Resources
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An Instantaneous Introduction to CGI Scripts and HTML Forms <www.cc.ukans.edu/~acs/docs/other/forms-intro.shtml>
Yet another explanation of the CGI mechanism.
Globe and Mail: New Database War Shapes Up <rtnews.globetechnology.com/servlet/ArticleNews/tech/RTGAM/20030113/gtdbwar/Technology/techBN/>
IBM takes another run at EII (Enterprise Information Integration) with "Xperanto", a product that can pull and collate data from many different database platforms: from email servers to sales transaction RDBMSes.
How CGI Scripting Works <www.howstuffworks.com/cgi.htm/printable>
Marshall Brain explains the basics of the Common Gateway Interface in very simple terms.
OpenSSH FAQ <www.openssh.com/faq.html>
If you have questions about SSH (Secure SHell), the protocol/tools we'll use to access the project webserver, here's the place to start. At it's simplest, SSH is a secure replacement for telnet and FTP that encrypts the traffic between client and server, but that's just the beginning. OpenSSH is the Open Source implementation of the SSH suite of servers and tools.
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Apache: The Definitive Guide
2nd Edition, Ben Laurie & Peter Laurie, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Once you're comfortable with web application scripting, you'll want to take a closer look at the webserver itself. Apache, the webserver used to host the COMP 220 projects, has a number of important features that can improve the reliability and security of your web applications.
Cascading Style Sheets: The Definitive Guide
Eric Meyer, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Familiarity with Cascading Style Sheets (CSS) is a must for anyone contemplating building a large website. This book will guide you through all of the features of CSS, until you're finally ready to delete that last remaining <font> tag in your code.
Constructing Accessible Web Sites
Jim Thatcher et al, Glasshaus
An oft-overlooked aspect of web design is accessibility: can your site be used by people with coordination or eyesight difficulties? While KISS is the operative principle here, there's a lot more to designing a truly accessible website, especially one that passes the Section 508 rules.
Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design, and Implementatio.htm
8th Edition, David M. Kroenke, Prentice Hall.
The COMP 210 textbook. From time to time, COMP 220 will also make reference to this text.
Database Processing: Fundamentals, Design, and Implementation
8th Edition, David M. Kroenke, Prentice Hall.
The COMP 210 textbook. From time to time, COMP 220 will also make reference to this text.
Dynamic HTML: The Definitive Reference
2nd Edition, Danny Goodman, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
If you already feel comfortable with HTML, XHTML, CSS, DOM, and JavaScript, this monstrosity will serve as a good table-side (or table-supporting) reference.
Extreme Programming for Web Projects
Doug Wallace et al, Addison Wesley Professional.
Can you use XP for web projects? You bet! This book discusses the project management side of such projects, but there are a few technical nuggets hidden within.
Hacking Exposed Web Applications
Joel Scambray & Mike Shema, Osborne
Is your web application vulnerable to malicious exploits? Most likely it is. Read this to find out how to protect your website.
HTML and XHTML: The Definitive Guide
5th Edition, Chuck Musciano & Bill Kennedy, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
If you do decide to go further with web design, this is the first book to buy. And it will be a useful reference for years after.
JavaScript: The Definitive Guide
4th Edition, David Flanagan, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Just like HTML: The Definitive Guide, this hefty book belongs on the shelf of anyone who thinks themself a web designer.
Learning the bash Shell
2nd Edition, Cameron Newham & Bill Rosenblatt, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
The "user interface" we'll use in COMP 220 to connect with the project webserver is a command-line shell called bash (Bourne Again SHell--don't ask). It's an enormously powerful program (orders of magnitude more so than the MS-DOS prompt) and this book is the definitive introduction.
Linux in a Nutshell
3rd Edition, Ellen Siever, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
While you don't really need to know that much about Linux and its commands for COMP 220, if you do plan to go ahead and use Linux in a regular fashion, this reference belongs at your side 24/7.
Managing and Using MySQL
2nd Edition, George Reese & Randy Jay Yarger & Tim King, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
MySQL doesn't have all of the features of a traditional RDBMS--although InnoDB tables help a lot--but for pure unvarnished read speed, MySQL beats 'em all. Once you're familiar with database topics, this book will explain the MySQL specifics.
MySQL Cookbook
Paul Dubois, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Stuck in a MySQL jam? This book has solutions for hundreds of MySQL-related problems.
MySQL Reference Manual
Michael Widenius & David Axmark, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
A hardcopy version of the online reference manual. It's especially useful for solving technical problems with MySQL.
PHP Cookbook
David Sklar & Adam Trachtenberg, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Stuck in a PHP jam? This book has solutions for hundreds of PHP-related problems.
PostgreSQL: Introduction and Concepts
Bruce Momjian, Addison Wesley Professional.
Written by a member of the development team, this book provides a lot of details about the PostgreSQL program itself, but for a general reference, Practical PostgreSQL is a better choice.
Practical PostgreSQL
John C. Worsley & Joshua D. Drake, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Looking the features of an Oracle-like RDBMS, but at a MySQL price? PostgreSQL will fit the bill, and this book covers the topic from soup to nuts.
Principles of Transaction Processing for the Systems Profess.htm
Philip A. Bernstein & Eric Newcomer, Morgan Kaufmann.
Transaction management should be in the minds of all database developers. It's just about all you think about when writing highly-scalable systems. This is the authoritative reference for the topic.
Principles of Transaction Processing for the Systems Professiona
Philip A. Bernstein & Eric Newcomer, Morgan Kaufmann.
Transaction management should be in the minds of all database developers. It's just about all you think about when writing highly-scalable systems. This is the authoritative reference for the topic.
Programming PHP
Rasmus Lerdorf & Kevin Tatroe, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Co-authored by the creator of PHP, Rasmus Lerdorf, this book will not only teach you the PHP language, but will restrain you from rushing headlong into scripting spaghetti hell.
SQL In A Nutshell: A Desktop Quick Reference
Kevin Kline & Daniel Kline, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
A good reference to have handy if you plan on serious SQL work. Covers the Oracle, SQL Server, MySQL, and PostgreSQL dialects of the SQL language. This book is on reserve in the library.
Web Database Applications with PHP and MySQL
High Williams & David Lane, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Covers all of the PHP & MySQL techniques that we'll cover in COMP 220.
Web Hacking: Attacks and Defense
Stuart McClure et al, Addison Wesley Professional.
The scripting languages that enable interactive web applications can also severely jeopardize the integrity of a web server, and the network to which it's connected.
Web Programming: Building Internet Applications
Chris Bates, John Wiley & Sons.
The COMP 220 textbook.
Web Security, Privacy and Commerce
2nd Edition, Simson Garfinkel, O'Reilly & Associates Inc.
Constructing a secure website, that protects its users' privacy, is an enormous challenge. This book describes all of the pieces that go into a secure website, the most common web exploits, and techniques and technologies that you can use to protect your website.
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Apache HTTPD Server <httpd.apache.org>
Apache is currently the number one webserver on the Internet by most any measure (except for perhaps sales income--it's free).
MySQL <www.mysql.com>
MySQL is an awfully popular relational database product. While it does lack a number of important RDBMS features, its simplicity and speed compensate for those shortcomings. We'll be using the MySQL-Max edition, which features both transactions and referential integrity.
PHP Hypertext Preprocessor <www.php.net>
PHP is one of the most popular web application scripting languages at the moment, and it's the language we'll use in class for the term projects.
PuTTY: A Free Win32 Telnet and SSH Client <www.chiark.greenend.org.uk/~sgtatham/putty>
We'll use the PuTTY client to connect through the SSH protocol to the project webserver. You can download the program from this site, or just use the copy located at S:\comp220\tools.
Secure iXplorer GPL <www.i-tree.org/gpl/ixplorer.htm>
This version of iXplorer is an Open Source-licensed secure FTP (SFTP) graphical user interface utility. It actually uses some of the PuTTY programs to carry out its tasks, but it's much easier to drag 'n' drop files to and from the project webserver than it is to type out a bunch of GET and PUT commands.
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Common Gateway Interface <hoohoo.ncsa.uiuc.edu/cgi/overview.html>
This site houses the official CGI documentation.
Sample Weblication: Interagency Training Calendar <grover.yukondude.com/iatcal/public/index.php>
This is a working copy of the same calendar used by the College to schedule noncredit and professional courses.
Sample Weblication: Videoconferencing Booking System <grover.yukondude.com/vidcon/public/home-public.php>
This is a working copy of the same system used by the College to reserve its videoconferencing equipment around the Territory.
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