25 Web Tech Buzzwords Demystified

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http://www.elated.com/articles/25-web-tech-buzzwords-demystified/

Confused by CDNs? Mesmerised by Modernizr? Dazzled by doctypes? This handy guide explains 25 of-the-moment web technology buzzwords in plain English.

Great article, clarifies a lot of the more common web acronyms that you may hear day-to-day.

I often find that people use the words JavaScript, jQuery, AJAX and DHTML interchangeably whereas in fact they are all different technologies/implementations that use JavaScript.

PS: Does anyone talk about DHTML any more?

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Ben Huson
http://www.benhuson.co.uk

Thanks Ben. I actually had DHTML in there originally but then took it out, figuring that it's not very "of-the-moment" these days! Here's what I wrote:

Dynamic HTML

The term "dynamic HTML", or DHTML, has been around for years. It refers to the technique of altering the contents of a Web page after it has been downloaded from the server. Usually you do this by using JavaScript to modify the page's DOM. These days it's common to use a JavaScript library such as jQuery to make the job easier.

Whenever you see a Web page containing elements that can be toggled or expanded/contracted, or elements that slide in or out, you're looking at dynamic HTML in action.

Since the term has negative connotations with the early days of JavaScript and cross-browser nightmares, it's not used as much as it used to be. Developers prefer terms such as "DOM scripting" or "DOM manipulation" these days.

Cheers,
Matt

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Matt Doyle, Elated
Second Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/

Matt,

Yes, a good summation of DHTML. I don't like using the term as I feel it does feel a bit antiquated now and reminds my of badly done dropdown navigation menus.

Having said that, DHTML does do a good job of describing all those various implement of HTML with ...

- Ben

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Ben Huson
http://www.benhuson.co.uk

One guy can't thank you guys, and other readers, enough for this free service you provide us here. (Not free? Ehehehe!)
Well, for me, from my point of view, our way of saying thanks means that at least we should drop a word or two thanking for all the trouble a huge post like this must have had.

Thank you! (Going to read it all later!)

Cheers from Portugal

Márcio Guerra

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There are only 2 infinite things, the universe and mens stupidity, and Im not shure about the first one!

Or something like it...
By Albert Einstein

Thanks Márcio - yes it did take a long time to write that one.

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Matt Doyle, Elated
Second Edition of my jQuery Mobile book out now! Learn to build mobile web apps. Free sample chapter: http://store.elated.com/