Web Technology Background

This section provides information about web technologies that relate to the interface between web servers and their clients. This information includes markup languages, programming interfaces and languages, and standards for document identification and display.

Section Organization

1. Markup Languages Section - Includes all markup languages including HTML, XML, and SGML. Documentation in this section currently includes an HTML Guide, XML Guide, and a Document Type Definition (DTD) reading reference.
2. CGI Section- Includes four documents describing implementation of the client to server web interface. It includes information about the common gateway interface (CGI), server side includes (SSI), JavaScript, and writing perl script programs
3. HTTP Section - Thic section currently includes an HTTP Reference which is based on RFC 2616. It has brief descriptions of the HTTP request and response headers and also lists the possible response headers such as 404 (not found).
4. PHP - PHP is a scripting language that runs on the web server and the script code is embedded in the HTML document. It is easy to use with syntax similar to C which is why it is so popular. This section includes a PHP Introduction manual.
5. JAVA Section - Documentation is being generated for this section. It currently contains some web links.
6. MIME Section - This section describes Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension along with its purpose and it also includes a few MIME related web links.
7. Graphics - Gif files used to add graphics to web pages.

Technologies to be included in this section

• Streaming audio and video

World Wide Web Coordinating Groups

There are many types of technologies which are used to support the world wide web and more are being developed all the time. There are several groups involved in the development and coordination of these technologies.

• IAB - Internet Architecture Board. Web site: IAB. The IAB websites states that "The IAB does not aim to produce polished technical proposals on such topics. Rather, the intention is to stimulate action by the IESG or within the IETF community that will lead to proposals that meet general consensus."
• IANA - Internet Assigned Numbers Authority. Web site: IANA. They control the assignment of internet addresses and domain names.
• IESG - The Internet Engineering Steering Group. Web site: IESG. According to RFC 2418, the IESG "has responsibility for developing and reviewing specifications intended as Internet Standards."
• IETF - The Internet Engineering Task Force. Web site: IETF. Their web site says "The Internet Engineering Task Force (IETF) is a large open international community of network designers, operators, vendors, and researchers concerned with the evolution of the Internet architecture and the smooth operation of the Internet."
• InterNIC - Internet Network Information Center, the authority for allocating internet addresses. Web site: InterNIC.
• IRTF - Internet Research Task Force. Web site: IRTF. Their web site states their mission is "To promote research of importance to the evolution of the future Internet by creating focused, long-term and small Research Groups working on topics related to Internet protocols, applications, architecture and technology."
• ISOC - Internet Society, promotes internet policies. Web site: ISOC.
• ISTF - Internet Societal Task Force. Web site: ISTF. Their mission is "To assure the open development, evolution and use of the Internet for the benefit of all people throughout the world".
• W3C - World Wide Web Consortium, sets standards for the web working with the IETF.W3C
• OASIS - Organization for the Advancement of Structured Information Standards. OASIS
• Internet2 Internet2 An Organization that supports internet related technologies including XML, DHTML, JAVA and more.
• IRT - Internet Related Technologies. Internet Related TechnologiesTheir website states "Internet2, led by over 180 U.S. universities working in partnership with industry and government, is developing and deploying advanced network applications and technologies, accelerating the creation of tomorrow's Internet."
• Graphic Communications Association A trade association that provides standards for the printing and publishing industries.

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