AJAX Alert Box with visitor memory - any examples?

Question

I'm looking to deploy a semi-temporary alert box about maintenance on our website. However I don't want anything too aggressive like a browser warning box. I'd also really like it to remember if a visitor has already been to the site and clicked close, so not to display it again.

Essentially I'm looking at how to do the S.O. "First time here? - Check FAQ" box at the top of the page, but after a google and a S.O search I can't find a good example. I'm actually a serverfault.com geek, so programming isn't my forte!

Any help much appreciated.

Answer 1

Check out jQuery, it is a very cool extension to the JavaScript language. One of it's plug-ins Impromptu seems to provide what you need.

Answer 2

I'd agreed jQuery would be the way to go, it's what SO uses when you come here and you're not logged in and you get the "first time here?" box.

For remembering if the user has been there before, safest bet would probably be to use a cookie.