ajax, i hate you

i went to this ajax preview at wisma mca last month. boss wanted ajax in the portal (this web app im doing). so i asked the speaker is it difficult to convert my existing web app to ajax? he said, easy, just install the libraries and add the reference. wahhh...so easy hor? but this is coming from a person who's supposed to be a microsoft speaker who couldnt even get a simple css to work and made up a lame excuse during one of his talks.

so i downloaded the ajax libraries as i wanted to make use of the collapsible panel & refresh functions (updatepanel). it took me 2 days to install the darn thing.

just install the libraries - sure install already, but be prepared for 'sys' not defined and various hacks into your web.config file (checking upper cases), renaming your namespaces, copying and pasting dlls into your bin etc...

just add the reference - sure add already...but as visual web developer express is buggy also, although you have added the namespace, the autocomplete just refuses to appear! sien..then u find out that if u put your collapsible panel inside the update panel, it will work for awhile then after that refuses to expand.

and then u find out also dataview paging doesnt flash when switching pages...cool huh...until u alt+tab then switch focus back and the paging no longer works!

ROARRRRRR!!!!!!!!

so yes ajax is buggy as hell with a less than smooth installation that made me tear my hair out in places. dear ask wats bugging me and i said ajax...no, not the ajax fabuloso detergent. experts that say ajax is stable...try installing it frm scratch, running yr code flawlessly first time around, then tell me ajax is stable again.