diglib: web application server update

["JQ Johnson" <jqj@darkwing.uoregon.edu>]

Since we didn't get to the item at today's meeting, here's a brief update
on where I am with thinking about web server software.

First, I taught a class for CIT 382 yesterday in which I used the issue as
a case study.  Very well received by the students.  The powerpoint
presentation is on line at
http://darkwing.uoregon.edu/~jqj/cit382-2-13-01.ppt

Second, I've been taking steps to evaluate various technologies.  I've
installed PHP (on my wife's Linux system) and Cold Fusion Express (on my
desktop NT system), have written toy programs for each environment, and
have been playing with Dreamweaver Ultradev.  I also have a student
working on his own learning Cold Fusion to give me some perspective.

Third, I don't have a recommendation yet for particular technology.  My
initial reactions to Dreamweaver Ultradev were surprisingly (to me, since
I really like Dreamweaver) negative.  I'm pretty confident that no
existing environment will make it easy for a typical web-savvy librarian
to build a database-driven web site.  So the major issue may not be
choosing technology at all, but rather how we acquire the needed technical
expertise (either through training our staff or through hiring qualified
student programmers).

I was, though, pleased to learn about CIT 381/382.  That's a course for
students typically business majors who want a computer technology minor.
This year the theme of the sequence is building a database driven
intranet -- essentially the exact problem I'm interested in solving for
the library.  Maybe the best thing to do would be to encourage a couple of
our faculty to take the sequence next time it's offered!