Today, Start.com/pdc ushers in the next generation web application pushing the limits of browser-based technology.

Over the past 8 months I have been writing articles on advanced programming techniques and the limitations of the "AJAX" programming pattern (and I have at least 6 months more of articles to come). I was explaining the methodology and challenges we were facing and solving in our MSN platform (which has evolved into the foundation for Atlas). These articles start to present the technical foundation for our Atlas client frameworks and today's preview of Start.com's developer story.

Up until today, most web applications were designed as closed systems rather than as a web platform. For example, most customizable "aggregator" web-sites consume feeds and provide a fair amount of layout customization. However, the the systems were not extensible by developers. With start.com, the experience is now an integrated and extensible application platform.

Today's preview of the Start.com Developer illustrates fundamental shifts in web programming patterns:

• DHTML-based Gadgets
  Start.com consumes DHTML-based components called Gadgets. These Gadgets can be created by any developer, hosted on any site, and consumed into the Start.com experience. The model is completely distributed. You can develop components derived from other components on the web.
• Adding Behavior to RSS
  RSS (Really Simple Syndication) is an incredible platform for sharing content and information. Today all RSS feeds are treated equally by aggregators. Start.com integrates the world of RSS with Gadgets enabling any feed to optionally be associated with a rich, interactive experience. Some feeds present information that may be better presented in an alternative format. Other feeds leverage extensions or provide extra semantics beyond standard RSS (e.g., Open Search, Geo-based coordinates, etc). By enabling a feed to define a unique experience or consume an existing one, the richness of the aggregator experience can improve organically without requiring a new application. Of course, we also allow the user to control whether a custom experience is displayed for a feed.
• Open-ended Application Model
  Start.com is what I call an open-ended application. An open-ended application consumes Gadgets and provides core application services and experiences. This is and has been the Start.com model since its inception (how do you think they released new features every week?). By opening up Start.com, we have removed the boundaries around Start.com features and experiences. The community of developers and publishers can now define and control the richness of the Start.com experience.

These are the web-applications of the future - applications that can integrate not only content (e.g., RSS) but associated behaviors and services.

Today, via Start.com, the developer community can preview MSN's client technology and infrastructure. At Start.com/Developer, you will find early samples and documentation. This site will be continually improved with more documentation and samples. Go and build Gadgets and custom experiences for your feeds. Most importantly, since we are far from finished, please give us feedback. The platform can only improve with your feedback. Also, we are always looking for interesting Gadgets and custom RSS experiences.

Be sure to visit the Start.com team's blogs (Sanaz, Steve, and their team blog) to continue to learn more about Start.com. I am sure we will be pointing to some great developer-created Gadgets and enhanced feeds. Follow my blog for more technical articles, samples, and how we are using the Atlas framework to further improve our client experiences.

Note: We are providing a technology preview at http://www.start.com/pdc.  We expect to update www.start.com in the very near future.