When good technology in bad hand
Recently, I found more and more web sites using AJAX. However, I feel they are using a good technology in a wrong way. I guess it is probably related to Google success and every people feel the urgency to use some of the technology it promoted.
Example:
There is more and more stock quote textbox using AJAX to load symbol and name related to the text user at the time user typing. Clearly, it help people who have no idea what stock they look for to find their stock. However, it disturb majority of the users who know what they are doing for. Why? It is because after you type in symbol like "TOL", you will need to move your mouse and select an entry from the drop down before you can hit "enter" or hit the "get quote" button.
Now, think about the distribution of users who doesn't know what they are doing or the users who know what stock they brought. I will argue that 95% of users who what stock they brought when they trying to check the stock price. So, it is good to make 5% people life easier but make 95% people life harder?
BTW, will it be nice if those web page can make their AJAX textbox more user friendly? If a user hit enter, simply select the top pick? Or the complete match? Then, it will make 100% users happier.
I feel like people blinkly apply technology which look cool and don't know why they are doing it.
