Developing web based applications using freeware: PHP, MySQL and IIS.

An example of a pilot project as part of USP course: An Online Examination template for South Pacific Education Centre

(SPEC)

South Pacific Computer Society (SPACS)Prasheel Singh

Saturday 23rd April 2004

Plan of talk

• Introduction

• Web based application

• Freeware and Open Source Software

• E-books

• Application

• Conclusion

Introduction

Definitions

• Freeware– A complied version

• Open Source– Source code in public domain

• Mixed – Vendor specific / Freeware / Open Source ?

• The utilization of doing activities via the web is increasing everyday

• What does it takes to use it

• What it takes to make applications that run via the internet

Web based application

Major Components

Web Based Application

• Applications designed to run using a web browser

• Easy to run as it doesn’t require any client installation

• Can be run from any where in the world

Application examples

• Buy and sell online

• Such as the E-Commerce web sites e.g. www.amazon.com www.fijishop.com.fj etc

• Facilitating universities enrollment for students

• On-line airline ticketing

• On-line auctions

• On-line event ticketing …rugby, soccer

Advantages

• Easy to use by any user

• Reduces workload for organization

• Users can access it from any where in the world as long as they have a internet connection

• Business times convenient to the application user

On-line Exam

• CISCO

• Microsoft

• Oracle

• Multiple choice

• Select, drag and place

Advantages Online Exam

• Online exams can be exciting to students• It helps the turn around time for students

and lecturers by making their work faster.• Students will be able to know how well

they did on the exam instantly.• Saves time of the universities and schools

in marking and distributing results to individual students.

• Many Universities are using this now

Tools required

• Web Browser on clients

• Server for database and a web server

• Scripting interface between Web browser and Database server

Freeware and Open Source Software

• Freeware– A complied version

• Open Source– Source code in public domain

• Mixed – Vendor specific / Freeware / Open Source ?

Advantages of Open Source

Any one can use it and modify it but the original creators name is carried every where

No need to buy the applications where as vendor specific applications come at a price

Mostly platform independent i.e. can run on any Operating System

Very little modifications need to be done on the OS of the user who has downloaded to use the application

E-books

Examples

• Web development– http://rapidshare.de/files/1018643/Wrox_-_Beginning_PHP5__A

pache_and_MySQL_Web_Development.pdf.html

• PHP– http://www.planetmaddness.com/books/phpbook.pdf

• MySQL– http://www.hot.ee/c361xmf/

Sams.MySQL.3rd.Edition.Mar.2005.ISBN0672326736.chm– http://www.hot.ee/b45wz/Sams.MySQL.2nd.Edition.eBook-

LiB.chm

Application

• Planning

• Establish requirement

• Specify possible solutions

• Choice of tools

• Implementation

• Integrate at client

• Validate to clients requirement

Example: SPEC

The SPEC Online Examination was done by using PHP, MySQL and IIS

Implementation was done in phases so that once the site was set up it was fully secured and stable

Can be used by any student of SPEC and is available only in the Intranet Site i.e. outside the SPEC network the site isn’t accessible

Lets look at The Project

SPEC ONLINE EXMAINATION

Conclusion

- Cost

- Ease of development

- Choice of developing Tools

- Support available

- Legacy application- http://www.mysql.com/products/migration-suite/

Thank you

• Prasheel Singh– s01007546@student.usp.ac.fj– Prasheel_s@yahoo.com

Installation notes available at CS313 classshare