Those of you who read the forums regularly are probably aware that we at PB have been experimenting with some newer, alternative coding technologies and methodologies. Not to be confused with cleaning fluids as some members have mistaken it for, AJAX is the hot topic around the PB Mansion. Seeing as it has already been incorporated into various aspects of the site, coupled with the fact that the potential for future inclusion with existing and non-existing code is exponential, I decided to write this blog to give all PB users (members and non-members) a little idea of what it is, and our intentions for it.

In the simplest possible terms of explanation, AJAX is an easier way of doing things. Not necessarily for us, as more often than not this makes development of Partybody more robust and increasingly difficult to debug, however, the benefits that you, our users, will receive as a result are more than worth the extra efforts required. Contemporarily, when users of any website seeked to access information they would click a page and wait for the information to be returned to them on another page. While this is a perfectly acceptable way of doing things, it's not good enough for us at PB. We have earned a reputation of being a trendsetter for development of new and exciting features which further user interaction and adopting AJAX as a core principle will allow us to push the envelope even further. By incorporating AJAX into our already cutting-edge content management system, the possibilities are endless.

You might be wondering, ok, what the hell does any of this have to do with me? In the broadest sense this simply means a better overall experience on Partybody: quicker and easier access to information on Partybody. An example is the recent AJAX modifications to user profiles whereby you can now edit your headline, bio, likes, dislikes, and fav music directly from your profile, live! Another example to give you a better idea is the plans we have to re-code some of the searches on Partybody. Notably, the venue search in the nightlife section and the username search in the search section. These searches will be re-coded so that PB will predict what you are trying to find as you're typing it, thus making it much easier for you to find what you're looking for.

This is just one example of where we plan to take Partybody with AJAX, I'm sure you can predict many other areas of the site where we will incorporate this technology. Also, if you have any suggestions of new features you would like to see that you think might be possible with AJAX, don't hesitate to send either Rich or myself a message and let us know.

For those who took the time to read this entire article, I hope this gave you a little better understanding of the new technology and methodology we're working with and how it will greatly benefit you in the future.

All the best,

Jon