How is a JQuery Vertical Accordian Different Than A Hide-Show Region

Question

Hello Everyone.
I an using Apex 4.0.1. I recently learned how to create a JQuery vertical accordian. I'm using the sample accordian that Patrick Wolf recently created/posted. It uses a really nice "accordian template" that he put together. It's really quite useful when it comes to saving space and all on a page.
Then I began wondering: How is this accordian different than Apex's own builtin Hide-Show Region template?
And so, I created a sample page on my workspace in apex.oracle.com. I placed a JQuery vertical accordian that consists of 3 regions: 2 reports and a chart. I added a little bit of JQuery to Patrick's template that causes all 3 accordian slices to be closed as opposed to the default behavior of having one slice always open. I also added code that allows a user to re-size the entire accordian either vertically and/or horizontally.
I then created 3 additional regions that mimic the first 3 regions above. These I placed in "column 2" on the page. For each region I assigned the "Hide-Show" template.
As far as I can tell, both the accordian and the Hide-Show regions provide the same functionality.
For the interested, here is a link to my page:
http://apex.oracle.com/pls/apex/f?p=49919
The app has open authentication assigned, and so, no login credentials are needed. Please click the "Accordian" tab.
I realize that the accordian has more flexibilty in that one may add features like choosing to collapse/not collapse all slices and re-sizing, etc. I suppose one could do similarly for the Hide-Show regions using Javascript or JQuery but it would likely be an effort.
Admittedly, such added features are cool and all. Still, it's been my experience that in the majority of business-like production environments, such "cool" features are pretty much useless. For example, I do not see how re-sizing the accordian or Hide-Show regions has much purpose. In fact, such "cool" features often get in the way of the main goal of the application.
Of course, a JQuery accordian may also be created that expands/contracts slices "horizontally". I do not know of any way to do the same thing using Hide-Show regions. If someone does know how to do this, I (and likely others) would sure appreciate you sharing how.
So, then, with respect to basic functionality (saving page real estate by encapsulating several regions), how is a JQuery vertical accordian any different than Apex's own builtin "Hide-Show" region?
Thank you all for your thoughts/adice/code.
Elie

Answer 1

Hello Jari.
Thank you for your help.
Yes. Now I do understand what it is you are doing in your accordian page. And also I want to thsnk you for providing the sample code on your page showing how to go about preserving the current state of the accordian when you navigate from/to the page.
You commented that this kind of state preservation is not available with the Hide/Show region. I'm thinking that you are correct, though I think I once saw something about doing this posted in this Forum. I'll search through and see if I can locate it.
In any case, have you (or anyone else reading this thread) any other differences between a JQuery vertical accordian and Apex's own Hide/Show region? Other than being able to apply Javascript to an accordian to do things like preserve it's state (like you did), what else may one do with an accordian that is not doable (or at least not easily doable) with a Hide/Show region?
Thank you for any further advice.
Elie