QtD 0.1 is out!

[Daniel Keep]

Ary Borenszweig wrote:
> Daniel Keep escribió:
>> "No files in this directory."
>>
>> Well that sucks.  Oh well, I... hey, wait a second...
>>
>> *unblocks javascript*
>>
>> "No files in this directory, but there ARE subdirectories!"
>>
>> Sometimes, I really wish there was a way to electrocute people for
>> making their sites break without Javascript...
> 
> What? Why?
> 
> A web like that without Javascript is awfuly slow and ugly...

So... not having a scripting language would make pages run slower.

...

I *really* hope you're joking.

As for the "ugly" argument, that's bunk as well.  The only two things
you can't do without Javascript is to perform dynamic positioning and
visibility.  But you don't NEED those to make aesthetically pleasing
pages.  Just go look at CSS Zen Garden.

*deep breath*

<tirade>

I have no problem with having scripting available for pages in general.
 But what DOES make me spew LIQUID HATE from every bodily orifice [1] is
when they use Javascript to REPLACE FUNCTIONALITY THAT HTML ALREADY HAS.

Like the sites where instead of using hyperlinks, they use Javascript in
onclick events.  Gee thanks, a**hole, you just broke tabs.  Thanks for
dictating how I'm allowed to view your site!

Or the sites where they "inject" the content of the page like this:

> <script>document.write("THE PAGE CONTENT");</script>

Or pages where they have forms that go over perfectly ordinary HTTP POST
and use perfectly ordinary form elements... but the submit button
doesn't work BECAUSE IT REQUIRES F**KING SCRIPTING.

This sort of bulls**t is inexcusable.  It's like breaking someone's legs
and saying "but now you can use crutches; isn't that great?!"

No, you broke my legs you bastard!

What's more, thanks to the plague of popup ads, ads that hang your
browser for 5 seconds every time you mouse over the word "synergy" in an
article, ads that show up in the same window but OVER the content, ads
that play music or stream video when I'm on a QUOTA-LIMITED 'net
connection, ads that start TALKING to you if your mouse goes anywhere
near them or sites that just generally abuse the hell out of scripting,
I'm amazed ANYONE browses the web with Javascript enabled by default.
Frankly, if you build a site that utterly depends on Javascript to
function [2], then you're an _idiot_.

You want to use JS to make the site more usable?  That's great!  But you
DO NOT break basic functionality to do it.  EVER.  If you can't figure
out how, you're not qualified to be writing JS for web pages [3].

As someone who used to do web development: anyone, **ANYONE** who does
this should be taken out back, shot, hung, drawn & quartered then buried
upside-down at a crossroads under a crucifix with a steak through the
heart and a silver bullet in the head.  Then burn and salt the earth
just to make sure.

</tirade>

Sorry about that, but MAN do I feel better.

 -- Daniel

[1] ... to borrow a phrase from Ben Croshaw.

[2] Obviously, this doesn't apply for sites that GENUINELY cannot
function without Javascript.  Stuff like Google Docs or a Javascript
image editor; that stuff is fine because HTML can't do that.