A note about the differences between Microsoft Access and MySQL
This article discusses the fundamentals about Microsoft Access databases and how MySQL is different. The original ICCA web site maintained its database in one file named icca.mdb stored in the protected data/ subdirectory. The web site ASP code used the ODBC interface and a System DSN linking to the Microsoft Access database. Read more
A Better Way to Find an ICCA Consultant
ICCA is the home of the computer consulting experts and we want everyone to find us. In the past, ICCA has offered the 'Find a Consultant' web based search engine service that indexed members against a set of chosen keywords. This ICCA services has lately been expanded including now the member consultant's business description as part of the searchable index of keywords. As an obvious improvement over the keywords search, this allows members to offer specific search matches for skills not available in the keyword list. ICCA believes there is even a better way to Find a Consultant. Read more
Building a Secure Web Application starts with the Directory Tree
This article outlines the new web site directory structure containing the site pages, the PHP source code, the protected static content and the publicly accessible pages. From the public's view, the new directory structure makes available the landing pages and all the included files ranging from the Cascading Style Sheets (CSS), JavaScript functions, and the images used throughout the site. Read more
The Wiki / Camel Case Naming Convention
This next article in this series about the new ICCA web site shows the basic evolution of web sites to web applications. The development of a new web site requires that the contents of the old web site be made available while preparing for many new items. What is the best way of making these new services available? Read more
ICCA Web Site Project
These recommendations are from years of watching without being able to offer detail solutions. In the past, I have reviewed the ICCA web site and know its extent and design limitations. This docment includes many of these details of the technology problem and recommended solution. Read more
Web Applications via a simple Personal Home Page
This is a first article in a series discussion lessons learned in developing a new electronic commerce web site for ICCA. It is not the first web site developed with PHP, but these lessons learned can become a foundation for making better decisions in the future for the next web site. Some of these lessons learned extend way beyond PHP to the database conversion process, the hosted operating system and the integration of JavaScript thus making the site more usable. Read more