[K12OSN] AJAX and users

[Dan Eliot]

Huck said regarding AJAX:
"I agree...it's just a matter of training ignorant users"

I disagree strongly (but politely) with this statement.

The internet is full of "smart" web designers and software companies
foisting "the next big thing" on unsuspecting "dumb" users who are just
trying to keep up.

If AJAX is going to become important to the average user, then somebody
either needs to FIX the back button issue or GREY OUT the back button when
the user visits an AJAX rich page.  Just watch, some browser maker will
solve this issue one way or another within the next year.

Anyway...  Users are just transferring their previous knowledge to a new
situation.  Something they do naturally, and something we should not blame
them for  :-)

Being a long time web designer myself, I wish more web sites would focus
on getting the basics right (like clean design, standards, and usability)
and ignore AJAX until later in the process.  The Wordpress blog platform
is an example of good usability coming FIRST, and AJAX being added much
later.

My $0.02,
Dan