The demand for a richer user experience without the overhead of a smart client places Asynchronus JavaScript and XML (AJAX) squarely in the critical path. Even since the introduction of smart clients, Microsoft has been doing AJAX for quite some time; the popular Outlook Web Access is one of the more robust AJAX applications around.
Focusing on improving customer experience and productivity, Microsoft is introducing “Atlas”, the code name for a web client framework to facilitate AJAX-style development. Atlas is implemented in JavaScript, uses DHTML and is available in VS.NET 2005 (shipping in November). Developers will be able to get their hands on Atlas bits at PDC 2005 in September.
News.COM reports Microsoft gets hip to AJAX. Microsoft Watch says Microsoft wants a piece of the Ajax Action.