This document discusses web services and JSON. It provides an overview of AJAX and how it uses XMLHttpRequest to asynchronously update parts of a web page without reloading. AJAX applications retrieve data from the server in the background and update the UI without interfering with the user experience. The document then discusses how JSON can be used with AJAX to transmit data between client and server, including embedding JSON in script tags or using the JSONRequest standard. Finally, it mentions some libraries and APIs that use JSON, such as Yahoo, jQuery and Google Maps.