XMLHttpRequest() is one function call. AJAX in this context implies a rather serious JavaScript application. I note you didn't respond to the FreeNX alternate idea. Apparently there's already MozNX, a Mozilla plugin, so that would actually take care of the display (at the cost of another plugin).
I have an even better idea, though: A bootable Linux flash drive that connects to FreeNX running on your own EC2 instance with a deniably-encrypted filesystem (TrueCrypt). You can pop it in any borrowed computer and it just acts as a terminal, with your software running on EC2 and displaying remotely on your system.
Then you can have access to your apps and data anywhere and don't have to worry about spyware or keyloggers on unknown systems (except hardware keyloggers) and only pay for the hours you actually use the system.
(If you don't trust EC2 with personal data -- since you never know who else is going to be on your same Xen host -- then use whatever co-located machine you set up yourself, also with TrueCrypt; although without the machine in your physical control at all times, it could be compromised regardless -- not to mention trojans planted in your binary distro of choice.)
Again: Why? Why do programmers think that "from anywhere" matters so much? Sure "from anywhere" has some value, but it comes at enormous expense: unbelievable reduction in functionality. Please take a look at my previous post - I think that by pushing everything onto datacenters we're moving backwards, not forward.
Whenever you're designing an application, a true problem solver, you have the entire internet at your disposal. Your servers, and computers of your customers - all that combined RAM, CPU power and hard drives - they are all yours. USE IT and innovate. As opposed to taking something that already exists, adding "from everywhere!!!!" feature, slapping "wait... loading..." animation onto, and chopping 90% of the remaining features off.
Good example would be crap by Zoho. The proper way of doing it would be taking MS Office or Open Office and adding powerful collaboration features into them - the possibilities are enormous: you can have a rich UI, tons of processing power AND simultaneous document access, collaboration, sharing, backup, etc.
Instead we have a bunch of cowboy javascript coders reinventing a barely working wheel (one side) and Microsoft/Sun dumbly continuing to ignore Internet in their respective "office" groups.
That's why I suggested using FreeNX and a bootable flash drive, then you DO have all the power on the back-end and aren't limited to a browser on the front end.
XMLHttpRequest() is one function call. AJAX in this context implies a rather serious JavaScript application. I note you didn't respond to the FreeNX alternate idea. Apparently there's already MozNX, a Mozilla plugin, so that would actually take care of the display (at the cost of another plugin).
I have an even better idea, though: A bootable Linux flash drive that connects to FreeNX running on your own EC2 instance with a deniably-encrypted filesystem (TrueCrypt). You can pop it in any borrowed computer and it just acts as a terminal, with your software running on EC2 and displaying remotely on your system.
Then you can have access to your apps and data anywhere and don't have to worry about spyware or keyloggers on unknown systems (except hardware keyloggers) and only pay for the hours you actually use the system.
(If you don't trust EC2 with personal data -- since you never know who else is going to be on your same Xen host -- then use whatever co-located machine you set up yourself, also with TrueCrypt; although without the machine in your physical control at all times, it could be compromised regardless -- not to mention trojans planted in your binary distro of choice.)