isolani – Javascript: Breaking the Web with hash-bangs.
This article is rightfully making the rounds, it’s really important that you read it. For those not familiar with hash-bangs, it’s the newfangled “solution” (from Google) to create AJAX-crawlable websites. The best real-life example you’ve likely seen is the URL structure of New (is it still considered “New”?) Twitter, e.g. http://twitter.com/#!/jchristopher
That #! doohicky is a hash-bang, and it’s causing a ruckus, recently very much so for Gawker and it’s recent massive redesign. Definitely give the article a read, it’s worth it.
Comments
I was rather ticked by their move as well. I’m no longer a visitor of their web site because I can’t see any content. With the way Gawker runs things I have no reason to trust running JavaScript on their pages. I was fine with not being able to see comments, but not being able to see content now is inexcusable. Isolani did a very good job writing about all the negative aspects of their approach. I hope the reconsider the design change as there really seems no benefit.