Hello, everyone. The topic of this week is Rich User Experiences.
Rich User Experience is the fourth pattern in WEB 2.0 structure, which was based on Tim O’Reilly’s fourth design pattern of Web 2.0. According to Tim O’Reilly, building up rich internet applications can provide better user experiences. Therefore, the new Web 2.0 applications now use technologies such as Ajax, Flash, HTML5, and Adobe Flex.
What is AJAX?
AJAX, an acronym for Asynchronous JavaScript and XML, is a group of interrelated web development techniques used on the client-side to create asynchronous web applications. However, as Jesse mentioned, “Ajax isn’t a technology. It’s really several technologies, each flourishing in its own right, coming together in powerful new ways.” AJAX simply means that the web page can be more responsive and act more like an application without always requiring us to click on links and reload the page. It means the website can be more dynamic.
Protopage
Protopage is a platform which includes RSS reader, virtual desktop, and internet start page. It has a very nice Web 2.0-oriented design, and it is very solid in every area that you expect from a personalized start page. Protopage leverages Web 2.0 methodologies to create a very smooth drag-and-drop interface that acts more like your desktop than a browser home page. It is a personalized start page that allows users to create their own modules with RSS feeds, podcasts, vidcasts, and other web widgets.
In conclusion, through AJAX, websites are able to become more dynamic which means they will become both more powerful and easier to use.
It is the last post in this semester. Hope you enjoy my blog. See you next time.
Chris in Enterprise 
Hi Chris
Nice to see your blog again.
You have a good and concise explanation about this week topic, Rich User experiences. There are many new technologies using in the new web 2.0 applications and you focus on the Ajax.
I think Ajax is a very good technology which make web more dynamic. Right now, static website already cannot meet people’s needs. Dynamic website can have more wonderful and powerful user experiences.
Protopage is one of the best designed Ajax portals. Progtopage have been launched for more than 9 years. It can be the evergreen in portal web. I did some research about the Protopage. During that time, I find a website which called NetVibes (www.netvibes.com) like Protopage very much.
The default interface for both services is a dashboard where feeds, widgets or apps are presented in blocks that can be placed pretty much wherever you like. Both services provide extensive customization options including color schemes and backgrounds. Both include support for tabs, and each tab can be customized individually, including the number and width of columns per tab. Protopage is better at drag and drop. Protopage also supports dragging and resizing widgets.
Protopage is the portal representative. They can give rich user experiences to the people. I will keep attention to Protopage.
I enjoy your blog, and have learned lots of useful thing. Nice blog!
Cheers
Reblogged this on Sutoprise Avenue, A SutoCom Source.
Hi Chris,
Nice post. I found that the Protopage is really similar to iGoogle. However, iGoogle has been discontinued due to belief of eroded over time. One alternative of such platform is Start.me, which can support multiple languages other than English. These are extra benefits been provided than Protopage. Also, I found that NetVibes mentioned by web2qut has the limit to support IE7. So, seems each of these platforms have their own pros and cons.
See you later.
Chuan
Hey Chris,
You mentioned about AJAX which I found interesting as it helps to work without worrying of reload time and slow speed connection. Take an example of GOOGLE, it uses AJAX to search user input without reloading page. We get suggestion related to searched topic instantly in drop down list on browser as we input any character or word.
Oh yes post is really nice and I came to learn new about Protopage which is completely new for me.
Cheers
Pratap
Hi Chris !
I read your blog and when I come across AJAX in your article, I was able to understand regarding Rich User Exp. Also I was motivated from your article and found something regarding AJAX connection with RUE.
AJAX is pretty much the most striking benefit behind why several developers and webmasters are switching to AJAX for their websites. AJAX allows easier and quicker interaction between user and website as pages are not reloaded for content to be displayed. This is the best advantage of AJAX in RUE.
With AJAX, as all functions are loaded on a dynamic page without the page being reloaded or more importantly a URL being changed (except for a hash symbol maybe), clicking the back or refresh button would take you to an entirely different web page or to the beginning of what your dynamic web page was processing. This is the main drawback behind AJAX.
But still with good programming skills, this issue can be fixed.
Thanks Chris !!