I was browsing the NASA website looking for panoramas of the Mars mission when i noticed that they had animated elements. Naturally, I coupled my curiosity with Firebug and the WebDev toolbar and discovered that they’re using the Scriptaculous JavaScript framework.
I asked Google what the top 100 companies to work for are and went to each website to see what they’re using for their JavaScript/UI needs. Google told me that it’s #1 and that it’s above using 3rd party frameworks. Sometimes Google will tell you things that you already know.
I want to focus primarily on JavaScript frameworks ONLY. I do not include company-made frameworks unless they’re named appropriately and I could identify it as such. I considered including statistics/analytics, flash detectors, even version numbers, but I think that’s missing the point. I will point out when people use Dreamweaver code (MM_ functions) because it makes me cringe and I wish it would go away. I might make other notable observations of antiquated drop-down menus, pop up windows, and other things of the sort as I stumble upon and, consequently, laugh at.
Oh, by the way, NASA didn’t make the cut!
By numbers:
100/100 have a website (PHEW!)
75/100 aren’t using any popular/identifiable frameworks!
30/100 still use MM_ functions 
10/100 use jQuery
3/100 use YUI
3/100 use Scriptaculous
2/100 use Mootools
2/100 use Prototype (1/2 for Lightbox)
Fortune’s 100 Best Companies To Work For
- Google - Tells Asks Chuck Norris to boss the browsers around
- Quicken Loans - YUI
- Wegman’s Food Markets - jQuery
- Edward Jones - None (MM_)
- Genetech - jQuery
- Cisco Systems - None
- Starbucks - Atlas (w/ MM_)
- Qualcomm - Scriptaculous
- Goldman Sachs - Mootools
- Methodist Hospital System - None (MM_)
- Boston Consulting Group - None
- Nugget Markets - None
- Umpqua Bank - None (MM_)
- Network Appliance - Spry (w/ MM_)
- W.L. Gore & Associates - YUI
- Whole Foods Market - jQuery
- David Weekley Homes - None
- OhioHealth - None (Billz MM_ hacks)
- Arnold & Porter - jQuery
- Container Store - None (MM_)
- Principal Financial Group - None
- American Century Investments - None
- JM Family Enterprises - None
- American Fidelity Assurance - None (MM_)
- Shared Technologies - None (MM_)
- Stew Leonard’s - None
- S.C. Johnson & Son - None (MM_, Hierarchical Menus Script)
- QuikTrip - None (MM_)
- SAS Institute - Scriptaculous
- Aflac - None (MM_)
- Alston & Bird - None
- Rackspace Managed Hosting - None (But boy do they love declaring Constants)
- Station Casinos - Prototype (Likely for Lightbox only)
- Recreational Equipment (REI) - None
- TDIndustries - None (DHTMLMenu)
- Nordstrom - None
- Johnson Financial Group - None (MM_)
- Kimley-Horn & Associates - None (MM_, fails FF3)
- Robert W. Baird - None
- Adobe Systems - Spry (No MM_ found!)
- Bingham McCutchen - None
- MITRE - None
- Intuit - jQuery
- Plante & Moran - None (MM_)
- Children’s Healthcare of Atlanta - None (MM_)
- CarMax - Prototype
- J.M. Smucker - None
- Devon Energy - None
- Griffin Hospital - None
- Camden Property Trust - None
- Paychex - None (MM_)
- FactSet Research Systems - Sarissa (Plone CMS)
- Vision Service Plan - Mootools
- CH2M HILL - None
- Perkins Coie - None
- Scripps Health - Scriptaculous
- Ernst & Young - None
- Scottrade - None (MM_)
- Mayo Clinic - None
- Alcon Laboratories - None (Ultimate DropDown Menu)
- Chesapeake Energy - None
- American Express - None (MM_)
- King’s Daughters Medical Center - Ektron ["enhanced" jQuery] (Ektron CMS)
- EOG Resources - None
- Russell Investments - None
- Nixon Peabody - None
- Valero Energy - None
- eBay - None (V4?)
- General Mills - None
- Mattel - None
- KPMG - None
- Marriott International - None (MM_)
- David Evans & Associates - None
- Granite Construction - None (MM_)
- Southern Ohio Medical Center - None
- Arkansas Children’s Hospital - None (MM_)
- PCL Construction Enterprises - None (DropDownMenuX)
- Navy Federal Credit Union - None (MM_)
- National Instruments - jQuery
- Healthways - None
- Booz Allen Hamilton - jQuery
- Nike - None
- AstraZeneca - None
- Stanley - None (MM_)
- Lehigh Valley Hospital & Health Network - None (MM_)
- Microsoft - CSP?
- Yahoo - YUI
- Four Seasons Hotels - None (MM_)
- Bright Horizons Family Solutions - None (RadControls)
- PricewaterhouseCoopers - None
- Publix Super Markets - None (QuickMenu Pro)
- Milliken - None
- Erickson Retirement Communities - None (MM_)
- Baptist Health South Fla. - None (MM_)
- Deloitte & Touche USA - None (DHTML Menu)
- Herman Miller - None
- FedEx - None
- Sherwin-Williams - jQuery
- SRA International - jQuery (w/ MM_, Suckerfish)
- Texas Instruments - None
Great work JK
I would like to see us do this with other lists of successful companies and popular websites. Perhaps build a grid of best practices (framework, sprites, tableless layout, 508, etc.)
It was quite an endeavor and took about as long as I expected it to. I think i spent a total of about 3-4 hours just examining the site. That isn’t including the time it took to do the intro, tallying and thoughtful criticism.
Overall, it certainly was an enlightening experience and I do recommend anyone with that sort of free time to do this sort of survey of websites. Though it’s mostly depressing, the numbers, I suspect, will be growing as time goes on. And that is an encouraging thought!
you are a good man and very thorough
- thanks
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