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UCISA-SG WebTools Forum An Evaluation Exercise David Lomas University of Salford 1 The Need Clear need for: • Evaluation of various types of web-related software • To stand back and decide what we need • Recommendations for CHEST deals Why? • Prevent wasted effort in HE community through re-invention of the wheel • Need to monitor both web developments and existing web applications • Individual purchases are costly • Community benefits of/from standardisation 2 Issues Evaluation process more complex than for most UCISA-SG working groups: • Rapid growth of the web • Developments to existing web protocols (HTML -> Cougar, CSS) and new protocols (PICS, XML) • Uncertainty in the marketplace (Netscape v Microsoft battles) • Variety of models of institutional web provision • Danger of taking on too much 3 Areas Areas: • • • • • • Browsers and other end user tools Authoring and graphics tools Web page management tools Server software and server management tools Database integration Programming and application development environment tools Other areas:? Raise them at tomorrow’s discussion group 4 Browsers & Other End User Tools Browsers • Netscape and Internet Explorer • Specialist browsers (e.g. for visually impaired, SGML / XML browsers, foreign language support) • Architectural issues - support for plugins, ActiveX and Java • Security Other End User Tools 5 • • • • • Key plugins Bookmark managers Client management software (filters, …) Tuners to support push technologies What else? Browsers: Issues Institutional Issues • Platform issues (PC, Mac, Unix) and Windows (Win 3.x, 95 and NT) • Importance of Network Computers (NC) • Security - are Java and ActiveX permitted? • Policies on "push" technologies Architectural Issues • Browser architecture may change with modular browsers, open browser APIs • Browser may become part of the (MS Windows) desktop • Java support for 486 PCs 6 Authoring & Graphics Tools Authoring Tools • File based authoring tools (many available) • Conversion tools (from RTF, DTP formats, etc) • Word processor based tools Graphics Tools • Image manipulation tools (e.g. Photoshop Pro) • Graphical libraries (e.g. gd) Needed for dynamic generation of images 7 Authoring Tools: Issues Institutional Issues • Existing policies on word processing software • Existing policies on graphical software (if they exist) Architectural Issues • Importance of Cascading Style Sheets • Development of collaborative authoring tools (e.g. work of IETF WebDAV group) • Importance of PNG as replacement for GIF Other Issues • Overlap with Workstations WG, AGOCG 8 Web Page Management Tools Web Page Management Tools • Software for managing web sites or collections of related pages (e.g. NetObjects Fusion, MS FrontPage) • Software for assisting information provider (e.g. link checkers, HTML validators, ...) 9 Management Tools: Issues Institutional Issues • Software currently in use Architectural Issues • Development of Web Collections protocols • Overlap with metadata management tools Other Issues • Possible overlap with Authoring Tools • We operate in a “real” world • Adapting tools not designed for the Web 10 Server Software & Management Tools Server Software • NCSA, Apache, Netscape, CERN • Unix v Windows NT v NetWare • Other platforms? (Mac, personal Windows 95) Server Management Tools • Usage report generators • Search engine support 11 Server Software: Issues Institutional Issues • Software currently in use • Do institutions need commercial secure software for use with sensitive data? Architectural Issues • Support for HTTP/1.1 • Security e.g. includes 128 bit security Other Issues? • Raise them at tomorrow’s discussion group 12 Database Integration Database Integration • Software to provide dynamic access to database • Software to provide updating of database from web forms • Example include Cold Fusion, Microsoft dbWeb? 13 Database Integration: Issues Institutional Issues • Platform issues (Unix v Windows NT servers) • Do institutions need commercial secure software for use with sensitive data? Architectural Issues • ODBC • JDBC Other Issues? • Raise them at tomorrow’s discussion group 14 Programming Tools Programming Tools • Java development environments (e.g. Visual Café, MS Visual J++, Jamba) • ActiveX development environments (e.g. MS Interdev Studio) • Client scripting environment (e.g. Arcadia) 15 Programming Tools: Issues Institutional Issues • Policies on Java and ActiveX • What is the demand? Architectural Issues • Java, ActiveX and Javascript standardisation Other Issues • Overlap with CBL authoring tools (e.g. Director)? 16 What Won't Be Covered WebTools group does not intend to cover the following: • • • • • VRML Filtering software Conferencing software Copyright management software ... Comments? 17 Where To From Here? Evaluation Criteria and Case Studies Other Sources of Information • Reviews in Internet magazines • Various web sites Other Groups • Dutch evaluation group Your Involvement 18