The Collaborative Web

Abstract

A New World Wide Web has recently emerged. This Web is likely to change the world of organizations and of individuals every bit as much as did the original Web.     

Towards a theoretical framework of SPI success factors for small and medium web companies

ContextThe context of this research is software process improvement (SPI) success factors for small and medium Web companies.ObjectiveThe primary objective of this paper is to propose a theoretical framework of SPI success factors for small and medium Web companies.MethodThe theoretical framework presented in this study aggregated the results of three previous research phases by applying principles of theoretical integration and comparative analysis. Those three previous phases were all empirical in nature, and comprise: a systematic review of SPI in small and medium Web companies [1], [2]; a replication study [3] and a grounded theory-based initial exploratory framework of factors in small and medium Web companies [4].ResultsThe theoretical framework includes 18 categories of SPI success factors, 148 properties of these categories and 25 corresponding relationships, which bind these categories together. With the help of these relationships, the categories and properties of SPI success factors can be directly translated into a set of guidelines, which can then be used by the practitioners of small and medium Web companies to improve the current state of SPI in their companies and achieve overall company success.ConclusionThe comprehensive theoretical framework of SPI success factors presented herein provides evidence regarding key factors for predicting SPI success for small and medium Web companies. The framework can be used as a baseline for a successful implementation of SPI initiatives in the mentioned domain.     

Web Site Design Resources for the Librarian

ABSTRACT

A selective, annotated bibliography of books, journal articles, and electronic resources relating to Web site design aimed specifically at beginning library Web Managers.     

Don't Cache Out: What To Do When the Server Isn't There

ABSTRACT

This article discusses methods for retrieving information from dead or unavailable Web servers. It describes using the Google search engine cache and the Wayback Machine as possible means of recovering data that would otherwise be lost after a Web server or Web site is no longer online.     

Flexible Web services integration: a novel personalised social approach

Abstract

Dynamic composition or integration remains one of the key objectives of Web services technology. This paper aims to propose an innovative approach of dynamic Web services composition based on functional and non-functional attributes and individual preferences. In this approach, social networks of Web services are used to maintain interactions between Web services in order to select and compose Web services that are more tightly related to user’s preferences. We use the concept of Web services community in a social network of Web services to reduce considerably their search space. These communities are created by the direct involvement of Web services providers.     

Estimating,planning and managing Agile Web development projects under a value-based perspective

ContextThe processes of estimating, planning and managing are crucial for software development projects, since the results must be related to several business strategies. The broad expansion of the Internet and the global and interconnected economy make Web development projects be often characterized by expressions like delivering as soon as possible, reducing time to market and adapting to undefined requirements. In this kind of environment, traditional methodologies based on predictive techniques sometimes do not offer very satisfactory results. The rise of Agile methodologies and practices has provided some useful tools that, combined with Web Engineering techniques, can help to establish a framework to estimate, manage and plan Web development projects.ObjectiveThis paper presents a proposal for estimating, planning and managing Web projects, by combining some existing Agile techniques with Web Engineering principles, presenting them as an unified framework which uses the business value to guide the delivery of features.MethodThe proposal is analyzed by means of a case study, including a real-life project, in order to obtain relevant conclusions.ResultsThe results achieved after using the framework in a development project are presented, including interesting results on project planning and estimation, as well as on team productivity throughout the project.ConclusionIt is concluded that the framework can be useful in order to better manage Web-based projects, through a continuous value-based estimation and management process.     

Authoring Personal Web Sites: A Description of Selected Tutorials and Beginner's Guides

ABSTRACT

People from all over the world are flocking to the Internet in record numbers. To meet the needs of this emerging population of World Wide Web users, this column identifies a select number of helpful Web sites dedicated to the creation of personal Web pages. Each site addresses the concepts of Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) and Web page design. The needs of the novice Web page author are emphasized. The selected sites are relevant, accessible, and current.     

Web 2.0 Injection Infection Vulnerability Class

ABSTRACT

Web 2.0 defines a changing trend in the use of World Wide Web application development and web design technology. Web 2.0 design concepts have led to the evolution of a web culture that has allowed social-networking and ease of design use of non-secure component applications to enter the business domain of the enterprise. These Web 2.0 component applications are then commingled with other business legacy applications including databases. This article focuses on the taxonomy of the injection infection class of vulnerabilities associated with Web 2.0 application security issues.     

Indexing Web Sites

ABSTRACT

Back-of-book style Web site indexing enhances access to specific information in Web sites. To index a Web site requires the skills of traditional print indexing, plus more. This article discusses the importance of indexes on the Web, and specifically examines the indexing of the Australian Society of Indexers' Web site using the Web site indexing program HTML Indexer. Topics include working with Webmasters, software for Web indexing, how to choose indexable matter and depth of indexing, the idea of links as page number substitutes, the use of subdivisions, index style and display, and planning for updating the index.     

HealthLinks: A ColdFusion Web Application

SUMMARY

Libraries are beginning to use Web applications as they grapple with sites of increasing complexity, and the move of more user services to the Web. This article reviews the basic concepts of a Web application, and outlines some of the features of the HealthLinks Web application and site http://healthlinks.washington.edu at the University of Washington Health Science Libraries, and the transition from a Java-based application to ColdFusion.     

Guidelines for Creating Accessible Library Web Pages

ABSTRACT

Library Web developers can improve their Web pages and work towards accessibility by all user groups. This article describes some general accessibility guidelines to follow when creating Web pages. It discusses the recommendations of the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C), called the Web Accessibility Initiatives (WAI). This article focuses attention on the accessibility of Web pages to users with visual impairments, auditory impairments, and mobility impairments. Accessibility guidelines for these user groups are suggested. Another important aspect of creating accessible Web pages is to test the pages during and after development. Online products that test accessibility are discussed as well as additional test methods, such as user input.     

A framework for reuse of user experience in Web browsing

This paper examines aspects affecting user behaviours in Web browsing with a discussion of existing models for both the computer and human aspects of Web browsing. Problems in Web information retrieval are analysed and studies related to the reuse of user experience in Web browsing are reviewed. An object-oriented model for user behaviours in Web browsing is proposed in which both the information from the Web and the information retained by users are modelled as objects. Thus, user actions on the Web are described as a graph of objects or transformations from one object to another. A framework for reuse of user experience is provided. The possible methods of reusing Web browsing experience are described for the scenario of reusing by oneself (history mechanism, prediction) or reusing by others (collaborative filtering, instructions).     

Graphical Web directory for Web search

This study addresses graphical Web directory, a new way to present hierarchical structure of Web directory. An analysis of the characteristics and problems of current Web directories is presented. The feature graphical Web directory for supporting information processing and decision making in Web directory browsing in Web search is proposed to improve users' performance and satisfaction. An experiment was conducted to test the effectiveness of the proposed feature. The results of the experiment indicated that (a) the enhancement of this feature improved users' initial and overall search performance by 32.6 and 43.4%, respectively, (b) the enhancement of this feature also improved users' satisfaction by 27.7%.     

Automobilia

ABSTRACT

The automotive industry and hobby is very well represented on the World Wide Web. Manufacturers, enthusiasts, parts vendors, and many more add daily to the ever-growing World Wide Web automotive presence. This bibliography highlights some of the most useful and unique automotive Web sites for buying/selling a car, purchasing new and used parts and accessories, and keeping up with the latest news in the very popular world of motorsport.     

Improving device-aware Web services and their mobile clients through an aspect-oriented,model-driven approach

ContextMobile devices have become an essential element in our daily lives, even for connecting to the Internet. Consequently, Web services have become extremely important when offering services through the Internet. However, current Web services are very inflexible as regards their invocation from different types of device, especially if we consider the need for them to be adaptable when being invoked from mobile devices.ObjectiveIn this paper, we provide an approach for the creation of flexible Web services which can be invoked transparently from different device types and which return subsequent responses, as well as providing the client’s adaptation as a result of the particular device characteristics and end-user preferences in a completely decoupled way.MethodAspect-Oriented Programming and model-driven development have been used to reduce both the impact of service and client code adaptation for multiple devices as well as to facilitate the developer’s task.ResultsA model-driven methodology can be followed from system models to code, providing the Web service developer with the option of marking which services should be adapted to mobile devices in the UML models, and obtaining the decoupled adaptation code automatically from the models.ConclusionWe can conclude that the approach presented in this paper provides us with the possibility of following the development of mobile-aware Web services in an integrated platform, benefiting from the use of aspect-oriented techniques not only for maintaining device-related code completely decoupled from the main functionality one, but also allowing a modularized non-intrusive adaptation of mobile clients to the specific device characteristics as well as to final user preferences.     

Siteseeing: Crime and Criminal Justice Web Sites

ABSTRACT

This “Siteseeing” column provides reviews of selected crime and criminal justice Web sites.     

The Organizational Politics of the World Wide Web

Abstract

The internal conflicts within an organization may hinder the successful design and set-up of a World Wide Web site. This article looks at the three most common routes that an organization may take to get on the Web, and presents guidelines for how to overcome the organizational politics that get in the way.     

Entertaining and Party Web Sites

ABSTRACT

This “Siteseeing” column provides reviews of selected Web sites on entertaining and parties.