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02.28.07
$65m, Bad Use Of Javascript
By Richard Hearne
Javascript is one of my favourite web technologies. When I stop to think how the Internet would be without Javascript I can't help but think how much less productive and enjoyable my days would be.
Take for instance all the great apps Google makes freely available. Gmail would still work, but the crippled Javascript-free version doesn't cut it for me. And then there's Reader, another of my most used apps. It doesn't degrade quite so gracefully. Actually, like Calendar, it doesn't degrade at all.
Complicated web apps can be forgiven for not degrading in the absence of Javascript. By their nature they rely on JS to handle heavy lifting functions. For more elementary functions graceful degradation can enable similar functionality. Personally I favour scripting to the DOM after the web page loads and replacing HTML functionality with a Javascript alternative that adds behaviour to the page. That way your site remains functional without Javascript.
But what happens when you use Javascript when you really
shouldn't?
The $65m Javascript Links
Back in 2006 one of Ireland's largest Internet acquisitions saw Ireland.com, the web property of The Irish Times newspaper, purchase MyHome.ie for a reported $65m. I covered the story here. MyHome.ie is (apparently) an extremely profitable property (real-estate) website.
But apparently MyHome.ie has a smaller sister, a little known site called MyHome2Let.ie. And perhaps little known for good reason.
Here's a shot of their site.
Looks innocuous enough. But the kicker is in how the primary navigation is coded:
Continue reading this article.
About the Author:
Richard Hearne is the founder of Red Cardinal, a dedicated search marketing consultancy. A frequent contributor to Google's
Webmaster Group, Richard regularly advises clients on Internet marketing strategy and Search Engine optimisation campaigns. Richard's thoughts and research can be found on his search marketing blog.
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