[jQuery] jQuery API discussion
Hi JornjQuer,
As a newbie, my impression is that overall it's a _lot_ simpler and sleeker than say prototype. And I love the compactness of the language. However, there are a few aspects that will throw off new folks -- particularly graphic designers who don't have a programming background -- that they encounter right from the beginning. If more advanced features, which few people will use until they've been working in jquery for a while, seem a bit arcane, that's OK. But to do almost anything, you run into code that looks like this:
1 $(document).ready(function(){
2 $("a#shownote").click(function(){
3 $('#note').fadeIn("slow");
4 });
The first time I saw line 1, I had no clue what it was doing. If all it's doing is running some jquery before the page is loaded, there's _got_ to be a more intuitive, succinct way to say it.
Ditto for line 2's click(function(). If I know CSS, I can guess what a#shownote does. I can guess what click does. But function() { is just too frikin' weird for a newbie designer who's not been a programmer.
Readability for people who are relatively new is particularly poured in for the world of JavaScript. Lots of people add a little JavaScript to a page and then don't do much more coding for another couple of months.
The easier it is for new folks to get started with jquery, the closer we are to JWD (Jquery World Domination).
Thanks,
Anders Schneiderman
Service Employees International Union