Submitting data without a submit (NetFlix star ratings)

[Brian]

Hi -

Does anyone know how Netflix manages its star rating system? The javascript
is either computer generated or obfusicated. It's more trouble to reverse
engineer than it's worth. I'm not very interested in their particular
solution for rating movies - I'm not in the business - but I'd like to know
the data transfer mechanism behind it.

It looks like they found a solid way of moving data between client and
server without getting the page redrawn. I found another script called
votio.php on the net. It does something similar but requires PHP (why?) to
create a XMLhttp stream. I'm not sure why it's server side. Maybe the
server has to create the stream object then pass it's handle on to the
client on the fly. Close?

I'm using IIS and msdn hints at some similar techniques.

The 10,000 mile view would still be helpful. What's this data transfer
thing called? Why isn't it used more? Why hasn't it replaced forms and
links? It seems incredibly useful and surprisingly stable (eg Netflix).

Thanks,
Brian

[Hywel Jenkins]

Re: Submitting data without a submit (NetFlix star ratings)

In article <NJjQf.22657$99 2.11088@tornado .socal.rr.com>,
brian@nospam.co m says...[color=blue]
> Hi -
>
> Does anyone know how Netflix manages its star rating system? The javascript
> is either computer generated or obfusicated. It's more trouble to reverse
> engineer than it's worth. I'm not very interested in their particular
> solution for rating movies - I'm not in the business - but I'd like to know
> the data transfer mechanism behind it.[/color]

Dunno. Ajax?

[color=blue]
> It looks like they found a solid way of moving data between client and
> server without getting the page redrawn. I found another script called
> votio.php on the net. It does something similar but requires PHP (why?) to
> create a XMLhttp stream. I'm not sure why it's server side. Maybe the
> server has to create the stream object then pass it's handle on to the
> client on the fly.[/color]

It outputs JavaScript to the client that sets up the xmlHTTP stuff. It
looks like a plug-in specifically for WordPress, though.

--

Hywel

http://kibo.org.uk/

[Brian]

Re: Submitting data without a submit (NetFlix star ratings)

"Hywel Jenkins" <hywel.jenkins@ gmail.com> wrote in message
news:MPG.1e7be1 de105d003b98974 b@news.eclipse. net.uk...[color=blue]
> In article <NJjQf.22657$99 2.11088@tornado .socal.rr.com>,
> brian@nospam.co m says...[color=green]
>> Hi -
>>
>> Does anyone know how Netflix manages its star rating system? The
>> javascript
>> is either computer generated or obfusicated. It's more trouble to
>> reverse
>> engineer than it's worth. I'm not very interested in their particular
>> solution for rating movies - I'm not in the business - but I'd like to
>> know
>> the data transfer mechanism behind it.[/color]
>
> Dunno. Ajax?
>
>[color=green]
>> It looks like they found a solid way of moving data between client and
>> server without getting the page redrawn. I found another script called
>> votio.php on the net. It does something similar but requires PHP (why?)
>> to
>> create a XMLhttp stream. I'm not sure why it's server side. Maybe the
>> server has to create the stream object then pass it's handle on to the
>> client on the fly.[/color]
>
> It outputs JavaScript to the client that sets up the xmlHTTP stuff. It
> looks like a plug-in specifically for WordPress, though.
>[/color]

Thanks for the reply. It led me to ajax w/ docs for my platform.