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| Asynchronous Web Interfaces |
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posted by Editor on Friday February 15, @10:08PM
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Ever since transaction-based systems first appeared in 1960, instant feedback has defined the standard for computer interaction. Users have been conditioned to receive responses to their queries in real-time, and the current web is based primarily on synchronous HTTP transaction requests. However, as the web evolves, real-time constraints could be relaxed in favor of meeting other requirements. Mobile devices with low-bandwidth connections have difficulty supporting real-time transfer of anything more than small amounts of data. Basic web functions such as email and advanced messaging middleware are inherently asynchronous, trading off latency for guaranteed completion. Peer-to-peer systems redefine the concept of data access -- a request to download a song from a P2P media exchange service may take anywhere from seconds to months to fulfill, depending on which users are online at a given time. What are the issues with interfaces that build in asynchronous behavior from the ground up? This essay from USEIT.COM entitled The Virtues Of Delayed Gratification discusses the tradeoffs of using hypertext links that do not generate an immediate response, but instead defer the results. The article focuses on SMS, but reveals some useful usability guidelines for asynchronous interfaces in general.
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