BBC has released Glow, a javascript library built by them for use on their websites.
BBC was apparently dissatisfied with existing libraries and decided to create their own. Here’s a quote from the BBC Glow website which explains their need for a new javascript library:
However, on reviewing the major libraries we found that none met our standards and guidelines, with browser support in particular being a major issue.
Our support standards are based on many factors including usage stats and the upgrade paths available to users. For instance, when we had a significant number of users on Safari 1.3, we refrained from asking them to upgrade to Safari 2 as that would require them to buy a new operating system (OSX 10.4).
At the time we were still fully supporting IE5.5 and Safari 1.3, among others, and we continue to support Safari 2. On top of this, we actively avoid causing errors in our “Level 2” browsers. No major libraries were compatible with these requirements, and there was no guarantee that even if they were, they would not change their policies.
According to the BBC Glow website, the library can do the follow:
- Simplified DOM manipulation, event handling, animations, etc
- A versatile set of user interface widgets
- Clear and comprehensive documentation
- BBC Browser Support Standards compliance
BBC Glow is licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0. You can check out the demos of what it can do or read the documentation or simply download the source code for your use.
What do you think about BBC Glow? A serious rival for the existing and established Javascript frameworks?
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