[Sigia-l] DHTML Menus and HTML Widgets

[Ben Henick]

On Wed, 17 Jul 2002, Boersma, Peter wrote:

> "Ben Henick" wrote:
> > >> JavaScript is (essentially) programming, while HTML is markup.
> > > 
> > > ...And I disagree in turn.
> 
> Upon which Ziya asked:
> > Based on what?
> 
> I don't know what Ben's basis is, but mine is concepting, designing and
> building interactive web sites and applications for the last 7 years.

Er, missed a "<snip>" notation.

The following statement of Ziya's message was what tweaked my nose - if 
you keep designers and developers in their own sandboxes entirely because 
each is best at one thing, you're throwing out the baby with the bathwater 
IMO... perhaps she's been taking the opening books of "The Republic" a 
bit much to heart, maybe?

Yes, there is a huge difference between markup and application code, 
whether the latter is on the client or the server side.

However, client side application code on the Web is so closely tied to the 
markup (or more appropriately, the structure and content of a given 
document or template) that it takes a lot of cooperation between designers 
and developers to make sure that the JavaScript does what the client paid 
for, while also effectively addressing usability and accessibility 
concerns.

I suggest this from a background of seven years of doing markup, four 
doing JavaScript, along with plenty of design and application design work 
sprinkled in there.  While my resume is doubtless not as stellar as Ziya's 
or yours, I don't feel disqualified to comment.

{insert "me too" to the remainder of Peter's comments.}

As for the rest of the basis of my disagreement, 'twas based on my 
following comments... which I have repeated again in this message.

A designer who does not know (at the very least) the strengths and 
limitations of JavaScript will be hard pressed to create highly 
interactive UI's that don't drive the developers/programmers responsible 
for their implementation to distraction.  Period.


-- 
Ben Henick
Web Author At-Large              Managing Editor
http://www.io.com/persist1/      http://www.digital-web.com/
persist1 at io.com                  bmh at digital-web.com
--
"Are you pondering what I'm pondering, Pinky?"
"I think so, Brain, but... (snort) no, no, it's too stupid."
"We will disguise ourselves as a cow."
"Oh!" (giggles) "That was it exactly!"