IBAG - Internet Business Applications Group June 12, 1996
This is the transcript of the online portion of the Internet Business Applications Group held on June 12, 1996 at DGL headquarters in Columbia, Maryland USA. The online portion of the session was conducted on the DALnet IRC network in channel #inetbus.
Members of AIT, Applied Information Technologies, Inc., in Ellicott City, Maryland presented a 1-hour discussion related to the development of interactive websites using SQLweb. Here is the online transcript of the presentation and discussion.
Note: Statements attributed to "ftf" were manually entered during the presentation and do not represent a word-for-word transcript of the oral "face-to-face" comments. This is a transcript of a live IRC chat session.
AIT may be reached at info@ait-inc.com or via their website, http://www.sqlweb.com. The AIT phone number is +1.410.203.1999.
Session Start: Wed Jun 12 18:03:37 1996
ftf: Lots of technical talk...everyone's talking at once.
ftf: It's just HTML code with "if" commands to control access to the SQL database tables.
*** Quits: bwest (Ping timeout)
ftf: SQLWeb can reduce the need for CGI scripts.
ftf: Let's try the Complex search of the database.
ftf: Load URL http://www.sqlweb.com.
ftf: Demo number 1...Vacation in the Virgin Islands
ftf: These demos are running on Softaid Net Works in Columbia, Maryland...
ftf: This app allows searching of villas by criteria in the VI.
ftf: All data pages are dynamically generated by SQLweb. Only one or a few introductory pages are required to be
manually created...the homepage, for example...the resulting webpages are created by SQLWeb.
ftf: Limitation...any individual tag can be no larger than 32kb...however, the amount of text in a webpage can be of any
size...but don't send too much information to the client...they can be overwhelmed.
*** Joins: bwest (~bobwest@bobwest.softaid.net)
ftf: hi bob
bwest: Dave are you there?
ftf: you bet
ftf: Let's insert data into a SQLweb example.
ftf: Try example 5, Dynamic Hypertext links.
bwest: I had a total failure on this end and lost all data
ftf: Sorry, http://www.sqlweb.com ... then demos.... then demo #5
ftf: We're talking amongst ourselves...nothing important.
ftf: Click "Back" to the demo #5 page... to look at the source code, links are available at the bottom... or click "Maintain
Gateway Links" this will allow you to add your own website information to the database.
bwest: Am i missing something from this software? I am using a separate browser for the website.
ftf: We're now talking about an Internet outage in St. Louis...SprintNet is having problems tonight...this meeting is
going down hill fast.
ftf: What do you mean by separate browser? Netscape Navigator?
bwest: At the moment I am using Spry. Before I was using Microsoft Explorer
bwest: I meant is there a way to view a site with the irc software?
ftf: Righto...use the web browser to try out the demos...keep in the IRC to follow the conversation. Is this what you mean?
bwest: Yes
ftf: It's possible to edit the information that you added to the database...use the "Maintain Links" link to again find you're data record...it's possible to then edit/remove the information.
ftf: The interface can be designed in any form...these demos are just one possible interface.
ftf: Now back to the demonstration page...http://www.sqlweb.com/wf/
ftf: Let's test an interactive website that "knows" who the viewing client is, and displays the type of information that
most interests them...tailored websites.
*** Joins: dodger1 (~lmiles@206.168.145.215)
ftf: Hi dodger1
dodger1: Hi ftf
ftf: We're about to test another demo of the SQLweb product...we're in a combo face-to-face/online class.
ftf: Please feel free to join in.
ftf: The demo URL is http://www.sqlweb.com/wf/
ftf: Then select demo #3
bwest: Hi dodger1
dodger1: sound over my head I sit and watch
ftf: Have at it...open you're web browser at the same time, if you'd like to follow the demos we're viewing from the
classroom...I'll keep the U
ftf: I'll keep the URLs coming online.
ftf: Again, we're degenerating into separate conversations...the instructors from Applied Information Technologies,
Inc. (AIT) are trying to gain control of the class.
* ftf Laughs at the instructor's futile efforts
ftf: It's possible to keep track of the customers' orders, and have SQLweb display information relevant to that
customer's preferences...the next time he/she visits the website.
ftf: Since all data is stored in a SQL database table...it's possible to retrieve the data in myriad ways.
ftf: Either via interaction from the viewer or automatically based on customer profiles.
ftf: The webmaster can program the SQLweb system to offer specials or other information, based on the viewer's
desires/buying habits.
ftf: The pages automatically change based on the information the database has received in the past.
-> [dodger1] userinfo
ftf: The SQL system can incorporate some "intelligent" features...automating the webpage contents based on
selected criteria.
ftf: ...or based on customer (viewer) profile.
*** Quits: dodger1 (Leaving)
ftf: New URL: http://www.sqlweb.com/tag_ref.html
bwest: I have responded to all of the questions and received a feedback page verifying my data. Now what?
ftf: This displays the SQLweb Tags that augment HTML
ftf: On which example were you working?
ftf: Return to http://www.sqlweb.com/wf/
bwest: eQuest, example 3
ftf: example #1...display all links
ftf: pls give us a moment.
ftf: After you've submitted an eQuest entry...you should be able to scan down to review the "free gifts."
ftf: Did I answer your question?
bwest: I didn't see free gifts. Saw Naked in New Hampshire
ftf: SQLweb allows HTML recoding...changes to the homepage...whereas PERL (CGI Scripts) may require
CAREFUL attention to detail...no mistakes!
ftf: Ok...I'll pass your comment to the instructors
ftf: Based on the entries that you typed in...you may or may not get a free gift...sorry bwest, you're out of luck tonight.
bwest: Which system is safer for the owner to use, CGI or PEARL?
ftf: PERL is a programming language that is used to create CGI scripts...
bwest: So all of this is still about cgi processing?
ftf: from www.sqlweb.com, click the last overview link.
ftf: This will take you to a flow chart of how sqlweb works.
ftf: The current version of sqlweb stores the pages as html files. This is faster than storing the pages in the db.
ftf: The cool thing about this is that the user no longer needs any special software to interact with a database.
ftf: Users can just access the db with their web browser.
ftf: Bob, are you still there?
bwest: Yup I am here thinking
ftf: The group is discussing the ins and outs of the way sqlweb uses a symbol table.
ftf: Oops, I missed Bob's question about cgi processing...
ftf: The old way to handle this type of interaction was for the html file to activate Unix or C programs
ftf: running on the host. CGI is a method of starting these backend programs.
ftf: The reason it's expensive to build a website that way, is that in order to build a successful cgi script,
ftf: you need to be adept at Unix, C or C++ programming. SQLweb makes this much easier,
ftf: requires less specialized knowledge, and therefore makes the development of these
ftf: interactive web sites more cost efficient.
ftf: There are SQLweb sites on a number of hosts. Most of the folks here are on SoftaidNet.
bwest: Where can I find additional info on SQLweb? I need to construct two dbs for research.
ftf: You can contact the folks from AIT, anyname@ait-inc.com, or check the web page at http://www.sqlweb.com...
ftf: or the AIT site at http://www.ait-inc.com, or
ftf: call them 410.203.1999
ftf: Or, If it's OK, we'll give them your e-mail address and they can get in touch with you.
bwest: The problem is that we are a poor unfuded research group
ftf: Let them know what you're trying to do.
bwest: OK I will visit the pages but you can give them my email bobwest@bobwest.com
ftf: This isn't real expensive, compared to doing the same functions using Oracle or CGI.
bwest: Give me a figure
ftf: For example, at SoftaidNet, a sqlweb enhanced database account is $149/mon.
ftf: There's a setup charge of $299 for the JustLogic database software license...
ftf: plus $184 for the enhanced business account.
ftf: Many of the folks who are converting to the sqlweb type account are already enhanced business customers
ftf: at SoftaidNet, so they don't have to spring for the $184.
bwest: I am an enhanced customer now. I will have to look at the $ however
ftf: Our goal was to put together a package for less than $1000 to get the customer all setup with a basic sqlweb
page.
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o ftf
ftf: The group is discussing the value of Win NT as a server platform. There are pros and cons...
ftf: too many to summarize here.
bwest: Tell me about safety, Can system be set in place with varying levels of search and retrieval?
bwest: Can Write to data be assigned by password?
ftf: Yes. When the viewer enters his/her id and password, this stays with them so that
ftf: each web page checks for this before serving it. So, yes, writing to the db is easy to password protect.
ftf: You can do this at 2 levels, using hidden forms and passing the info around,
ftf: or by using the built in features of the browsers, like htaccess.
ftf: We finishing up.
ftf: Any last questions?
bwest: Well you have provoked thought with this last bit of info. Thanks for your help Dave.
ftf: You're welcome...Cathy's been typing for the last 15 minutes...didn't even know, did you?
bwest: I will be back at you with many jokes and possible assistance. When you get a chance.
bwest: Ah the secret of access via terminal
bwest: This has been very helpful and is a useful process for me because I am homebound.
bwest: Visit my website
ftf: Good thing...she knows the $$$ better than I.
bwest: Are we finished?
*** Retrieving #inetbus channel info...
ftf: yep...see ya.
bwest: Bye
*** Quits: bwest (Leaving)
*** ChanServ sets mode: +o ftf
Session Close: Wed Jun 12 19:35:41 1996
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