Intranet Starter & Guidelines
Intranet Starter & Guidelines
Intranets are not anything "unique" or new. They are nothing more than internal business procedures which use the Internet technologies as their user interface and communications medium. For example, a Web site focused on marketing should be widely publicized, while a Web site used for company in-house, ie, intranet, purposes should be limited to just those who have a need to know. But both can share the same Web server, because mechanically they are the same! It makes no difference if the Hyper Text Markup Language (HTML) defining a Web page is transmitted over the internet from 1000 miles away or it is sent from your LAN server 10 feet away. Web browsers do not care! The same key ingredients are used:
HTML (Hyper Text Markup Language)
CGI Scripts (see below)
Database(s)
Graphics
Security
Telephone System Interface (high speed lines, modems, etc)
Web Browser
Telephone System Interface (modem, com software)
Hyper Text Markup Language. The programming language used to create any type of Web home page. A simple interpretive language that is similar to that used for Windows Help files. See the sample in the CGI Script section.
Browsers are the user interface to the Internet/Web. Many are FREE, ALL are simple to use, and they almost eliminate the biggest ongoing expense at the user level - ongoing support. They are that simple.
The big DISADVANTAGE? They all interpret HTML a little differently, the users have a LOT of control over the environment, so the HTML must be set up correctly!
Any 386 based (or better) portable PC running Windows 3.1x (or better) can access the Web. Any Mac. Any Unix box. Anything running a BROWSER that adheres to the Web standards.
You can use ANY database, even ones running on mainframes! I suggest using the Microsoft Access database if nothing else is being considered. It is not the best in many cases, but it is very widely supported, and that is a big consideration. You know that it will not be bypassed in the future.
Keep them to minimum, use only where or when they help communicate a concept better. This is not a marketing site! The ability to quicly navigate the site is important, and graphics will slow it down. (Do not listen to people yapping about how fast modems can go, or how fast a PC is, bottom line is that nothing happens faster than the speed dictated by the current phone line speed. This can vary wildly from day to day! Usually slower than the modem's rated speed, unless special precautions are taken.
Very important depending on what is in your DB.
An intranet can be used for anything - information look-up or cross reference, allowing many remotely scattered people to collaborate on a specific project, whatever you need. This means there is always a project design phase needed to implement an intranet, and they better the designer the better the intranet will be. The HTML needed is simple, it is the user and data interface that is hard.
The FORM is not difficult, remember, all it does is allow the info to be entered and it does not feed or add the entered data to a database of any type!
which is what actually parses the collected data, separates it into fields, and then writes the info to your database! This is the hard part, because it is CUSTOM written. No matter what your are doing (over and above simple E-Mail) a databse must be designed, the links between entries worked out for optimum effectiveness. This is custom, even for a static info lookup table. If user input is desired then a program that adheres to the CGI standard for reading the user entries from the Web must be written. Data entered on the Web is presented in one long chunk with delimiters between discrete pieces of info. A program(commonly called CGI Scripting) must be written to read this stream, parse it (separate the data elements), then write it to the database you are using!
It can be in any language (some are better than others), it should be written in such a way that it protects your intranet Web site, and it should be expandable. All this is represented by YOUR_CGI.EXE, and this is where a good portion of an intranet's expense is found.
Very important. This grows with the number of users and complexity of your files, and affects speed of use tremendously!
We are the ONLY intranet vendor with established products in Sales Management, Marketing, Document Management, and the Intranet. Very important if creating a repository of documents, drawings, or other information is your goal. We have implemented intranets for national organizations such as DM Users Group, Web Marketing & Business Association, and Document Management magazine. Let us help you!