While AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript plus XML) programming seems all the rage these days, not all have bought into the concept lock, stock and barrel.Icesoft Technologies is offering an alternative. The company’s Icefaces product incorporates the AJAX benefits of dynamic Web applications and data manipulation while not forcing developers to use JavaScript, which Icesoft believes is limited and not industrial-strength. “The goal here is to push people away from using JavaScript and AJAX,” said Robert Lepack, vice president of Icesoft, of Calgary, Alberta, during an interview at the JavaOne conference in San Francisco this week. Icefaces provides rich rendering for Java Web applications, according to the company. The product uses AJAX for dynamic manipulation of data, but developers use Java instead of JavaScript. JavaServer Faces is used for separating business logic from the presentation layer. AJAX, according to Iceosft, requires pulling business logic to the client and duplicating that logic on the client and server. Icefaces maintains business logic on the server, according to Icesoft officials. Now, Icesoft must persuade developers that they can have the benefits of AJAX without the drawbacks. Software Development