This is truly the age of the browser interface. Internet Websites and Web applications increasingly offer rich, dynamic, browser-based user interfaces that deliver everything you expect from an installed desktop application. These applications deliver function and ease-of-use without requiring expensive desktop software installs.

What we need is a Web browser that doesn't just serve up documents, but serves up applications.' Early in 2006 I was given a design brief: a UK-based shipping company wanted to replace its shipment tracking system with a Web-based solution.

Browser-based applications are widely used and we like the fact that we can access them from anywhere. But from the users' perspective, the productivity level of Web applications still doesn't approximate the productivity of desktop programs. The good news is the gap is closing: the accumulated potential of multiple technologies has boosted a whole new breed of HTML-based apps that are as powerful as the desktop ones. Meet AJAX.