Viewing the popularity of AJAX as a testament to the Rich Internet Application movement, Adobe isn't just talking about supporting that movement with tools and frameworks that work with and enhance Ajax...it's also doing something about it. Yesterday evening Adobe released the Spry Framework for AJAX "to accelerate the development of engaging experiences."

Available on the Adobe Labs web site (http://labs.adobe.com) free of charge starting last night, the first release of Spry, says Adobe, is "a preview of the data capabilities that enable designers to incorporate XML data into their HTML documents using HTML, CSS and a minimal amount of JavaScript, without the need for refreshing the entire page."

The Spry Framework for AJAX - a JavaScript library that web designers can use to build additional functionality in their web pages for a richer end-user experience - is HTML-centric, allowing web designers to use existing skills to design rich pages with Ajax without having to learn new languages or adopt a full programming model.

Spry was created specifically for web designers and the need that the web design community has for a light-weight framework. It's very flexible, and as such it can be used in conjunction with other AJAX frameworks or the Flash family of products.

"This is just the start of the project," says the Welcome page at the Adobe labs site. "We're releasing a preview build now so that you have plenty of time to give us feedback on what’s working for you, and what isn't. Your feedback and participation is important to us as we build out the framework."

"We set out to create a framework that leverages AJAX to deliver great experiences while truly fitting in with your current technologies and workflows," said Adobe's Paul Gubbay.

Gubbay continues:

"Spry was developed with the following three objectives:

Keep it open: Spry works with all HTML editors, including Dreamweaver. Anyone can download it off Adobe Labs to start building high performing interactive web pages and applications. No proprietary tags or server-side code needed.

Make it easy to use: Spry utilizes the same technologies that you already know to build web pages (HTML, CSS and JavaScript). Include a couple of JavaScript libraries with your page and you are ready to go. Create and style dynamic regions and interactive widgets using the same techniques as any other HTML elements on your page.

Enable innovation: At the end of the day, Spry is about delivering richer experiences for your customers. Spry provides a lightweight yet powerful model for adding data, interactivity, and rich UI widgets into your web pages while putting you in complete control of the design."