Introduction to JavaScript Fall 2009 Class 1

esse quam videri
Jump to: navigation, search

Back to Introduction to JavaScript Fall 2009

Introduction to this Class

JavaScript History

The JavaScript (originally called LiveScript) language started as an internal project at Netscape to add dynamic features to their Navigator web browser. Netscape changed the name of the language to JavaScript before releasing it to the public in 1995, partially to tap into the hype that surrounded the Java language at the time. Though the name JavaScript implies that it has some relation to the Java language, JavaScript is actually a very different language.

After its introduction, JavaScript quickly became popular enough that Microsoft decided to create their own browser scripting language. In 1995, Microsoft added the JScript language to their own Internet Explorer browser. While JScript was extremely similar to JavaScript, there were enough differences to create developer headaches for years to come. Many of those difference still exist today.

Unfortunately, JavaScript was not immediately used to improve user interaction on the web. Instead, JavaScript became synonymous with annoying and distracting websites. People using JavaScript for good were far outnumbered by people using JavaScript for evil.

However, behind the scenes, people were still using JavaScript as its creators intended. In 2004, Google introduced GMail, a web based email service that relied heavily on JavaScript to create an application that behaved much like desktop email clients. Similarly, in 2005 Google introduced Google Maps, a JavaScript based mapping application that showcased some of the best features of JavaScript. Both applications sparked renewed interest in what JavaScript could offer.

Today, Netscape Navigator is dead and Internet Explorer is slowly losing market share to open source browsers like Mozilla Firefox, Webkit (Safari) and Chrome. These new browsers are focusing on making JavaScript a faster, more fully featured language. The future is very bright for JavaScript and I hope this class demonstrates some of the best uses of the language.

Links

Assignment 1

I'd like to get an idea of what people's level of JavaScript experience is. I have a 2 part assignment that I only expect you to spend a maximum of 15 minutes on. Do not spend any more time than that! Please send an email to mephraim@colum.edu that contains the answers for the assignment.

Part 1

Tell me what programming languages you already know and how much experience you have with them. If you don't know any languages, let me know. I'm curious about people's previous experience with programming languages.

Part 2

If you already know JavaScript write a small program:

  • It should have a function called alertItems
  • The function should take in one parameter that contains an array of strings
  • The function should alert the value of each string in the array
  • The program should create an array of 5 items and use the alertItems function to alert each item in the array

Like I said, do not spend more than 15 minutes on this assignment. If you don't know how to do the programming part, let me know. Everyone who turns this assignment in will get full credit, even if you don't know how to do part 2. I want to see people's programming styles and to know if there are people with no exposure to JavaScript.

Feel free to email me if you have any questions.

Retrieved from "http://imamp.colum.edu/mediawiki/index.php?title=Introduction_to_JavaScript_Fall_2009_Class_1&oldid=15486"