Will HTML 5 make rich Internet application (RIA) technologies such as Adobe Flash/Flex and Microsoft Silverlight obsolete? For at least the next five years, the answer is a definite “no”; inconsistent implementations of the draft HTML 5 specification and immature tooling make building HTML 5 apps that work consistently across browsers and operating systems a real challenge. Furthermore, this “either/ or” scenario is driven only by vendor politics, not by developer realities. Ultimately, HTML 5 and RIA platforms will be complementary technologies, and enterprise development shops will need to invest in both approaches to deliver expressive applications that combine reach and richness. Adoption of RIA platforms is on the Rise; will Html 5 Halt it?
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This tutorial assumes some basic experience with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript. It assumes that you are aware of what an HTML element or tag is, what an attribute means, the basic syntax of HTML markup, the general structure of a Web page, and so on. In terms of CSS, you are expected to be familiar with element, class, and ID-based selectors, the syntax of a CSS property, and how to include CSS in your Web pages using inline or external stylesheets. Finally, it is assumed that you have some working knowledge of JavaScript, such as what a variable, function, if statement, and for loop is, as well Read the rest of this entry »

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Just what you need to know to quickly move from HTML / XHTML to HTML5. HTML5 syntax is compatible with both HTML4 and XHTML1. Want to close empty elements with a slash? Go for it. Rather not? Then don’t. Want to use lower case? Upper case? Take your pick. In other words, you really don’t have to change the way you handle these things, so don’t worry, ok?
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Today’s librarians recognize the importance of making sure library Web sites are easy to navigate, so users can find their way quickly to e-resources. But where’s a busy librarian to begin? This pamphlet offers a short set of simple-to-implement guidelines to help librarians design usable library Web sites. The guidelines are based on a survey of literature on library website design and usability testing, results of usability reviews conducted by Elsevier for library customers, and established best practices in website usability. Working with library website usability is at the core of the business of Elsevier’s User Centered Design Group. Whether we are reviewing usability of specific library Web sites to help individual customers, or assisting in design of electronic services and products offered by Elsevier, usability is our mantra.
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Having authenticated with WebAuth using an SSO username and password, the PHP script is executed. As you can see, the PHP script is passed a parameter which is the URL of a login page of a Rails application. The only thing the PHP script does is to redirect to that URL passing a parameter that is a base64 encoded string: https://www.abcd.ox.ac.uk:8113/apps/contacts/login?id=base64string The id parameter is the base64 encoded version of an encryption of the username and the current date and time.
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Online chat solutions have been very popular long before AJAX was born. There are numerous reasons for this popularity, and you’re probably familiar with them if you’ve ever used an Internet Relay Chat (IRC) client, or an Instant Messenger (IM) program, or a Java chat applet. AJAX has pushed online chat solutions forward by making it easy to implement features that are causing trouble or are harder to implement with other technologies. First of all, an AJAX chat application inherits all the typical AJAX benefits, such as integration with existing browser features, and (if written well) cross-platform compatibility.
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Web application technologies like PHP, CGI, Javascript, and Ajax have made it much easier for people to construct and deploy services on the Internet. Unfortunately, this has opened a wide avenue for new attacks since it is as easy to unintentionally introduce new vulnerabilities into web applications as it is to intentionally introduce new functionality. Consequently, web applications have increasingly been the focus of attackers.
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There are hundreds of open source projects ranging from simple email software to publicly dedicated WWW servers and full operating systems. This article describes an online platform for educators with free open source educational systems including wikis, blogs, bulletin boards, Content/Course Management Systems, and MOOs, all open systems which are easily installed and managed. By setting up a content-based server, educators can save and archive their files online easily, and integrate their online resources without needing web design skill. With full control of these different educational tools, educators can form a collaborative learning community based on their teaching goals. Thus teachers and students can build an online community as partners. They can learn from and with others, share and try out web learning tools, distribute leadership and inspiration, and support and interact with others from all over the world.
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