Ingredients: The Technologies Involved

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Web 2.0

What is it?

Web 2.0 is all about contribution. From social networking websites such as Facebook to wikis like Wikipedia to bloggers such as KenyanBlogger. Even eBay is filled with mostly user-generated content. Visit cnn.com today and you will be invited to comment on a story or submit one of your own in a few easy steps.

It’s no longer enough to simply have information available for those who seek it. The people who browse the web want to be a part of what is on the web. They want their ideas and thoughts to be a part of what they’re viewing. The search engine revolution made it easier to find what you were looking for. The obvious question that followed was: What next? The equally obvious answer: Share.

Who is using it?

Web 2.0 is the World Wide Web’s equivalent of Reality TV. In other words: for the people, by the people. An education programme, for instance, can only benefit from the involvement and contribution of the same people it is trying to educate. In fact, in order to be effective, the site must encourage users to add value to it. The users must feel like it is their site, to the extent where the humble man from Kajulu can express his views on it. It should be responsive enough that if Wanjiku asks a question about her rights, she should get an answer within 24 hours at most – if not immediately.

Furthermore, it should be a meeting place that generates enthusiasm for civic education and all its related topics. Once users have made their initial visit to the site, they should be encouraged to return regularly because of the following reasons:

  • High quality content
  • Frequently updated content
  • Minimal download time
  • Ease of use
  • Opportunity to contribute

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Ajax

What is it?

Like Web 2.0, Ajax isn’t a new technology, but rather a new approach combining several technologies, that are powerful enough on their own. Ajax incorporates:

  • standards-based presentation using XHTML and CSS;
  • dynamic display and interaction using the Document Object Model;
  • data interchange and manipulation using XML and XSLT;
  • asynchronous data retrieval using XMLHttpRequest;
  • and JavaScript binding everything together.

Who is using it?

If you’ve used web-based email applications such as Gmail and Yahoo! Mail, then you’ve seen Ajax in action. Successful, web companies such as Amazon.com, Google, YouTube and Yahoo! are all investing in Ajax applications because of the amount of interactivity they offer users.

Why use it?

Ajax eliminates the need to reload pages. This means that site viewers can have a seamless uninterrupted experience without the long wait for pages to load. Ajax works in the background, sending and retrieving information without interrupting the user’s experience. This makes the site more accessible and navigable to viewers regardless of bandwidth limitations. Most people hardly ever notice that the site is interacting with the server.

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PHP

What is it?

PHP is a server-side scripting language. When embedded in a standard web page, PHP can generate HTML content based on parameters and calculations provided within the script. In a

Content Management System, PHP retrieves content from the database and displays it as a web page on the browser. It is also responsible for updating the database.

Who is using it?

PHP is used in over five million domains worldwide. See http://www.php.net/usage.php for more detailed usage information.

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MySQL

What is it?

MySQL is a very fast, robust, Relational Database Management System (RDBMS). The MySQL server controls access to your data to ensure multiple users can work with it concurrently, to provide fast access to it, and ensure that only authorised users can obtain access. It uses Structured Query Language (SQL) the standard database query language worldwide.

Who is using it?

MySQL is the preferred database server for PHP and other server-side scripting languages and as such is used widely.

Why use PHP and MySQL?

  • Performance: PHP and MySQL are fast and efficient.
  • Connection: PHP has native connectivity to MySQL, which means there are never any connection problems and you cannot experience any downtime because of this.
  • Support: PHP is an open source technology and enjoys the support of a large community of developers from all over the world. Through the contribution of this community, PHP has grown to have a large library of built-in functions that incorporate many complex features. This eliminates any need for reinventing the wheel in most cases.
  • Portability: PHP and MySQL applications can be hosted on either Linux or Windows servers. This makes it less of a headache if you ever need to reconsider your hosting options.
  • Track record: PHP and MySQL have been used to develop many real world web applications
  • and have stood the test of time.

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