"Tom Orle" <xs********@att.net> wrote in message
news:2l********************************@4ax.com...
Now, here I am trying to order a laptop from the Dell online
shop but everytime I try to press 'continue' after picking the
options, I get an error message in the lower left hand corner
of the browser. I'm using WIN 98SE with java enabled on my laptop.
The error log says:
Line: 1
Char: 1
error: object expected
code: 0
That error message usually relates to event handling code. Mozilla and
Opera both generate better (more informative (usually)) error messages
than IE (in their JavaScript consoles).
And this is the line which pops up when I place the cursor
on the 'continue' button causing the above error:
javascript:next_page('1','c=us&cs=19&kc=6V602&l=e n&oc=5100FS&s=dhs');
It is a pity that you have omitted the HTML context so that we cannot
tell whether this is an HREF abuse or an onclick handler. It is probably
the latter, in which the "javascript:" prefix is usually
unnecessary/meaningless (but also harmless).
The only object that is referred to is the - next_page -function, so
that identifier cannot be resolved. That should not happen and certainly
should have shown up in QA testing.
Interestingly, this code represents Dell making their online purchasing
needlessly dependent on JavaScript, I wonder how much this decision is
costing them in lost business even without the code being erroneous.
It is unfortunately the case that there is a (mistaken) attitude that
any fool can write JavaScript, which manifests itself in fools often
being given the task of writing JavaScript. This fool is costing Dell
more than they are loosing due to their decision to make purchases
needlessly dependent on JavaScript(assuming it actually was a decision
rather than just another consequence of assigning the task to someone
who knew no better).
I would assume there's a bug in that line. Although there's
little I can do about it other than forward it to the Dell
folks - my pgming background has me curious as to what's
causing this!
The failure to resolve the identifier as a reference to a function
implies that the error is elsewhere, but if the function code is missing
then there is not much that can be doe about it. If the function
reference is being overwritten, or the function definition is in some
way incorrect then there may be some remedial action that you could take
(at least if you knew JavaScript/HTML well enough).
Perhaps I have some settings set wrong on my laptop.
No, you have done nothing wrong. The fault is entirely with Dell, and
you should maybe ask yourself whether it is a good idea to be doing
computer related business with a company that cannot even implement a
web purchasing system properly, there is no shortage of competition in
the computer retailing world.
Richard.
