Externally-Hosted Web Services:

Good Idea Or Bad Idea?Brian Kelly

UK Web Focus

UKOLN

University of Bath

UKOLN is funded by Resource: The Council for Museums, Archives and Libraries, the Joint Information Systems Committee (JISC) of the Higher Education Funding Councils, as well as by project funding from the JISC and the European Union. UKOLN also receives support from the University of Bath where it is based.

Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.ukURL: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/

SummaryThis talk describes a variety of externally-hosted web services and ponders on their applicability for UK HEIs.

SummaryThis talk describes a variety of externally-hosted web services and ponders on their applicability for UK HEIs.

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Contents

• What Problems Do We Face?• Externally-Hosted Web Services• Case Studies:

• Web Statistics• Email Lists• Authoring Tools

• Other Examples• Link Gateways • User Feedback• Third-party Content • Notification Services• Other End User and Authoring Tools

• Conclusions

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Ring Any Bells?• You manage a Web service or create

departmental Web pages• Your job was fun once, but now it's difficult to

keep on top the job• You need extra resources, but can’t get them• Your good Unix systems staff have left for $$$$• There is a software solution, but it's expensive• You tried to install the 14 day evaluation version,

but couldn't get it to work• When you eventually got it to work, your PC

wasn't powerful enough to run it• You can't afford an upgrade to your PC

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An Answer To The Webmaster's Prayer?A solution may be available:

• A solution which is free (in many cases)• A solution which requires no software installation• A solution which requires no investment in

hardware• A solution which exploits the network – and keeps

UKERNA in business

The solution is deployment of externally-hosted Web services

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What Do We Mean?Remember HTML Validation services:

• Enter a URL into a Web form and check it validates

• Add an image if your page is valid HTML

• Link the page to the validation for on-the-fly validation - an externally-hosted web service

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Hit Counters

Another example is the hit counter:• Link to image held

on remote server• Image (of number)

updated every time image retrieved

See <Yahoo > Business and Economy > Business to Business > Computers > Software > Internet > World Wide Web > Log Analysis Tools> for lists of hit counters

See <Yahoo > Business and Economy > Business to Business > Computers > Software > Internet > World Wide Web > Log Analysis Tools> for lists of hit counters

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What edge of this spectrum are you closest to?

Your View So Far

Sounds great, no software to install, available for free. What else can be done in this way?

Sorry I'm indecisive.I can't decide.

No way! I don't want to be reliant on anyone else. Besides, I'll be out of a job if this idea takes off – this is out-sourcing.

QuestionHas anyone made use of externally-hosted web services?

QuestionHas anyone made use of externally-hosted web services?

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Hit Counters to Web StatsHit counters have developed into comprehensive Web statistical services

See <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue5/indicators/>See <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue5/indicators/>

Model• Link to image

held on remote Web site

• Follow link to remote site to get graphical display of hits

• Use JavaScript to record PC profile

Model• Link to image

held on remote Web site

• Follow link to remote site to get graphical display of hits

• Use JavaScript to record PC profile

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eGroups Mailing Lists

eGroups lets you set up free mailing lists

eGroups provides an email and a Web interface

Calendars, polls and databases are also provided by eGroups

How does this compare with Listproc or Majordomo installed locally?

D

See also Yahoo! > Computers and Internet > Internet > Chats and Forums >

See also Yahoo! > Computers and Internet > Internet > Chats and Forums >

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Using eGroups

eGroups are being used by the organising committee and delegates for planning for the Institutional Web Management workshop:

• Mailing lists• Voting• Database• (Realtime chat)

See <http://www.egroups.com/groups/iwmw-2000/> The Institutional Web

Management Workshop will be held in Bath University on 6-8 Sept

The Institutional Web Management Workshop will be held in Bath University on 6-8 Sept

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Content ManagementManilla is a Web-based content management tool.

You can buy the softwarefor $899 or use it for free at Editthispage.com

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Managing Link Gateways

LinkBank.com enables link gateways to be managed:

• Bulk upload • Email notification

of broken links• Summaries of

usage• User "sort by"

option

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Managing Link Gateways (2)

JumpList.com provides a free link management system

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User FeedbackElements of user feedback can be added through use of voting systems, quizzes, etc

See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue23/web-focus/> and <http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/>

See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue23/web-focus/> and <http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/>

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1.Make Your Website InteractiveReceive feedback from your customers. All responses are emailed in seconds.

2. Build Your Forms Online - No HTML NeededDesign your Request Form in 2 minutes or less with our EZ-Form Builder, without programming. 

3. Customize Your Request Form As NeededAsk up to 10 questions of your choice, change the title, add special instructions, and more!

4. Easy Integration Into Your Existing SiteAdding your form is as simple as creating a link.

1.Make Your Website InteractiveReceive feedback from your customers. All responses are emailed in seconds.

2. Build Your Forms Online - No HTML NeededDesign your Request Form in 2 minutes or less with our EZ-Form Builder, without programming. 

3. Customize Your Request Form As NeededAsk up to 10 questions of your choice, change the title, add special instructions, and more!

4. Easy Integration Into Your Existing SiteAdding your form is as simple as creating a link.

Forms Processing

Why bother with CGI scripts when you can use Web-based forms-processing software

http://www.responders.net/http://www.responders.net/

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Content Free newsfeeds, classified ads, jokes, cartoons, quotations) can be included on your Web site

http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/

http://notinmybackyard.com/http://notinmybackyard.com/

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Notification ServicesYou can register a page at Netmind.You will receive a message when the page is updated.

The Netmind service is used at Exploit Interactive to provide notification of a new issue.

The Netmind service is used at Exploit Interactive to provide notification of a new issue.

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Server Down - NotificationRecently the Exploit Interactive Web server crashed after a virus checker caused memory leaks.

Internetseer's free Website monitoring service is now used to check the site hourly.

Up to 230 URLs can be checked for free.

http://www.internetseer.comhttp://www.internetseer.com

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Submit-it ServicesRather than manually submitting key resources to many search engines you can:• Purchase and install

an application locally• Subscribe to a Web-

based service• Use a free Web-

based service

http://www.scrubtheweb.com/http://www.scrubtheweb.com/

http://www.submitit.com/http://www.submitit.com/

Exploit Interactive has used ScrubTheWeb – reviewed in issue 6

Exploit Interactive has used ScrubTheWeb – reviewed in issue 6

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Search Engines

If you are one of the 50 HEIs without a search facility on your Web site, why not let a third-party index your Web site?

All you need is a few lines of HTML

Nene College and St. Mary's College use FreeFind and Derby University uses AltaVista

Nene College and St. Mary's College use FreeFind and Derby University uses AltaVista

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Graphics Services

Web services for:• Image manipulation

• File format conversion

are available

http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/webfx/http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/webfx/

TIFF -> PDFhttp://DocMorph1.nlm.nih.gov/docmorph/ (free)http://www.fastio.com/tiff2pdf.html (licensed)

TIFF -> PDFhttp://DocMorph1.nlm.nih.gov/docmorph/ (free)http://www.fastio.com/tiff2pdf.html (licensed)

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Calendars

Why bother with Outlook when you can get calendar facilities for free?

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IssuesMany externally-hosted web services are availableBut:

• What about the dependencies of the network(s)?• What about the reliance of the third-party? Will

the company stay in business?• If the service is funded by advertising revenue,

with use contravene the JANET AUP?• Will large-scale use of such services generate

large network bills?• Is my data secure and private?• Is my data reusable and available in an open

format?• Is is sensible for a mission-critical service?

Remember the WebTechs incident?Remember the WebTechs incident?

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RDN IncludeThe Resource Discovery Network Centre (RDNC) coordinates the work of RDN hubs, such as SOSIG, EEVL, BIOME, etc. Institutions may be reluctant to link to hubs as they want users to stay on the University Web site.

The RDNC is developing the RDN-I (Include) service to give the appearance that the hub is located within the institution.

The RDN will be providing an externally-hosted service

The RDN will be providing an externally-hosted service

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The DNER

The DNER:• JISC-funded initiative managed by Lorcan Dempsey • Distributed National Electronic Resource• Seamless access from institutions to national

resources (MIMAS, BIDS, EDINA, etc)• Based on intelligent server software (broker) and

support for standards (XML, Dublin Core, Z39.50, etc.)

• An example of Business-to-Business application

JISC's vision for the DNER has many similarities to the externally-hosted Web services we have seen, but based on open standards.

JISC's vision for the DNER has many similarities to the externally-hosted Web services we have seen, but based on open standards.

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What About The Users?

"I use the external services because the University doesn't allow me access to install on the server and because it doesn't make any appropriate tools available."

Tom Wilson, Department of Information Studies,

University of Sheffield

"Our search facility is currently hosted by atomz.com , some calendering by Yahoo!, so I'm increasingly drawn to externally hosted solutions... more time to catch up on other, more pressing work, until they all stop working."

Ian Usher, Webmonger, Department of Geography, UCL

See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue23/web-focus/> for full quotes

See <http://www.ariadne.ac.uk/issue23/web-focus/> for full quotes

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HotMail

One UK University:• 60% of new undergrads in 1999 arrive with

HotMail account• They use HotMail in preference to the

University account• Should they support it?• Can they afford not to?• What will happen when students arrive with

their own Web-based calendaring facilities?

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ASP

Application Service Providers (ASP):• Commercial sector already moving in this direction• Sun promote access to StarOffice across network in

preference to MS Office on local PC• See <http://uk.dir.yahoo.com/Business_and_Economy/Business_to_Business/Communications_and_Networking/Internet_and_World_Wide_Web/Application_Service_Providers__ASPs_/>

Are Athens and Mailbase early examples of ASPs?

Are Athens and Mailbase early examples of ASPs?

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Conclusions

Externally hosted web services:• Are available in many different areas• Arguments against their use (reliability, privacy,

performance) should diminish as they mature• Your user community will use them (are using

them) in any case• Of particular interest to the FE community? • Will we see a move towards use of Application

Service Providers (ASPs)? • Time to grasp the nettle?

Have your views changed?Have your views changed?

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Resources

Various directories of externally-hosted services are available:

<http://toolsforthe.net/>

<http://homepagetools.com/>

<http://www.mycomputer.com/>

<http://link.freesitestuff.com/?scottp>

<http://www.freecenter.com/>

<http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/web/>

<http://www.egroups.com/group/free4lib>

<http://www.intranets.com/>

Acknowledgments to Peter Scott <scottp@moondog.usask.ca> for his contributions.

Acknowledgments to Peter Scott <scottp@moondog.usask.ca> for his contributions.