Page 20 - DCAP408_WEB_PROGRAMMING

Web Programming

Notes

Task Answers the following questions:

1. Distinguish between Internet and world wide web.
2. What is the historical base for the development of internet?

1.3.1 Dynamic Web Pages

The popularity of the static, billboard style, Web page is declining. Dynamic pages can customize
the response on the server to offer personalization based on cookies and information, it can get
from the visitor. Web server content developers are creating dynamic Web pages with data
from the databases and other data sources, such as real-time stock market data feeds. Web
technology is being used to create new client/server applications because of the ability to
dynamically create Web pages on the fly.

Many Web servers do not have database or other data access mechanisms built-in. They rely on
the Common Gateway Interface (CGI). Dynamic web pages are typically written in various
scripting languages or technologies such as ASP, PHP, Perl or JSP.

Advantages

 Offers highly personalized and customized visitor options.
 Database access improves the personalized experience (as opposed to using just client side
cookies).

 Scripts can read in data sources and display it differently depending on how it is run.
 Can create the illusion of being updated regularly using time and date sensitive routines
(or even randomizers) to display pre-written text.

Disadvantages

 Personalized pages are not very cache friendly.

 Requires a basic minimum knowledge of the language being used.
 Scripts need more consideration, when uploading and installing, particularly to *nix servers.

Self Assessment

Fill in the blanks:
8. Many ………………. do not have database or other data access mechanisms built-in.

9. The web services include content products and services, which can be viewed or ordered
through the ……………….

1.4 Website

A website is a collection of web pages (documents that are accessed through the Internet), such
as the one you’re looking at now. A web page is what you see on the screen when you type in a
web address, click on a link, or put a query in a search engine. A web page can contain any type
of information, and can include text, color, graphics, animation and sound.

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