Externally-Hosted Web Services: Good Idea Or Bad Idea?

1. Externally-Hosted Web Services:Good Idea Or Bad Idea? • Summary • This talk describes a variety of externally-hosted web services and ponders on their applicability for UK HEIs. Brian Kelly UK Web Focus UKOLN University of Bath Email: B.Kelly@ukoln.ac.uk URL: http://www.ukoln.ac.uk/ 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.

2. 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

3. 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

4. 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

5. 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

6. 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

7. Your View So Far • Sounds great, no software to install, available for free. What else can be done in this way? Question Has anyone made use of externally-hosted web services? Sorry I'm indecisive.I can't decide. What edge of this spectrum are you closest to? 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.

8. D Hit Counters to Web Stats • Hit counters have developed into comprehensive Web statistical services • 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 See <http://www.exploit-lib.org/issue5/indicators/>

9. D 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? See also Yahoo! > Computers and Internet > Internet > Chats and Forums >

10. D 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

11. D Content Management • Manilla is a Web-based content management tool. • You can buy the softwarefor $899 or use it for free at Editthispage.com

12. D 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

13. Managing Link Gateways (2) • JumpList.com provides a free link management system

14. D User Feedback • Elements 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/>

15. Forms Processing http://www.responders.net/ • Why bother with CGI scripts when you can use Web-based forms-processing software 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 lesswith our EZ-Form Builder, without programming.  3. Customize Your Request Form As NeededAsk upto 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.

16. Content http://ezpolls.mycomputer.com/ • Free newsfeeds, classified ads, jokes, cartoons, quotations) can be included on your Web site http://notinmybackyard.com/

17. D Notification Services • You 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.

18. Server Down - Notification http://www.internetseer.com • Recently 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.

19. Submit-it Services http://www.submitit.com/ • Rather 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 Exploit Interactive has used ScrubTheWeb – reviewed in issue 6 http://www.scrubtheweb.com/

20. 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

21. Graphics Services • Web services for: • Image manipulation • File format conversion • are available http://www.newbreedsoftware.com/webfx/ TIFF -> PDFhttp://DocMorph1.nlm.nih.gov/docmorph/ (free)http://www.fastio.com/tiff2pdf.html (licensed)

22. Calendars • Why bother with Outlook when you can get calendar facilities for free?

23. Issues • Many externally-hosted web services are available • But: • 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?

24. RDN Include • The 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

25. 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.

26. 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

27. 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?

28. 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?

29. 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?

30. 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.