Add Functionality to Quick, Easy Site Deployment

More than a Web content management system, Octigon President James Smith calls Octane8 a deployment platform. What exactly can you deploy with Octane8? To name a few: public Internet sites, private intranet and extranet sites; sites for the group you'll be collaborating with for the next two weeks; sites with pages that sell; and sites with pages that inform.

Pastore, Michael. Intranet Journal (2003). Design>Content Management>Web Design

Basic JavaScript with Examples

Since the day Microsoft built support for JavaScript into Internet Explorer 3.0, Netscape's client-side language has become the de facto standard for enhancing web pages at the browser. In this full-length excerpt from Practical JavaScript Programming, author Reaz Hoque explains the basics of client-side scripting. He also gives you some neat scripts that can enhance your web pages, making them impressively interactive. Important code snippets available in this article include a browser detection script, capable of offering tailored content based on broswer version or type. For instance, it's important (unless you like crashing visitors' computers) to only serve JavaScript 1.1 code to Netscape Navigator 3.0 or later.

Hoque, Reaz. Intranet Journal (1997). Resources>Tutorials>DHTML

Best Practices For Successful Intranets

Thinking big in the first phase of intranet planning is the nature of e-business, but then it's time to start asking the tough questions. One needs to figure out where the business goals and the user goals need to meet in order to create an intranet that offers the most value.

Barnes, Hank. Intranet Journal (2001). Design>Web Design>Intranets

Controlling Access to an Extranet

The only real difference today among an extranet, an intranet, and a public Web site is how and when users can access the site. Intranets are often on private networks, and extranets are occasionally, as well; but today's robust access-control mechanisms make private networks less and less essential to providing secure access to either an extranet or an intranet. On the other hand, password-protecting portions of a public Web site is becoming more and more common, and isn't a password-protected Web site the same thing as an extranet?

Bloomberg, Jason. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Intranets>Workplace

Defining an XML Document Model with a DTD

An XML document is considered 'well written' when its syntax is correct, and 'valid' when it respects a document model. While a document must be 'well written,' it does not necessarily have to be 'valid.' However, as XML is a meta language, there are an infinite number of XML formats, and most XML documents should respect a particular document model, which can be defined in one of two ways: By a Document Type Definition (DTD); By an XML Schema. In this article, we are going to look at how you should go about implementing the former, using a DTD.

Gallard, Samuel. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>XML>Metadata

Dreamweaver 4 Tutorial: A Guide for New Users

If you've been thinking of making the jump to Dreamweaver, you couldn't find a better time than now. Version 4 was recently released and has earned a slew of glowing reviews. We've prepared this guide with new users in mind, those who have intranet or Internet experience, but haven't tried Dreamweaver before. The instructions that follow are for Dreamweaver 4.

Dreier, Troy A. Intranet Journal (2000). Resources>Tutorials>Web Design>Dreamweaver

Dynamic Properties in Dynamic HTML (DHTML)

While experimenting with DHTML you may have ended up with a situation where you'd wanted to possibly have an element that has a width that's always the same as another element's height. On the other hand, you may have wanted to center an element in the middle of the page no matter what the width of the page was. All this is possible with the DHTML methods you've learned previously, but you will find that these scripts end up being unnecessarily long or complicated. That's why Dynamic Properties were introduced in IE 5.0. Dynamic Properties, as the name may indicate, means the ability to assign non-static dynamic values to properties.

Gilbert-Baffoe, Nana. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>DHTML

The Emperor's New Web Site

'Viewability' on a Web site may not imply 'usability.' Real Websters know the difference. For example, a recent Web-mag cartoon shows a puzzled 'visitor' in front of a store front. A sign says 'Come on in.' However, the visitor fails to see any door. It's obscured by the Las Vegas pizzazz and animatronic geegaws soliciting attention willy-nilly. Have you seen such Web sites?

Schaffer, Eric M. Intranet Journal (2001). Design>Web Design>Usability

A FrontPage Tutorial

When it comes to Web authoring tools, none is as simple to use at Microsoft FrontPage. With its generous amount of wizards and it's library of templates and images, it's a beginner's dream. You won't need a large staff to create a site that's both useful and professional.

Dreier, Troy A. Intranet Journal (2000). Resources>Web Design>Software>FrontPage

Implementing a Search Engine in ASP

As a web site grows, finding content on the site becomes increasingly difficult. To combat the difficulty of finding relevant information on a large site, many developers turn to writing a search engine for their site. This article discusses how to implement such a system using Active Server Pages and SQL Server.

Mitchell, Scott. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Search

An Introduction to Dynamic HTML (DHTML)

The intranet and Internet is an ever evolving environment, and Web pages themselves are steadily blooming from static displays of data to interactive applications. 'Dynamic HTML' is an umbrella term encompassing several ways in which Web developers can breathe life into pages which have traditionally been still portraits of information.

Weiss, Aaron. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Standards>DHTML

Introduction to XML: Fixing the Web

What's wrong with the Web and how can the new XML technology fix it? This XML introduction is geared toward newcomers who have heard the buzz, but don't know what all the fuss is about. The article briefly surveys a number of new Web technologies such as XLL, XSL, RDF, DOM, MathML, SMIL, PGML, and how they relate to XML. Benefits of XML are stressed, as are potential applications in diverse fields. A reference section provides links to key XML resources, as well as to collections of other introductory articles.

Sall, Ken. Intranet Journal (2001). Design>Web Design>XML>Metadata

Look Before You Leap: The Importance of an Intranet Pilot

Few of us are brave enough to try something completely new without first taking a tiny bite. Perhaps by past experience, we know that if we take that large leap of faith, one of two things will happen: you'll spit it across the table and commit a catastrophic social faux-pas or you'll gobble it down and ask for seconds. Truth of the matter is that it makes sense to ensure the success of a greater whole by first tackling a smaller piece. Simple HTML-only document management systems of the early 1990's have given way to more robust, content laden intranets with dynamic database integration. With all the different uses for intranets now compared to a decade ago, it's vital to tackle a smaller working model before investing the time, effort, and money into achieving Nirvana in one try.

Chin, Paul. Intranet Journal (2003). Design>Web Design>Intranets

A Macromedia Dreamweaver Tutorial

This tutorial will start off by guiding you through the first steps of building a site with Dreamweaver. Next, we'll look at more advanced elements, like adding media and remotely managing a site. This tutorial focuses on Dreamweaver 3, so if you're using an earlier version, you'll find that some of the features discussed are not available.

Dreier, Troy A. Intranet Journal. Resources>Tutorials>Web Design>Dreamweaver

Privacy 101

It's a fact that some businesses and organizations do not take privacy very seriously. However, the truth is that privacy of confidential customer information is mandated by law — many laws, actually. There are more privacy laws than we can discuss here. But...

Intranet Journal (2003). Articles>Management>Privacy

Table Tricks and Truths

Intermediate and advanced developers alike often face problems with tables that they didn't expect. A table may look incorrect in Netscape, things may not be working properly in IE, tables can be so complex that even the professionals forget certain aspects of their use. I shall try to cover some of the issues involved, and some of the Frequently Asked Questions about tables which we receive.

Cooper, Peter. Intranet Journal (2000). Design>Web Design>HTML

Thinking Globally, Acting Locally

How important is tailoring your site for a culturally diverse audience? To some extent it depends on who your target market is; but Web users are increasingly likely to speak languages other than English. For instance, research firm Global Reach predicts that by 2004 only one-third of Web users will be native English speakers. Combine this with IDC's estimate that in three years, Internet spending outside the U.S. will top $914 billion -- two-thirds of the world's $1.64 trillion in e-commerce -- and globalization begins to look less like a nice-to-have than a mandate.

Benett, Gordon. Intranet Journal. Articles>Web Design>International

Top Ten Intranet Design Mistakes

The creator of the award-winning site Web Pages That Suck and co-author of the book of the same name, lists the top 10 mistakes he's found.

Flanders, Vincent. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Intranets

A Tutorial in Cross-Browser DHTML

In this article we will look at several techniques, some general, some specific, for constructing Dynamic HTML code which bridges the gap between Microsoft's Internet Explorer and Netscape's Navigator-- specifically, the gap between Netscape 4.x and Microsoft Internet Explorer 4 and 5.

Weiss, Aaron. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>Standards>DHTML

Tutorial: Introduction to JavaScript

JavaScript is an easy-to-learn programming language which can be built into Web pages, so that it executes from within the browser rather than on the web server. Intranets especially can leverage the power of JavaScript to create 'smart' Web pages which can process data and interact with the user. In this introduction we concisely look at the main programming points of the JavaScript language.

Weiss, Aaron. Intranet Journal. Resources>Tutorials>DHTML>JavaScript

Using XML/XSL for Web Publication

In this article, we look at the problem of Web publication, a process which concerns all enterprises having to send and receive information. What makes XML the technical solution to content syndication? How can the XML/XSL couple facilitate multi-channel publication? We will illustrate this last point using an example near and dear to our hearts, the publication of TrendMarkers e-newsletter.

Gallard, Samuel. Intranet Journal. Design>Web Design>XML

Virtual Teamwork: Tools and Techniques for Working Together Online

Working together online can be as productive and satisfying as working together face-to-face, and, under some circumstances, even more so. Virtual teamwork is definitely more economical, especially when team members are not all in the same building. With the appropriate selection and use of freely available web-based technologies, virtual teamwork can even make face-to-face meetings more effective.

DeKoven, Bernard. Intranet Journal. Articles>Collaboration>Online

Why an Intranet Must Constantly be Updated - And Steps to Take to Make Sure It Is

The single most important thing to realize about an intranet is that it is a growing entity. If you wipe your brow in relief after rolling out your intranet and think that that was all there was to it, you are going to be in for a surprise. You should not leave your intranet locked away in some room and hope that it will run itself. Just look at the havoc and mayhem Macaulay Culkin created when he was left home alone. An intranet is no different when left to neglect and mismanagement—only no one will be laughing. An intranet must constantly be updated with new and relevant information so that it does not turn into a pile of yesterday's newspapers.

Chin, Paul. Intranet Journal (2001). Design>Web Design>Intranets

XML: Structuring Data for the Web: An Introduction

This XML introduction is geared toward newcomers who have heard the buzz, but don't know what all the fuss is about. The article briefly surveys a number of new Web technologies such as XLL, XSL, RDF, DOM, MathML, SMIL, PGML, and how they relate to XML. Benefits of XML are stressed, as are potential applications in diverse fields. A reference section provides links to key XML resources, as well as to collections of other introductory articles.

Sall, Ken. Intranet Journal (2002). Design>Web Design>XML