Re: A gripe just posted to HP's VMS ITRC forum (for those with afoot in both camps)

In article <43F7900F.1BCEBFE1@xxxxxxxxxxxxx>, JF Mezei
<jfmezei.spamnot@xxxxxxxxxxxxx> writes:

Paul Sture wrote:
Add to that the gratuitous use of Javascript, even for a simple URL, and
I find it's a turnoff.

I couldn't agree more. HTML can do 99% of what any website needs. I've
seen a couple of websites which do interesting things with Java or
JavaScript, but only a couple, among thousands.

Yeah. Nothing more frustrating when they point to some PDF document. And
instead of being able to click on it and "SAVE AS" the document without
actually loading it, you have to copy the URL (which includes the
javascript ***) and then open a new window, paste the url, remove the
superfluous javascript *** and open the document and then save it.

I really do not understand why so many web designers insist on using
javascript for such a simple task when the built in HTML target="_blank"
is far more efficient to code and efficient to execute and gives you a
full window with all teh controls, not some reduced window without menu
options etc etc (most javascript programmers are too lazy to code all
parameters in the "open new window" function and don't enable the window features).

Simple: a mentality which emphasises the wrong things. Such websites
are like bolt-on exhaust-pipe extensions, spoilers which make the
aerodynamics of the car worse, gold-plated toilet seats etc: looks
flashy but is actually worse at doing the job than the simple
equivalent.

Unfortunately, the motivation is there: the people who pay for such
websites or even demand such bells and whistles are the equivalent of
the air-head pubescent girls egging the fast-and-furious pubescent boys
to race to their death. The quite lad in the VW doesn't interest them,
but he is happy and will outlive them all.

I'm in the process of switching to a new health-insurance company. I
have it narrowed down to two companies with the same rates and almost
exactly the same benefits (benefits are specified almost completely by
law in Germany, so the real battle is between cost, service and
ease-of-use). The winner is the one with the better website. One has
flash, javascript, complicated navigation full of redirects and a
non-obvious structure. The other works equally well in LYNX or Mozilla,
has no javascript, an obvious structure, no flash and easy navigation.

.