It seems like creating a To Do list application is the new way to earn your coding stripes and try to attract a little attention. These task lists never did much for me anyway, but I see how some ultra-organized people can get use out of them. Let's just say that my path to project completion is just a little more...random.
The latest To Do list app to get the love from some commentators is Remember the Milk. Neat name. Unfortunately, in an effort to jam this thing full of Ajax-y goodness, I think we have arrived at the moment where the programmers of this app have jumped the shark. Now, I like the interactive capabilities of Ajax as much as the next guy. As an old-school web guy, I marvel at the ability of this new approach to bring more of an application-type feel to web pages. But, in this case, it truly feels like Ajax for Ajax sake.
Is anyone else put off by the jumpy interface here? As I mouse over items, there are other areas of the screen flippin' and flashin'. It's like trying to keep track of the acrobats in a three-ring circus. Is an item selected or just highlighted? And why is that stuff over on the right changing in a seemingly random fashion? It got to the point where I felt like Yosemite Sam firing his gun at Bugs Bunny's feet, as I was just mousing around to see how I could make the interface "dance."
If you are planning an app on the web, by all means, use Ajax to your users' advantage. But if you go this far, take a step back. Take some stuff out. Back off. Simplify. Your users will thank you for it.
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