A JavaScript messaging library

I’m working on a library for sending messages between browsers using JavaScript, XMLHttpRequest, and PHP/sqlite on a server. The idea is that even though it’s not possible to open a connection of sorts directly between the clients (i.e. web browsers viewing a page, or even different pages, or running a widget), you can pull for updates in a way that will make it seem like you have a connection open. Not only that, but all client listening on the same channel, so to speak, will receive the messages, so it’s like broadcasting. Technically this is nothing fancy, it’s just that you don’t see it much, and if implemented and packaged nicely I think it’ll be useful and fun to use.

How do I know this works? Because it’s based on a much cleaned up version of the code used on paintmyblog.com – which has proven itself already. I look forward to writing some cool apps using this library, and I hope other people will use it as well. Expect the first release next week.


A Note On PHP

Php is the most useful piece of crap ever shat on the face of the Earth. My old software engineering professor Uwe Aßmann (who held the by far best lectures I’ve ever had the pleasure to attend) used to call it Some Dude’s Law (I can’t remember whose) – that the ugly and worst designed software (Windows, PHP…) always win over the sexy and well designed (BeOS, Smalltalk…). Well, that’s how it is. Php makes me feel sick all the time, but I still use it. Because I have to (because that’s what’s installed) is only half the reason. The documentation is top notch, and I’m very productive using it. In Windows…