Starting with this post, I would like to describe a new script
interface called XMLPortletRequest. The intent of this interface
is to provide a means for portlets to implement asynchronous
and/or partial page updates within the portal/portlet paradigm,
and yet remain compatible with Ajax toolkits and portlet bridges
(JSF, Struts, Spring MVC etc.). I developed this approach
several months ago, and the portlet-related specification
groups, viz., JSR-286 in the Java-land, and WSRP in the
language-agnostic web services land, are actively considering
this interface as the basis for building Ajax-related solutions.
Some specifics of this model are still being debated in these
groups, but the semantics of the model are more or less
finalized. Please read on for some background and details.
Before looking into XMLPortletRequest, its semantics, and how it
is related to the XMLHttpRequest, it is worth looking into some
of the peculiarities of using Ajax in portlets.  Problem 1:
Reacting to XMLHttpRequest  Portlets are