dewdrop educating students for the future of web development john beidler computing sciences,...
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DEWDROPEducating students for the future
of web development
John Beidler
Computing Sciences, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510 ,
USAE-mail: [email protected]
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP
• Background
• PNA Project
• A Web Development Course
• DEWDROP and other courses
• Conclusions
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP (Background)
• 1997 – First offered as a Special Topics Course
• 1998-1999 – Course growth
• 2000 – Offered as a regular course, Cmps 356
• 2002 – DEWDROP
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP (Background)• 1997 – First offered as a Special Topics Course
– Client side: Javascript emphasis– CGI: Know the standard, use it– Server side:
• Resources required– Environmental variables
– String processing (Reg. Expr.)
– System resources
– Call other programs
– Access to data representations
• Perl (or tcl) emphasized as a convenience
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP (Background)• 1998-1999 – Course growth
– Strong reuse emphasis• Javascript libraries
• Standardized use of CGI interface
• Perl reuse using “require”.
– PNA Project– Beginning of web development with OO
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP (Background)
• 2000-2001 – Offered as a regular course, Cmps 356– OO based reuse
• 2002 – DEWDROP
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
The PNA Project• Joint project
– U. of Scranton – Comp. Sci.– Marywood U. – Dietetics and Nutrition
• USDA Nutrition Database
• Daily diet analysis– Currently, 1 to 2 hours per day w. dietitian– Goal, < 15 minutes per day w/o dietitian
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
The PNA Project• Web based (www.scranton.edu/pnap)
– Client Modules• Daily diet control/analysis
• Calorie expenditure
• Personal Information
• Nutrition Targets
– Dietitian/Health care modules
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
The PNA Project• Web based (www.scranton.edu/pnap)
– Client Modules– Dietitian/Health care modules
• Set client targets
• View client diaries
• Improved (asynchronous) correspondence via the web and email
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
A Web Development Course
• Essential resources required– Environmental variables– String processing– File/directory processing– Resource access
• Concept dependence, not programming language dependence.
• Using objects to develop a combined client-side, server-side view.
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
A Web Development Course
• Low level intro to server side– Base choice on need
• RE capable
• Associative memory capable
– Prefer Perl or tcl
• Integrated view– Single resource combining client/server views– PHP is one alternative
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
A Web Development Course
• Why Apache/PHP combination– Price – $0.00– Availability
• MS windows
• UNIX platforms
– Compatibility between platforms
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
A Web Development Course
• What about Apache/PHP/database– Apache/PHP/MySQL– Apache/PHP/PostGres
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP and other courses• Web - Network – Database Courses
– Chicken and egg problem
• Which course is “easier”? More marketable?– Use it to feed the other two– No formal pre/co-requisite structure
• The Web course feeds the Network and the Database courses– Web as network protocol– Role of database in web’s future
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP and other courses• The Database course feeds the web course
– Use of Java servlets to create a simple (web) front end to databases.
• The Network course feeds the web course– See the web from under the hood– Unix/Apache web security
• Good – Linux/Apache
• Better – FreeBSD/Apache
• Best – VMS/Apache
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
DEWDROP and other courses• Is security important?
– Sept. 2001 – Code red and nimda virus attacks– U. of Scranton web servers
• 3 MS-based, 2 participated, including www.Scranton.edu
• 11 unix based, 0 participated
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
Conclusions
• If you are teaching HTML, you are not teaching Web Development.
• If you are teaching Javascript, you are not teaching Web Development.
• If you are teaching Perl, you are not teaching Web Development.
• If you are teaching PHP, you are not teaching Web Development.
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
Conclusions
• If you are teaching vendor specific resources, you are not teaching Web Development.
• If you are teaching ASP, you may get bit by a snake.
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
Conclusions
• Web Development must include the basics
• Web Development must include standards
• Web Development must be recognize patterns
• Web Development must be object based
• Web Development must be proceed towards using a database
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
Conclusions
• Web Development must include security issues – There is no IIS equivalent to SUExec
• Web Development must be based on international standards (Apache > 50%)
• Web Development must include software reuse
October 12, 2001 John Beidler - University of Scranton
Conclusions
Database
Enhanced
Web
Development with
Reusable
Objects and
Patterns