AJAX history - pushState / hashbang

[cubic]

AJAX history - pushState / hashbang

[vojtech-dobes]

Thanks for your post. There is history support finally coming, but it won't support hashbang (not too good practice).

[cubic]

Let me write short explanation of reasons. We can agree that it isn't too good practice but there are situations when you are developing for example e-shop with AJAX pagination. You shouldn't ignore large group of users with IE, it can be 20-50% of all users, it depends on target group.
What does happen when user with Chrome opens second page of products and sends the link to his friend? And what does happen in case of user with IE? User (and customer) doesn't care that he uses aged browser, he mostly doesn't know what it means, but he should get maximum of functions I am able to provide him.
We can discuss the right solution, make things modern and clear way but in practices I can't tell my client that his new website works properly only in Chrome, Firefox,... (Yeah, I have tried Modernizr but it didn't work correctly)
So that's the only reason why I want to use hasbang (and only for pustState incompatible browsers) and need this function but of course I can make it other way.

[vojtech-dobes]

If you need URL updated (and its really important for you: user sends link to his friend etc.), than you shouldn't ajafixy the app if History API is not supported. If we agree on the fact, that using hashbang is rather annoying, then why Ajaxify if we want url always updated? What do you think?

2012/10/16 Jakub Misek [email protected]

Let me write short explanation of reasons. We can agree that it isn't too
good practice but there are situations when you are developing for example
e-shop with AJAX pagination. You shouldn't ignore large group of users with
IE, it can be 20-50% of all users, it depends on target group.
What does happen when user with Chrome opens second page of products and
sends the link to his friend? And what does happen in case of user with IE?
User (and customer) doesn't care that he uses aged browser, he mostly
doesn't know what it means, but he should get maximum of functions I am
able to provide him.
We can discuss the right solution, make things modern and clear way but in
practices I can't tell my client that his new website works properly only
in Chrome, Firefox,... (Yeah, I have tried Modernizr but it didn't work
correctly)
So that's the only reason why I want to use hasbang (and only for
pustState incompatible browsers) and need this function but of course I can
make it other way.

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/7#issuecomment-9465998.

[cubic]

That was only example. Another situation - you are developing the car mart.The customer wants (it's not my idea but I agree with that) to use ajax for filtering. There are hundreds and thousands of items and you can filter it and sort it by the power, the number of doors, type of the engine. More than 30% of visits are made by using IE and I can't show them message to upgrade internet browser for complete experience from this website.
Of course I don't need pustState when customer puts an item into the basket. We have discuss that in the office few years ago but the things haven't changed yet..

[vojtech-dobes]

I see both examples as equal. It's still this question: is problematic hashbang better than no AJAX with updated URL? Or you could simply not change URL and provide a link to be copied somewhere on the page.

[cubic]

No offence but this is common thinking of programmers. I can't write instructions that users with IE have to copy the link from given place on the page. I just should provide them the same functions in all browsers. That's the only aspect of this discussion. And I can't say to my customer: "That function wouldn't work in IE. To be honest it could work other way but I don't like it so I wouldn't make it."

[vojtech-dobes]

Yeah, it's little bit offensive :). Do your will, definitely. In this case, you can't offer them the same functiionality in all browsers. You can try to imitate it with hashbang, but it has its own disadvantages (that's not the same as "don't like it"). I suggest switching off the ajax to provide correct URLs - because I value the URL more than ajax fancyness.

2012/10/16 Jakub Misek [email protected]

No offence but this is common thinking of programmers. I can't write
instructions that users with IE have to copy the link from given place on
the page. I just should provide them the same functions in all browsers.
That's the only aspect of this discussion. And I can't say to my customer:
"That function wouldn't work in IE. To be honest it could work other way
but I don't like it so I wouldn't make it."

—
Reply to this email directly or view it on GitHubhttps://github.com//issues/7#issuecomment-9488367.

[fprochazka]

I agree with @vojtech-dobes. If the browser doesn't support History API, don't use pushState, and AJAX actions, that changes the url. Browser with support will be more comfortable, but the old one will still work. Simple as that.

[rostenkowski]

I agree with @vojtech-dobes and i'm happy that "history" extension does not utilize the hashbanks. If you need it try to write own extension.