[Javascript] Efficiency of innerHTML over DOM tree manipulation

[javascript at mattbarton.org (Matt Barton)]

Paul Novitski wrote:
> 
> When you say "running," do you mean that page-generation is slow or that 
> the browser seems sluggish after all the controls have generated?
> 

I mean that the page generation, and very specifically the page 
generation, is slow.  Once the page is generated, it's just fine.

> 
> I'd think that Ajax/XMLHttpRequest would be one of the slower methods of 
> adding incremental content to a page.  Rather than go back to the server 
> for additional content, I'd look closer to home.  

You misunderstand me.  No additional requests are made of the server, 
nor do I consider making any.  I am talking about using DOM manipulation 
to create/insert DOM nodes, instead of our current method of using 
innerHTML.

Matt