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Microsoft Issues New Preview for AJAX Development Framework
Published: March 22, 2006
by Alex Woodie
This week at its Mix06 conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft released a new community technology preview (CTP) and a go-live license for ASP.NET "Atlas," the codename for a new development framework for AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML)-style development.
AJAX is gaining steam as Web developers find the technique is useful for improving the end-user experience in Web applications. AJAX uses more Web browser resources than typical HTML applications, which makes the applications run more like a standard fat-client applications, including the ability to update only part of the screen without refreshing the entire screen.
Developers can begin building and deploying Atlas applications with the go-live license for the latest Atlas CTP. One of the companies using Atlas is MySpace, the social networking Web site developed for teenagers and, more recently, used by adults, too.
Alan, the director of engineering at MySpace (his last name was not provided), discussed at Mix06 how Atlas will help MySpace. "What we're trying to do now is leverage the next level, which we're going to call Profiles 2.0," he says. "What that's going to give you the ability to do, using Microsoft Atlas, is have modules that you'll be able to drag on the page, if you don't want your About Me [displayed]. If you don't want your comments [displayed], you'll be able to drag them off . . . It's going to give even your non-tech savvy users the ability to use the Web and present their public profile to the world."
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