Database-enabled Ajax with PHP

Posted by Faye on July 10, 2010 under Ajax

Ajax has taken the Web to a new level by offering an intuitive interactive model that rivals the desktop. To compete with desktop applications, database interaction is necessary to unleash the true power of an Ajax Web application.

In this article you’ll learn how to create database-enabled Ajax requests using PHP and MySQL. We begin by creating the front-end HTML and JavaScript files used to make requests to the server-side. The requested
server-side is a PHP file which bridges the gap between Ajax and a PHP object that connects to a MySQL database and returns results as an XML response to the Ajax engine. To cover this functionality you’ll learn about the concepts from a high level overview rather than focusing on each and every line of code. The complete source code for this sample can be downloaded and is necessary to create a working sample on your personal server. Let’s get started by taking a look at the front-end.

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E-commerce Application Development

Posted by Faye on June 29, 2010 under Internet And Businesses Online



Selling and buying is an integral part of everyday life. Its existence is as old as human in different formats. After entering into internet world, where people prefer everything online, E-commerce is touted as one of the most viable online business opportunities on the Web today. In comparison to traditional brick and mortar businesses, e-commerce site requires minimal start-up cost and with relatively low-risk.

However that does not imply creating an e-commerce site is a simple process; neither does it guarantee your future success. Since it had become an integral part of our nature, every time anyone looks for an e-commerce application they have to start from scratch and needs to redo all the work by just viewing any online e-commerce website and thus e-commerce development becomes a typical job as the progress was not being distributed among the developers.

Especially after the occurrence of open source technologies need of a centralized e-commerce application become mandatory. Keeping this in mind few organizations/groups started developing. Now in the market there are many build-in e-commerce applications, os-commerce, Zen cart, Xcart are few very popular build-in E-commerce applications. Build-in applications are very popular and you get a basic structure with all the required functionality of an e-commerce application which you can customize accordingly to make it work for you. Some of them are free while few are paid.

At this stage it has become hard to select any application to start your e-commerce business, below are few tips which may help you to select the best possible application.

Easy Setup of store and availability of contributions and forums: Set up of a store should not be a struggle for you. A good wizard having effusive operational facilities will help you to set up your store in minutes. Since stores are based on a general requirement, you have to modify it to suit your requirements, availability of free contributions, forums may help you to get the work done quickly and efficiently. Data Management: Every online store needs their data to be imported and exported. This facility helps in smooth product management and effortless migration in case we plan to change the hosting service provider. Web Analytic: One of the key to the success of e-business is the web analytic. This will help you to understand the business scope and measure your failure rate.

Attention Grabbing Web Design

Posted by Faye on June 16, 2010 under Internet And Businesses Online



There is no question that designing an effective web page requires the ability to evaluate and implement a variety of technical applications. Are you going to use cascading style sheets? How do you create them and use them? How about browser compatibility? Will the page work just as well in IE for Windows as it does in IE for Macintosh? What kinds of images will you use and how will they be placed in the page? Are you going to use wrap-around text with your images? What about Flash applications? Printer friendly web pages?

Creating an engaging, effective website does require some understanding and mastery of these techniques and other applications, too.

But wait! First things first. Before you spend a lot of timing downloading and plowing through articles and instructions on the technical aspects of web design, take some time to consider the elements of a web page that would really grab YOUR attention- a web design that would have you pause and look again, that would pique your interest and engage you to read on. Does the page that your imagination conjures up look like the standard web templates that are available everywhere? Hopefully not. Ideally you have envisioned something a bit more exciting, inviting and tempting. After all, web site design is marketing. And successful marketing is separating yourself from the horde. How do you differentiate your site and make visitors want to stay and even better, return?

Originality should be your first consideration. The “stick with what works” approach means your site will fall in line with its competitors and you will have missed a valuable opportunity to break away and engage your target. But keep your eye on your objective, which is to engage effectively. ‘Original’ doesn’t mean crazy, loopy, screaming, goofy or weird. Those are turn-offs guaranteed to drive people away. But stepping away from the computer for a few minutes and taking some time to consider innovative approaches to otherwise standard applications can pay big dividends in hits, sales and returns. Try out an innovative approach on a small group of friends, family, colleagues or trusted users. You may be surprised at how effective an original web design can really be.

Structure of Web Applications

Posted by Faye on June 10, 2010 under General

Though there are as many variations as possible, a Web application is commonly structured as a three-tiered application. The Web browser, in its most common form, is the first tier. The second tier or the middle tier is an engine using some dynamic Web content technology. Some of these are ASP, ASP.NET, CGI, ColdFusion, JSP/Java, PHP,embPerl, Python, or Ruby on Rails. The third tier is a database. The Web browser, which is the first tier, sends requests to the middle tier, which then services them by making queries and updating against the database then generating a user interface.

Web Application Security – Expecting Threats!

Posted by Faye on June 8, 2010 under Internet And Businesses Online



Learning about the threats is an important aspect of achieving web application security. Such potential threats that are usually faced by certain applications are being categorized depending on its goals and of course of the true principles behind their attacks. A good knowledge of the aforementioned categories of the unwanted threats can assist you by simply organizing an in-demand security strategies so as to countermeasure these so-called threats. At Microsoft, the acronym STRIDE is used to categorize and learn more about the threats on web application security.

• S stands for Spoofing or the attempt to gain access to a particular system by using false information to represent false user identity. This is easily achieved by simply utilizing stolen user untrue IP address.

• T stands for tampering which basically speaks of altering data.

• R stands for Repudiation which is the ability of a certain user to easily decline specific transactions. The absence of auditing makes this activity difficult to uncover.

• I is for Information disclosure or simply the unwanted or intentional exposure of pertinent private personal data.

• D, on the other hand, is the Denial of service which can be easily done is merely forcing them to be unavailable. Bombarding the server is the most common tool used by hackers and manipulators,

• Lastly, E is for Elevation of privilege which can be done by merely using the identity of a privileged user. Thus it compromises and the entire trusted account or financial procedure.

Strengthening the web application security can be done by counter measuring the entire STRIDE group. One way is by using a much stronger authentication procedure. Avoiding using plain text for passwords can also be very useful. Using tools which are tamper-proof such as digital signature is always a smart idea to combat the effects.

Web Conferencing – Best Way of Communication

Posted by Faye on June 5, 2010 under Communications



Web conferencing or computer conferencing is a way to hold live presentations over the Internet. Generally it is used for group discussions or business conferences. Each member of web conference sits at their PC and can be easily connected to other members through Internet. It may be accompanied either via telephone or VoIP; sometimes text chat is also used instead of voice. It is an easy method to save money as well as time.

Nowadays web conferencing is one of the basic requirements of each organization. Web conferencing is of several types such as web meeting, the Webcast, the Webinar, online presenting, and online collaboration. Users can choose any of them as per their needs. It refers to audio, video or text-based conversations that are conducted in real time.

It is the best for the people who deal within global market place. Web conferencing enables you to be in two places simultaneously. You can attend business meetings while sitting at your home or office. Microsoft NetMeeting or Yahoo Messenger are free downloads forms of web conferencing. Users can invite their dear ones to participate in text-based chats for real time communication. It allows holding seminars and presentations for hundreds of delegates at same time. You can transmit files, documents and slide show presentations with web conferencing.

Web conferencing cuts traveling costs such as tickets, accommodation, subsistence etc. It allows you to meet a person regularly without any expenses. It is also a great way to do work more efficiently and accurately. Cost of web meeting depends on your requirements. You can choose any type of web conferencing that suits your budget.

Affordable Web Design – Learn About Getting a Right One!

Posted by Faye on May 13, 2010 under Internet And Businesses Online



Starting a new venture is not an easy task. Taking your existing business online is equally difficult as it can prove to be a costly venture and can narrow the profit margin you expect from your business. Affordable web design is a must when you have a limited budget and you don’t want to compromise on the quality for the sake of inexpensive services. There are three different options that are available when it comes to selecting a low cost web design. You can either do it yourself using your web hosting services built-in site builder, or you can outsource it by finding a designer on freelance bidding sites, or utilizing an affordable web design service online.

The first and the easiest option is to do-it-yourself. This helps you get an Affordable Web Design. But, you require certain skills to implement every application and function you will need for your website. You can either enroll yourself in a college for a course in web design. There are various courses available, offering courses in programming languages, including graphic design, CSS and FLASH. Those people, who want to make their websites attractive, can avail the services of a site builder provided by a hosting service. Barring few applications, most of them are easy to use and are not very complicated. And, if you are planning to use a site builder, be sure to make a thorough research about each hosting service’s application since all of them are not same.

Another option is to outsource for Affordable Web Design. There are various freelance bidding sites available for website designing. Due to presence of multiple designers, you are generally spoilt for choice and can go for the one you feel matches your requirements the best. There are some really good web designers on the freelance bidding sites and you just need to figure out the best. Although, the best web developers will not charge the lowest price but they are sure to provide you with the best services.

For best results ensure that you check every review of the service provider and do insist on samples before placing the final order. Don’t choose a web designer offering the absolute cheapest price and also don’t choose a web designer based on an extremely fast deadline quote. Remember, good website design takes a reasonable amount of time and also has a considerable cost associated with it to provide you the best quality of work.

You can also hire a professional for Affordable Web Design. While selecting a professional, be sure of the services they are offering and then go for he one that provides best services at the best prices. Good designers know that their clients are their priority and hence, will do everything they can to make you happy. While some web page designers will charge you more than others but a decent and Affordable web design company will do everything they can to give you a reasonable estimate on a beautiful design.

Creating more secure SWF web applications

Posted by Faye on May 10, 2010 under Adobe

Adobe frequently updates the Flash Player software security model to improve the security of the Flash Player environment. However, that only addresses half of the overall solution to help securely deploy applications that run in Flash Player. As the web developer, you must also correctly leverage the tools provided by the ActionScript language and the Flash Player platform to help ensure that your SWF files are more secure. Poor programming conventions can expose SWF files and the sites that host them to web attacks. Adobe provides many resources to developers such as their Secure Programming Guide to assist with developing more secure code.

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Top Advantages of Web Apps to Know About

Posted by Faye on April 20, 2010 under Internet And Businesses Online



Gone are the days when one had to become almost a system administrator and have the software installed in the desktops. There are no doubts about Web being a highly dynamic field and hence, development of web applications is just being true to its nature. Web application is basically an app (application) that can be accessed through the web browser itself and therefore there is no need to download it to the desktop. Wikipedia defines it as “The term may also mean a computer software application that is hosted in a browser-controlled environment or coded in a browser-supported language and reliant on a common web browser to render the application executable.

Advantages of Web Apps:

* It is compatible with cross-platform. The web bases software applications are designed in a very easy way so that they can work well on any computer system. The web app designs work with Linux, Mac, Windows, and other operating system. All it need is an internet browser.

* Web apps development has made the most path breaking entrance in the WWW as it has eliminated the need to download. These apps are potent to execute all the required details from the browser itself and hence save the time and the space wasted in downloading software.

* Every time and everywhere access is possible with the web applications. The web apps can be made use of from any internet browser and hence there is no restrain of place and time.

* Web applications are piracy proof and they have no legal rights problems with it such as administration rights and so on. This is the best part since there is no need to obtain the license or administration rights for using it as it was with the traditional software.

* Web application development has made it easy for people to put up any update on it. The updates once applied to a central location allow all the users of the app to benefit from it and that too instantly. Thus, no need to install any updates.

* No need for a lot of anti-virus software too as there is no need to download so no risk of getting virus. Though it is required for accessing the data that is not yet available in the web applications form.

* The desktop applications are difficult to be adapted on the mobile phones but the web apps are potent enough to do this easily as plenty of mobile phones now have internet access.

The Freelancer’s Toolset: 100 Web Apps for Everything You Will Possibly Need

Posted by Faye on April 10, 2010 under Freelancer's Toolset

Running a business for yourself means you have to be inventive and always on the lookout for a new and better way to get things done. Innovation junkies, take note: the Internet has a lot to offer. From invoicing to marketing, these are tools that freelancers need to know about.

Organization

If you’re busy with lots of client work, it’s easy for things to get out of hand. Don’t let your work get away from you; organize information and projects with these tools.

1. Backpack: Get your projects organized by using Backpack. Create to-do lists, notes, files, images and a calendar with reminders that can be sent via email or to your mobile device.
2. Central Desktop: Collaborate, communicate and share files with clients and coworkers using Central Desktop.
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