1. Course syllabus

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Welcome to Web Systems Development. WebSys deals with developing Web applications, that is, solutions to business needs on the Web. The course is principally a survey of Web languages: HTML, CSS, XML, SVG, XSLT, JavaScript, VBScript (ASP), PHP and Web Services. It includes instruction in Web graphics, information architecture and page/site design as well. Some Web Sys classes do not cover VBScript (ASP), PHP and Web Services.

Syllabus

All course work is scheduled and must be turned in as Web pages. The pages must be named correctly and placed on the correct Web server (and in the correct folder there) for them to be located for grading. You must have mastered these lessons to take tests and turn in projects: "2. Tools of the Trade" and "3. Website Basics".

Professor

I have taught the course for many years. The first week of class is the most important. Work on the first week to-do list ASAP.

My email address is available only through the college due to spammers. You can call me by a variety of names. I prefer either Hugh or Dr. Poynor. Hugh works very well; it is a unique identifier for me. A vita is available as well.

Time required

Students have been surprised at how much of their time WebSys requires of them, so if you will have a busy schedule this semester, be warned: you cannot learn the Web topics without putting in the necessary time, usually two hours daily.

Tests and projects

The test dates listed below define when the test is due -- it is available for you to work on 48 hours earlier. Complete the work with open book, open Web, open notes, etc just as if it were a series of short projects. Work independently on tests. Discussion is permitted particularly via the Discussion Board at Telecampus, but copying any part of a test is clearly cheating and will result in a drop failing grade for the course.

Instructions on how to turn in your eprojects are contained in the requirements for each project. Requirements for projects and questions on tests are found on the Telecampus course site. Projects always have a deadline of midnight. For example, the time-date stamp on the komodo Web server version of your eproject0.html file should be on or before 11:59PM on the due date. If you do not follow the project requirements carefully and name your eproject correctly it will receive a grade of zero simply because it cannot be found. Please double check the requirements as a last step in your project.

Group work policy

Use the Telecampus "Discussion Board" or find someone to form a study group. Talking about the projects and sharing insights is a powerful way to learn. I encourage you to work together in this way, but do not treat assignments as "group projects". The grade you receive should be for your work, your own code, and not that of anyone else. Copying any part of an assignment is clearly cheating and will result in a drop failing grade for the course.

Components and grading

• 0 - Required start-up project
• 1 - HTML
• 2 - CSS
• 3 - XML
• 4 - JavaScript
• 5 - Design & graphics

Grades are weighted across the five components above: HTML (20%), CSS (20%), XML (10%), JavaScript (25%), and Design (25%), with each objective having equally weighted test and project scores. For example, the XML test counts 5% and the project counts 5%, such that XML accounts for 10% of the total course grade. Grade cutoffs are A (90), B (80), C (70), D (60), and F.

Grades will be posted on the Telecampus course site.

Your first week to-do list

Required downloads

Web Systems Development is a course that starts very quickly. Only the students who keep up find the work easy to do.

Deadlines

The entire semester's work is scheduled below. Because of the large amount of material to cover in a short time this semester, I cannot permit anyone to turn in their work late. This is a no-budge policy. Please do not ask for extra time. The time-date stamp will reveal when you turned in work.

Requirements for the eprojects will be available at the beginning of each component section. Questions for the etests will be available 48 hours before the deadline. Requirements for projects and questions on tests, as well as grades, are found on the Telecampus course site.

Summer 2005 deadlines

Fall 2005 deadlines

First day of class: Aug 25 (Thu)

Spring 2005 deadlines

Spring 2006 deadlines

eTests

All etests are scheduled to begin at 8:00AM of the start date and must be completed within 48 hours. You have two days to complete the test and place it on your Web site for grading. You are responsible for checking that your etest reached the Web server and works as expected. If a dispute arises over when you turned in the test, the server time-date stamp will prevail. No late work is accepted. There are no make ups for eprojects.

Place your tests in the etests folder on the Web site that was assigned to you at the first of the semester. The file names we will use are "etest1.html", "etest2.html" and so on. Use all lowercase for file names. For each of your tests to be graded, they must be placed in the etests folder at your site. For example, graders will enter the following url to score your etest1.

http://komodo.utsystem.edu/websystems/yourusername/etests/etest1.html

Test your work by using the same URL. Grading will begin as soon as the 8:00AM deadline has passed. Grades will be posted on the Telecampus course site.

eProjects

All eproject assignments have scheduled due dates. You have until midnight of the due date to complete the project and place it on your Web site for grading. You are responsible for checking that your assignment reached the Web server and works as expected. If a dispute arises over when you turned in the assignment, the server time-date stamp will prevail. No late work is accepted. There are no make ups for eprojects.

Place your projects in the eprojects folder on the Web site that was assigned to you at the first of the semester. The file names we will use are "eproject0.html", "eproject1.html" and so on. Use all lowercase for file names. For each of your assignments to be graded, they must be placed in the eprojects folder at your site. For example, graders will enter the following url to score eproject0.

http://komodo.utsystem.edu/websystems/yourusername/eprojects/eproject0.html

Test your work by using the same URL. Grading will begin as soon as the midnight deadline has passed. Grades will be posted on the Telecampus course site.

Student Web space

UTTC provides web publishing space by request for students in selected courses. This service is hosted on our server Komodo at the UT System Administration complex in Austin, Texas, and is independent of your Blackboard courses. It is a place to store your web projects, portfolios, Curriculum Vitae, resumes, etc. for the duration of your enrollment with UTTC.

Policy

Use of UT TeleCampus computers and networking facilities requires prior authorization. Unauthorized access is prohibited. Usage may be subject to security testing and monitoring. Abuse is subject to criminal prosecution. Note: For security reasons, all server and client side scripting is disabled. Logging into your directory the first time constitutes your agreement with procedures and policies described in this document and applicable policies described at http://www.utexas.edu/its/policies/responsible.html.

Support

Support is provided by the UTTC Technical Support Team. The best service (24 X 7) is provided by this page: http://www.embanet.com/help/UTTC.htm. A backup (after you have tried the 24 X 7 service) is available Mon - Fri, 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. central time uttctechsup@utsystem.edu. Please also note that UTTC cannot provide assistance with Web publishing projects, third party software or these Lesson pages; support is limited to server access only. Contact Dr. Poynor for assistance with publishing your content and to answer questions about the lessons. Your content is backed up by UTTC as a part of our disaster recovery plan. However, it is very important that you keep your own back up copy of the content in your directory; UTTC cannot provide restores of content deleted by users.

How to acquire Web space

Follow these instructions provided by Telecampus to get your Web space. Do this ASAP.

How to use Web space

You will upload content from your local computer to your web publishing directory via file transfer protocol (FTP). PC users may use Internet Explorer as their FTP client, although we recommend they use FTP software as well. Some FTP software can be used free of charge for educational purposes (see links below).

• WS_FTP LE -- ftp://ftp.aset.psu.edu/pub/access/cd/windows/utils/ftp/ws_ftp/ws_ftpLE.exe
  Note: Step-by-step instructions for WS_FTP LE are located in Lesson 2.
• CoffeeCup Direct FTP -- http://download.cnet.com/downloads/0-10064-108-40171.html

1. Internet Explorer: type
   ftp://komodo.utsystem.edu/websystems/yourusername
   in the address field of your browser
2. FTP client: type
   komodo.utsystem.edu
   in the host name/address (read more about FTP clients below!!)

For either of the two programs you will be prompted to enter your Username and Password, which are configured based on the following:

a) Username = 1st letter of your 1st name + your last name (e.g. John Doe would be jdoe) NOTE: Duplication is avoided by appending a numeral to usernames, e.g. Jerry Doe might be jdoe2, Jim Doe might be jdoe3, etc.
b) Password = last 6 digits of your SSN

After logging in you will be taken to your directory. If you name the start page index.html or index.htm, it will be displayed by default when the URL (http://komodo.utsystem.edu/websystems/yourusername) is entered (e.g. John Doe's website URL would be http://komodo.utsystem.edu/websystems/jdoe, and the file he named index.html or index.htm would be displayed by default). Once you've logged in via FTP you can upload, move, edit, and delete files within your directory, as well as create sub-directories (folders). Due to space limitations, your directory size cannot exceed 50MB.

Additional FTP resources

• http://www.ftpplanet.com/ftpresources/ftpmain.htm
• http://www.intermedia.net/support/FTP/ie5b.asp

Required course materials

Helios Software Solutions, England. This brand of editor is required. The course eprojects and etests depend upon students having TextPad and the WebSys-approved clip libraries and syntax highliting parameter files. The price is $27 and well worth the money. Purchase at the TextPad site, or you can survive nicely at home with a trial-ware complete kit for this course. If you purchase you must use TextPad with the WebSys parameter files available in the complete kit (specifically the WebDNAhtml.TCL file). TextPad will save you time and make you a better HTML coder. All homework is graded for adherence to HTML coding standards.

Note: Instructions for downloading and installing the trial-ware complete kit are located in Lesson 2.

P. Lynch and S Horton, Yale University Press, 2002. This is a durable treatment of most aspects of designing Web sites. I have asked the Coop to order it for you. Most of the difficult layout and usability issues are presented and resolved. This is an easy read on a very broad topic, so I am sure it was very difficult to write. The Style Guide at Amazon.

Tryout    (change the markup then click the button)

Here is a very small piece of HTML markup. Change the content, or add to the markup to see the effect of the HTML in the browser without leaving the course page.

Checkpoint    (answer then click)

You have read how this site works. How can you quickly search for words in a WebSys lesson page? How to you retrieve the left-hand menus after you have scrolled down a page? Click the check point to confirm your answers.