Why (Almost) Every Web Site Needs an RDBMS

When your Web application reaches a certain size, it needs a good database design behind it. And in fact, this 'certain size' is much smaller than almost every small-site developer thinks. Relational Data Base Management Systems (RDBMSes) need not be restrictive or over-architected, as their bad reputation sometimes brings developers to fear. A bit of thought toward what your site does quickly turns into a sensible schema design, and it is easy to leave open expandable storage mechanisms like a configuration table within an RDBMS back end.

Mertz, David. IBM (2007). Articles>Web Design>Server Side Includes>Databases

Wikipedia, Champion of User-Generated Content

Encourage user contribution to your Web site by learning from Wikipedia. Wikipedia builds on open source and respects the geographical variety and potential accessibility needs of its users. It provides tools to help users contribute, but also fosters an atmosphere where contributions are verified and discussed by the broader community.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2007). Design>Web Design>Community Building>User Centered Design

Wikis, Blogs and Other Community Tools in the Enterprise

Wikis and Web logs (blogs) make a big impact on the Web, but they can also be useful in an enterprise. A community is a group of people with common interests, goals, or responsibilities, such as a project team or an interest group. Combine wikis and blogs with existing collaborative tools to enhance the productivity and effectiveness of enterprise teams.

Farrell, Joel A. IBM (2006). Articles>Writing>Business Communication>Blogging

Working XML: Use Eclipse to build a user interface for XM

Anyone familiar with XM -- the low-cost, open-source content management solution based on XSLT -- knows that for all its good points, it still lacks a decent user interface. In this article, columnist Benoï¿t Marchal uses the Eclipse platform's open universal framework to build a user interface for XM.

Marchal, Benoit. IBM (2002). Design>User Interface>Software>XML

XHTML 1.0: Marking Up a New Dawn

Still writing your documents in HTML? If you are, you're not complying with current standards. On January 26, 2000, XHTML 1.0 became a recommendation by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). HTML, according to the W3C, is no longer the Web markup standard. Instead, XHTML 1.0 has replaced our old favorite, marking up the dawn of a new and exciting time in communications technology.

Holzschlag, Molly E. IBM. Design>Web Design>XHTML

XML

A collection of XML online resources maintained by IBM's DeveloperWorks division.

IBM. Resources>Information Design>XML

XML 1.1 and Namespaces 1.1 Revealed

Explains what XML 1.1 and Namespaces 1.1 are about, what changes they bring, and how they affect other specs and users.

Le Hors, Arnaud. IBM (1999). Design>Web Design>XML

XML in Firefox 1.5, Part 1: Overview of XML Features

The open source Firefox Web browser continues to grow in popularity. Users like the security and convenience features it offers. Developers like the Firefox attention to standards compliance, inherited from its Mozilla roots. The most recent version, Firefox 1.5, comes with many features for XML developers, including XML parsing, XHTML, CSS, XSLT, SVG, XML Events in JavaScriptâ„¢, and XForms. Additional third-party extensions provide even more XML support. In this article, Uche Ogbuji provides an overview of XML features in Firefox 1.5.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2006). Articles>Information Design>Web Design>XML

XML in Firefox 1.5, Part 2: Basic XML Processing

This second article in the series, "XML in Firefox 1.5," focuses on basic XML processing. Firefox supports XML parsing, Cascading Stylesheets (CSS), and XSLT stylesheets.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2006). Articles>Information Design>Web Design>XML

XML Processing in Ajax, Part 1: Four Approaches

Any programming problem can be solved in multiple right ways. This series looks at four approaches for creating an Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (Ajax) weather badge, a small reusable widget that's easily embedded on any Web page. This first article lays the foundation and examines the first approach--walking the DOM tree.

Pruett, Mark. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>XML>Ajax

XML Topic Maps By the Book

Topic Maps provide a system for organizing information, and XML Topic Maps bring this system to the world of XML. In this article, Uche Ogbuji examines XML Topic Maps, introducing the technology in the course of reviewing a key book on the topic.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2003). Design>Web Design>Information Design>XML

Build Ajax-Based Web sites with PHP

Learn the process of writing Asynchronous JavaScript + XML (Ajax) applications using native JavaScript™ code and PHP. This article introduces a few different frameworks and application program interfaces (APIs) that reduce the amount of code you need to write to achieve a complete Ajax-based Web application.

Ramirez, Ken. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>Ajax>PHP

The Business Analyst in Model-Driven Architecture

From a software development viewpoint, model-driven architecture (MDA) encourages efficient use of system models. It also encourages reusing best practices as families of systems are produced. One of the main aims of MDA is to separate design from architecture, which places the business analyst in a unique and potentially powerful position within the organization. Learn how you as a business analyst can take an active role in this type of architecture.

Slack, S.E. IBM (2008). Articles>Information Design>Programming>Project Management

Requirements Planning: Overlooked and Undervalued

This article takes a high-level look at project requirements and the requirements cycle to help you understand the role of the business analyst in requirements planning.

Slack, S.E. IBM (2008). Articles>Project Management>Planning

Specializing Topic Types in DITA

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) provides a way for documentation authors and architects to create collections of typed topics that can be easily assembled into various delivery contexts. Topic specialization is the process by which authors and architects can define topic types, while maintaining compatibility with existing style sheets, transforms, and processes. The new topic types are defined as an extension, or delta, relative to an existing topic type, thereby reducing the work necessary to define and maintain the new type.

Priestley, Michael. IBM (2001). Articles>Information Design>XML>DITA

Migrating HTML to DITA, Part 1: Simple Steps to Move from HTML to DITA

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) has emerged as a standard topic-oriented document architecture. DITA holds many advantages over information authored directly in HTML, including better reuse, easily changed presentation styles, and easy single sourcing. This article, the first of two parts, explains how to get a quick start with DITA using HTML topics that are already available. It shows you how to use the provided XSLT transform to do the migration, and examines what is needed to ensure quality results.

Anderson, Robert, Don Day and Erik Hennum. IBM (2005). Articles>Information Design>XML>DITA

Why Use DITA to Produce HTML Deliverables?

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) is an XML-based format for structuring and authoring technical content. This article explores advantages DITA provides for producing HTML content -- including easy global changes, portability through standards, superior linking and Web management, conditional processing, content and design reuse, and better writing through focused content. DITA consolidates all of the benefits in a consistent, overall information architecture that can evolve and grow along with your product information needs and delivery modes, and with the evolution of standard tools for delivering XML as the presentation mechanism.

Hunt, John, Don Day, Erik Hennum, Michael Priestley and Dave Schell. IBM (2005). Articles>Information Design>HTML>DITA

Migrating HTML to DITA, Part 2: Extend the Migration for More Robust Results

The Darwin Information Typing Architecture (DITA) holds many advantages over information authored directly in HTML, including better reuse, easily changed presentation styles, and easy single sourcing. In Part 2 of this two-part series on how to quickly migrate HTML topics to DITA, the author explains the details of migration, and shows you how to override parts of this process for ideal results.

Anderson, Robert. IBM (2005). Articles>Information Design>HTML>DITA

Extend Enumerated Lists in XML Schema

The addition of new values to a list is a common and necessary requirement. Schema designers often seek to build into the architecture a means to permit additional values that were unknown at design time. How can schema designers create an enumerated value list that is extensible and easy to implement? Discover several approaches used to achieve this goal.

Kiel, W. Paul. IBM (2008). Articles>Information Design>XML>Databases

Creating Modular Interactive User Interfaces with JavaScript

Discover a technique that lets you move sections of a Web page using drag-and-drop functions. Different aspects of the interactivity are implemented separately and then composed into a unified whole, allowing for flexible customization that can make your Web users very happy.

Travis, Greg. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>Interaction Design>JavaScript

Real Web 2.0: Mastering the Creative Commons

The Creative Commons (CC) initiative develops popular licenses for content, including Web content. Some people think using these licenses means giving up all your rights to content, but this is just one of many misconceptions. Learn how to choose and use CC licenses for your Web sites and applications and how to process these licenses in code.

Ogbuji, Uche. IBM (2008). Articles>Intellectual Property>Copyright

Seven Habits for Writing Secure PHP Applications

Security in a PHP application includes remote and local security concerns. Discover the habits PHP developers should get into to implement Web applications that have both characteristics.

Good, Nathan A. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>Security>PHP

Offline Ajax with Apache Derby

People love Ajax applications so much that they are willing to use them instead of their desktop equivalents. The only problem occurs when they fail to have network access. This is when an offline feature is necessary. Apache Derby is a great option for enabling offline access to Ajax-powered applications. Learn how to use Apache Derby as a local data store that can be used to take your Ajax application offline.

Galpin, Michael. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>Programming>Ajax

Develop PHP applications with Picasa Web Albums

Picasa Web Albums offers Web application developers a REST-based Data API to manipulate the photos and albums stored on its servers. PHP's SimpleXML extension and Zend's GData Library are ideal to process the XML feeds generated by this API so you can customize PHP photo management and photo sharing applications. In this article, meet the Picasa Web Albums Data API and see how you can use it to retrieve photos and photo metadata; add, modify and delete photos; and perform keyword searches of Picasa's user-generated content.

Vaswani, Vikram. IBM (2008). Articles>Web Design>Graphic Design>PHP