Background information

Scripting conventions

Some useful scripts:

User Alerts

Page information

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Random images

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Javascript

Jeff Williamson
Northern Virginia Community College
www.nvcc.edu/home/nvwillj/html-graphics/
nvwillj@nvcc.edu

Background

Javascript is not Java, or even Java-like.  Javascript was originally Netscape's proprietary "LiveScript," and only worked with Netscape's servers and browsers.  But like frames and tables and font frippery, Javascript has grown out of its proprietary status and now is supported by most popular browsers.

Javascript is a programming language designed for use in HTML documents.  It is not compiled; its raw code is written line by line, usually as part of a page's HTML tags (it can also be called as a separate .js file). Therefore

• you can see the Javascript on most pages using View Source on your browser
  • therefore Javascript programs are all open source, like HTML codes
• Javascript is speedier than Java applets, which are binary, compiled programs that, while smaller than regular programs, are still bigger than a few lines of script.
• Javascript is like Java in that it works within the abilities and concerns of browsers and servers.  So
  • you can call many browser functions with Javascript
  • you can't do things which pose security problems