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Course Description
This course focuses on the construction of active web sites. Such web sites change contents depending on what the user does with them. Many times, such sites involve users filling in a form, which is then processed. For an example, think of a query in a web-based library catalog. But active sites may also be as simple as saying "Merry Xmas" before 25 December, and leave it out afterwards. Students will learn how build simple active web sites. There are two aspects to this process. The first is the information itself. It is usually held in relational databases. The course therefore studies relational databases. It introduces the mySQL database software. The secord aspect is the interface between the data in the database and the web. This is achieved with a procedural computing language. The course studies PHP, a purpose-built language for active web sites.
Course objectives
After taking this course the students
Finally, in the last class, students may build their own Linux servers on machines that they may bring along.
Prerequisites
Student normally must have passed LIS650 before taking this course. Students must be comfortable with the LIS650 material because this course is a lot more advanced than LIS650. Students who wish to qualify for an exeption should contact the instructor prior to registering.
Instructor
Thomas
Krichel
Palmer School of Library
and Information Science
C.W. Post
Campus of Long Island
University
720 Northern Boulevard
Brookville, NY 11548–1300
krichel@openlib.org
work phone: +1–(516)299–2843
Private contact details may be obtained from the online CV.
Class structure
Classes will be held on Sundays between 13:00 and 18:00 in PC1 lab of the Bobst Library. After class, the instructor will lead the students to the local bars.
Each class will have a lengthy presentation by the instructor. For some small part of class time the students will work directly with their computers under the supervision of the instructor. However, give the hefty weight of the class material, students are expected to do much of the work on the web site at home. The instructor will closely work with students on their sites on a one-to-one basis.
Note that the slides are drafts from the previous edition of the course.
Class details:
| 0 | 2007–03–18 | 13:00 to 18:00 | getting and presenting data |
| 1 | 2007–03–25 | 13:00 to 18:00 | more on PHP, introduction to database |
| 2 | 2007–04–01 | 13:00 to 18:00 | introduction to mySQL and PHP mySQL function |
| 3 | 2007–04–15 | 13:00 to 18:00 | PHP sessions and functions |
| 4 | 2007–04–22 | 14:00 to 19:00 | regular expressions |
| 5 | 2007–04–29 | 13:00 to 18:00 | use of wotan |
To print the slides in Microsoft powerpoint, press control-p to print, then under "Print what" choose "Handouts", and under "Color/grayscale" choose "Pure Black and White". You can also use openoffice to print the slides.
Readings
PHP is documented on its web site at http://www.php.net that students will probably find all gobbledigook when they first look at it. Most books on PHP also cover some relational database theory and practice. Students may find Ullman (2004) as reasonably priced introductory books on the topics of the course.
The instructor found that Sklar (2004) did bring much good material. This book and Welling and Thompson (2005) is where much of the teaching material is lifted from. Earlier, he used Lea et al. (2001) as an intoduction that is probably suitably paced for the beginner. Meloni (2000) receives favorable reviews as a beginners' book.
Finally there a bunch of home-grown resources.
Assessment
Before each class except the first, there will be a quiz on the issued covered in the previous class. The average of all the quiz results will count for 40% of the assessment. The weakest quiz grade is discounted. For the third class meeting, the students will prepare a one-page web site that will state web site that they want to build. This statement should cover both the purpose of the web site and the site's architecture. The assessment of this statement will counts for assessment in the same way as a quiz counts. The remaining 60% will be assessed through the final web site. This site has to be handed one week after the date of the last class meeting.
Mailing list
There is a mailing list for the course at https://lists-1.liu.edu/mailman/listinfo/cwp-lis651-krichel. All students are encouraged to subscribe. As a rule, answers to email sent to the instructor will be copied to the list. There are exceptions to this rule
Students
Peter
Andes
Stephen
Burkowski
Melissa Gleason
Theresa
Muir
Katie
Countryman
Katherine
Carr
Bill
Maltarich