The Web Tools Review edited by Philip Greenspun, author of a book about database-backed web sites [ Search | Courses | Mailing List Chat ]

This section is obsolete and is kept around only out of consideration for the pain of people upon encountering broken links. Newer writings (than these, but still obsolete) about computers and business in the Internet Age are available at http://philip.greenspun.com/ancient-history/.

The Big Picture

• Internet Application Workbook, a structured step-by-step approach to building an online community; language and tool-independent, this has been used by Microsoft .NET/SQL Server developers and Oracle/Linux developers (used as a textbook in MIT Course 6.171)
• Philip and Alex's Guide to Web Publishing -- a 17-chapter book containing everything I'd learned through 1998 from building nearly 100 RDBMS-backed Web sites (not very well organized as a text, somewhat dated, and filled with a lot of extraneous personal stories; a handful of chapters have been revised circa 2002)
• Building Collaborative Web Services Using the ArsDigita Community System, a free open-source toolkit that can save you $1 million (software available from http://philip.greenspun.com/ancient-history/software/ or www.openacs.org)
• ArsDigita Server Architecture, a methodology for keeping that beautiful site up and running reliably

• Things I learned the Hard Way (about running Web sites)
• 100 Things you Can do Right Now To Make Your Web Site Better
• Using the Internet to Pick up Babes and/or Hunks -- because sometimes getting f**ked by Unix isn't all that satisfying

Database

• SQL for Web Nerds, an introduction to database management systems for Web developers (used as a textbook at MIT)
• four chapters of "the old book":
  • Sites That are really Databases
  • Choosing a Relational Database
  • Interfacing a Relational Database to the Web
  • RDBMS-backed site case studies
• A fast freeware approach to building an RDBMS-backed Web server by Patrick Kelly
• Tips for Using the Illustra RDBMS (Illustra was discontinued towards the end of the 1990s)
• Tips for Using the Oracle RDBMS
• other Web and dead trees resources

Server Tools

• Open-source AOLserver: http://www.aolserver.com
• Introduction to AOLserver: Part 1 and Part 2

• Iron | HTTP server programs
• Application Servers, including a review of Netscape Application Server (Kiva)
• Vignette StoryServer
• Netscape LiveWire -- Reviewed
• Post.Office, a replacement for Sendmail (also includes a review of Netscape Messaging Server)

Production Tools

• Using CVS for Web development, version control to coordinate the activities of everyone contributing to a site

• Production Machines (includes a basic software suite recommendation)
• Collaboration Machines (includes review of the Gateway Destination XTV)
• Macintosh to Windows NT Migration
• Streaming Video (and Audio), yes it really is this hard
• Scanners
• Live Picture from HSC Software
• Adobe PhotoShop, the program and various training aids
• Adobe Illustrator vs. MacroMedia Freehand
• MapArt from Cartesia, editable maps in Illustrator format
• Microsoft Word -> HTML, can you enjoy Microsoft quality and HTML presentation at the same time?

Connectivity

for your servers

• the above.net co-location service -- reviewed

  at home and work

• RadioLan: wireless networking
• Vicom Internet Gateway: one IP address; many computers; old Macintosh in the middle

Web Site Design

• my own HTML tutorial and page design guide
• inspiring sites
• Boring HTML docs: from Microsoft | tutorial | special characters
• Cascading Style Sheets
• sources of links: HTML Writer's Guild
• HTTP: the on-line situation is grim; you need a dead trees book.
• The Magic Cookie spec from Netscape
• server-side programming: read the relevant chapter of my book
• Images: a comprehensive treatment
• Images: JPEG or GIF, B&W or color? | What about Gamma?

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