Inside the Calculators – Part I – Javascript

I recently gave a brief overview of my permanent disability and workers’ compensation benefit calculators. In that post I wrote a little bit about how my website calculators work.

In late 2004 I spent some of my free time working on a calculator for the 1997 Permanent Disability Rating Schedule 100% pure javascript (the only programming language I knew at the time). I had several reasons for never publicly releasing this calculator:

  • Uniformity. Not all computers and browsers perform all javascript functions the same way.
  • Speed. A pure javascript calculator would require the user to download all of the code – not just the parts they needed.
  • Protection. Anyone with a modicum of technical knowledge could simply downloaded the calculators, and then post it as their own.
  • Obsolete. With SB 899 and the 2005 Permanent Disability Rating Schedule, my calculator became nearly obsolete. I scrapped it rather than building a second calculator.

The current workers’ compensation benefits calculators use very very little javascript. Doing so has meant that I don’t have to worry about different computers/browsers, users only need to download the code they need to run a single calculation, and my calculators don’t work without my server.

Next up, PHP!

Workers' Compensation Defense Attorney Certified Specialist Workers Compensation Law California State Bar Board of Legal Specialization Managing Partner of Purinton, Jimenez, Labo & Wu, LLP

0 Comments on “Inside the Calculators – Part I – Javascript

Leave a Reply