Delivering Services Over the Internet Bruce McLaren ISU School of Business 1997 Banner Users Conference October

Agenda u Internet vs Intranet vs Extranet u Web Browser - The Universal Interface u Advantages of the Web Approach u Typical Applications u Maintaining Web Sites

Internet/Intranet/Extranet u Internet - publicly available to all u Intranet - private, within an organization, protected by a firewall u Extranet - u same material as an intranet u available outside organization with username/password

Web Browser Interface u Universal Interface u Windows *, Macintosh, some other platforms u Simple Concept: point and click! u Windows 98 uses this for desktop (optional) u Hypertext - organize information u Multimedia: text, graphics, sound, video simpler than Banner! u Client/Server but simpler than Banner!

Advantages of Web Approach u Easier development: time, effort u Save printing dollars u Users can print own copy if desired u This can be more costly if many print u Keep latest copy out on the Web u Color and hypermedia available--hard with print

Audience u Enrolled Students -- local and distant u Faculty and Staff u Alumni u Visitors (including potential students) u Employers/Recruiters u Other Stakeholders

Types of Information u Simple Text - announcements, lists u Specific Text - choose a subject, then search, lookup information u Dynamic Documents - fill out a form, then transmit customized page based on DBMS u Applet - Java or ActiveX applications that “do something” on client computer

Information--Simple Text u Announcements/Rules and Regulations AnnouncementsRules and Regulations u Minutes of Meetings Minutes of Meetings u Reports u Documentation and “How-To” Publications u Often stored in Acrobat (.PDF) format u Download, then print off-line Download, then print off-line

Information -- Simple Text u Departmental Academic Information u Job Opportunities Job Opportunities u Schedules Schedules u Lists of things u Catalog Catalo u Student Directory u Faculty and Staff Directory Faculty and Staff Directory

Information -- Specific Text u Library Search Library Search u Student Information u Class Schedule, Grades, Financial Aid u Advisement Information u Career Center Career Center u Student Vitas u Company Schedules u Internship Listings Internship Listings

Information -- Dynamic Documents u Campus Map (locating facilities) Campus Map u Computer Labs and Hours u Parking Information (especially for visitors) u Campus Buildings and Academic Departments

Telnet vs. Form-Driven Applications u Telnet: Terminal application over Internet u Based on existing mainframe-like programming and interface u Not intuitive for students u Web Forms u Admission/Information Request Admission/Information Request u Financial Aid Information Financial Aid Information

Java and Applets u Applets are programs that run on client u They run on multiple platforms: Windows, Mac u Some Danger: complexity u Need browser compatibility: u Common Denominator? u Standards?

Maintaining Web Sites u University Web Standards Committee u Tasteful Standards u Common Design Template and Objects u Logos, animated things u Standard layout u Graphics vs. Text u Look at Other Schools’ Pages u Yahoo’s “Top 100 Wired Campuses” Yahoo’s “Top 100 Wired Campuses”