Controlling Complex Web Form

I don't use sessions, don't see much point when a normal cookie can do it without the extra server load.

Every site that I ever designed in fully functional without the use of javascript. Cookies are used when necessary to store and retrieve state information and when used I keep them to a minimum.

I use a highly customized version of this forum and I shut off the IE enhanced posting because it was slow to load and my users did not find it useful.

For me Javascript is never a necessity and it only used for special features and enhancements. The question posed here was how should he control the form "with client-side Javascript or server-side asp" ? Clearly, everyone has stated that server side is the way to go.

When developing for companies that have a wide base of customers, it is not possible to "draw the line" with requirements, so you have to design with the LCD in mind and try not to be too intrusive or demanding of the site's visitors. I think it's safe to assume that most people have cookies and javascript enabled, but from every day practice, I know that they do not so I design to take that into consideration. If something like cookies or javascript are required, I inform the user before allowing them to use that feature which gives them the ability to decide (before usage) whether or not they wish to enable those features. Not doing so is the quickest way to insure phone calls from irate web visitors saying something doesn't work. I have worked in e-commerce web programming for almost 10 years and even today I recieve a regular strea, of calls because someone is trying to use an e-commerce site without cookies and can't get it to work properly.

Regarding Javascript validation, I don't bother (unless a lot of data is being passed) as I have to do it server side any way.