"ECMAScript 5, or JavaScript 5, was released this week. The new version improves the basic libraries and introduces stricter runtime modes to improve the general standard of Javascript coding by identifying and removing common coding errors. What this means to you is that certain parts of your JavaScript code will have to be rewritten to compensate for the new changes, should you have fallen into the "weak coding" trap we as developers are always so susceptible to.
"We all know that JavaScript 4 was a White Elephant: ECMA didn't even release a version 4 specification owing to different groups being unhappy at the developments; and as such, no browsers support it. For some reason Adobe's ActionScript is based on the proposed changes, although it is rather unclear why they bothered.
"Recently there have been rather large improvements in JavaScript engines like Nitro and TraceMonkey, making JavaScript usable to the point that even Google Wave are exploring the way forward with online applications. Another extension from the Internet Giant's browser, that was released as part of GWT 2.0 and called Speed Tracer, helps optimize the performance of JavaScript Applications."
