1. DEWDROP Educating students for the future of web development John Beidler Computing Sciences, University of Scranton, Scranton, PA 18510, USA E-mail: beidler@cs.scranton.edu

2. October 12, 2001John Beidler - University of Scranton DEWDROP Background PNA Project A Web Development Course DEWDROP and other courses Conclusions

3. October 12, 2001John 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

4. October 12, 2001John 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

5. October 12, 2001John 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

6. October 12, 2001John Beidler - University of Scranton DEWDROP (Background) 2000-2001 – Offered as a regular course, Cmps 356 –OO based reuse 2002 – DEWDROP

7. October 12, 2001John 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

8. October 12, 2001John 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

9. October 12, 2001John 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

10. October 12, 2001John 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.

11. October 12, 2001John 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

12. October 12, 2001John Beidler - University of Scranton A Web Development Course Why Apache/PHP combination –Price – $0.00 –Availability MS windows UNIX platforms –Compatibility between platforms

13. October 12, 2001John Beidler - University of Scranton A Web Development Course What about Apache/PHP/database –Apache/PHP/MySQL –Apache/PHP/PostGres

14. October 12, 2001John 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

15. October 12, 2001John 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

16. October 12, 2001John 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

17. October 12, 2001John 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.

18. October 12, 2001John 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.

19. October 12, 2001John 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

20. October 12, 2001John 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

21. October 12, 2001John Beidler - University of Scranton Conclusions Database Enhanced Web Development with Reusable Objects and Patterns