Few would dispute that AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) has transformed the Web. The technology has always appealed to my frugal side: a capability already built into Internet Explorer was "discovered" years later and exploited by Web developers to enhance... Few would dispute that AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) has transformed the Web. The technology has always appealed to my frugal side: a capability already built into Internet Explorer was “discovered” years later and exploited by Web developers to enhance the user experience. And as this week’s InfoWorld Test Center roundup reveals, developers can get the benefit of AJAX toolkits without having to pay for commercial software.InfoWorld contributing editor Peter Wayner reviewed seven AJAX toolkits, which were selected as high-profile open source projects out of hundreds. They reflect the wild and wooly world of JavaScript programming, where new frameworks and best practices emerge all the time, and partisans routinely take potshots at rivals. Peter has done his homework here, accounting for suitability to task in his in-depth toolkit evaluations. To get a hands-on feel for these development environments, make sure to check out his excellent narrated screencasts.As Peter notes, most of the toolkits he reviews are best for adding widgets and other interactivity to Web pages rather than building a full-fledged Web application. The latter is still generally best accomplished with one of the top commercial products. Six months ago, Peter also reviewed JackBe Presto and Nexaweb, which combine AJAX and mashup development environments. The demands on IT keep rising — whether greater interactivity for Web pages, or finding a way to deal with fancy new devices that refuse to play by the rules. This week executive editor Galen Gruman explains how to bring the iPhone into the fold for e-mail, calendaring, and security. You don’t need to wait for the iPhone SDK, due out later this week.So much work to do and so little time. Maybe that’s why US companies keep finding new ways of getting IT people into the country, despite the failure of the immigration reform bill last summer. As Ephraim Schwartz reports, in a dodgy effort to circumvent the H1-B cap, employers are turning to L1 visas. Where there’s a will, there’s a way. Technology Industry