can't afford a Cisco Switch? Cisco Catalyst Switches are now more affordable.

Five minute business analytics assessment. Immediate results.

The Case for Investing in Business Analytics Technology. Read white paper.

Upgrading to VMware vSphere with vWire

Top 10 Lessons Learned for Corporate 3G Mobile Broadband Deployments

CRM Built for IT: The Executive Guide to Selecting CRM that Meets IT Needs

Return on Information: Google Enterprise Search pays you back

ROI of Application Delivery Controllers

Making Consumer Two-Factor Authentication Simple and Cost-Effective

Mining the Cloud to Ease the Enterprise Compliance Burden

Solve Five Key IT Security Challenges with Cloud-Based Authentication

White Paper: Right-Sizing Your Power Infrastructure

AT&T Synaptic Storage as a Service. Expand on demand

Trend Micro ranked #1 against real-world malware. Read more.

Webinar: Jump-start your in-house e-discovery with Ringtail QuickCull from FTI Technology

Top Five CIO Challenges

Read the RSA report: Security for Business Innovation

64-page prescriptive guide to security, compliance, and IT operations.

Increase UPS efficiency without sacrificing protection.

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

Reduce risk, gain agility. See how Progress can help your business.

Virtualization Technology as a Business Solution

eZine: A Roadmap to Reducing IT Complexity

World-class trading technology solutions from NYSE Technologies.

If You're Paying for Telecom, You're Paying Too Much. Contact Asentinel Today.

Trade-In your old printer and save up to $1,000 plus free recycling!

infoBOOM! - The Mid-Sized Company CIO's Exclusive Community

Live Webinar: Applying Business Analytics. Click here to learn more

Removing Barriers To Better Server Virtualization Efficiency

4G Revisited. The Continued Evolution of Wireless Mobility.

What's Next for Enterprise Resource Planning?

Maximizing website Return on Information with high-quality search

Gartner Magic Quadrant, Application Delivery Controllers 2009

Authentication as a Service by Forrester Research

Cloud-Based Authentication for Next-Generation Extranets

Cut Costs & Green Your IT Operations with PC Power Management

White Paper: 4 Customer Service Myths