Scouting Report Assignment
Task
Part of your grade this term will depend on an oral and written report focusing on some interesting or revealing use of Asynchronous Javascript and XML (AJAX), found somewhere on the Internet (or pehaps off).
Many if not most Web pages use dynamic elements now, so the field of possibilities is very large. Look for sites that use these features in unusual or conceptually challenging ways. You might want to avoid obvious candidates, such as electronic storefronts (Amazon), search engine front ends (Google), or even the more popular Web services (GoogleEarth) -- unless you concentrate on some novel or not yet well known permutation in these familiar areas.
As far as the AJAX criteria go, I am insistent on the first two initials and less strict about the last. Your chosen site or service should certainly feature Asynchronous function (i.e., signficant processing in the browser without constant connection to a server); the solution should involve Javascript in some way; the XML criterion is less crucial, since there are other data-encoding formats equally interesting and useful.
Of course, I am always open to negotiation, if you would like to present on a subject that seems relevant though orthogonal to the main concerns of this course. For example, I might be persuaded to accept a report on HTML 5.0 and features like the <CANVAS> tag set.
Deliverables
Sign up for a presentation date at the first class. Prepare a 10-15 minute talk with illustrations (e.g., Web site or PowerPoint deck). Try to make the contents lively and provocative of discussion. Concentrate on the significance of your subject both for Web designers and the future of the Internet.
Within a week of your presentation, turn in a written version of your report describing the project or service on which you have done your research, and presenting an expanded version of the discussion of its significance. This document will ideally come in MS-word format (.doc or .docx) and be delivered as an e-mail attachment.
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