AJAX applications are designed to have high user interactivity and low user-perceived latency. Real-time dynamic Web data such as news headlines, stock tickers, and auction updates need to be propagated to the users as soon as possible. However, AJAX still suffers from the limitations of the Web's request/response architecture, which prevents servers from pushing real-time dynamic Web data. Such applications usually use a pull style to obtain the latest updates, where the client actively requests the changes based on a predefined interval. It is possible to overcome this limitation by adopting a push style of interaction where the server broadcasts data when a change occurs on the server side. Both these options have their own trade-offs. This session explores the fundamental limits of browser-based applications in delivering real-time notifications, and analyzes push solutions for AJAX technology. It shows the results of an empirical study comparing push and pull and discusses the trade-offs of each approach.

Speaker Bio: Ali Mesbah received an MSc degree in computer science from the Delft University of Technology in 2003. He has worked as a Java/J2EE developer at West Consulting, The Netherlands, since 2001. Starting in May 2005, he has been working as a PhD student at the Delft University of Technology. His research includes reverse engineering and migration of classic Web applications toward AJAX. Most of his current work is done in collaboration with academic and industrial partners.

The world’s leading Rich Internet Applications & Web 2.0 event is expected to attract more than 1,500 i-technology developers. AJAXWorld grew from a single track, one-day seminar, less than a year ago, into a four-day international conference & expo with more than 150 sessions delivered in ten simultaneous tracks, by more than 150 faculty members.

Track 01: Rich Internet Applications
Track 02: Web 2.0 Enterprise Mashups
Track 03: Enterprise AJAX Applications
Track 04: RIA Frameworks & Toolkits
Track 05: Security in RIA Applications
Track 06: Server-Side AJAX
Track 07: iPhone AJAX Applications
Track 08: Emerging RIA Technologies
Track 09: Bleeding-Edge AJAX Applications
Track 10: OpenLaszlo Diamond Track