Fetch server zip file and read it using client javascript? - alt.www.webmaster

Message from discussion Fetch server zip file and read it using client javascript?

Java Jive

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More options Nov 13 2009, 11:09 pm

Newsgroups: alt.www.webmaster

From: Java Jive <j...@evij.com.invalid>

Date: Fri, 13 Nov 2009 21:09:08 +0000

Local: Fri, Nov 13 2009 11:09 pm

Subject: Re: Fetch server zip file and read it using client javascript?

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On Thu, 12 Nov 2009 00:35:17 -0700, crankypuss <n...@email.thanks>
wrote:

> >You could fetch it using a server side language, though.

> Fetching it server-side would allow the server to retrieve a copy only
> when it's been updated and then save it in a local format to conserve
> unpacking and reformatting time, which I think makes it a better
> approach anyway.

Yes, you're almost certainly right, it's just that I have done lots of
client-side scripting, but zilch server-side, so I would have to start
from scratch. Probably next thing to look at though.

> Client-side scripting seems to be going through an "overused new toy"
> phase. Or maybe that's just my perception, but I get the idea that
> everyone feels like they have to keep up with the fanciest client-side
> scripting on the block.

Yes, you're right. Never was there a better field for reasonably
strict application of Keep It Simple Stupid than web-design.

Client side scripting is good for things like data entry cleanup &
control to prevent corrupt data getting back to the server, and
specific functionality where needed - I've created satellite dish
and tv aerial alignment calculators, a regular expression tester, a
slideshow script, data conversion pages, etc, and I have pages where
JS is used to hide complexity like mathematics which if desired the
user can display by clicking something - but I can't stand visiting
hyper-active sites that are always flashing things, popping up
windows, animations, etc. The programmers of such sites would usually
do better to get the basics right - a colour scheme that is readable
and easy on the eyes independently of the user's choice of desktop
colours, decent font size, good English with sensible paragraphing,
spell-checking, etc - than yet another crash-bang-wallop
look-what-I-can-do trick.

Thanks both for your helpful comments.
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