Joern's Blog

Here are some useful links to getting started for the mini projects :)

http://www.housingmaps.com/
http://www.progammableweb.com/

Books for IS696 are available @ Ned's Bookstore ;)

Based on the huge number of websites and tools, here is a summary of their locations.
If I missed any important one, let me know ;)

eCompanion
http://emuonline.edu/

Professor Gibson’s Documents
http://people.emich.edu/fgibson/IS696/w2007/

Ned's Bookstore
http://www.nedsbooks.com/emu/

IS696 Blog
http://learningremix.net/

My Blog
http://learningremix.net/w2007integ/jwendelk/

Blog Maintenance
http://www.learningremix.net/mt-w2007integ/mt.cgi

Technorati Widget
http://technorati.com/

Sitemeter Widget
http://www.sitemeter.com/

Mini-Projects Ideas:
http://people.emich.edu/fgibson/Ajax/static-example/
http://www.programmableweb.com/
http://www.housingmaps.com/

And who wants to know for what ”widget” stands, just see here .

Before I start reading the What Is Web 2.0 article, I thought, just have a look at wikipedia to get an initial idea about that topic.

And what I found there - independently from the article - was very interesting, especially the

Concerning Tom's Blog Entry:

Agile software development- as I understand it after the first lecture ... (Tom's Blog)

"The Agile approach sees software development as discovery process in which multiple versions of a product are created time after time in steps called iterations and each version is tested and experienced by users which make suggestions for the following versions."

This sounds to me like the "normal" software product lifecycle, where you have continously release changes and upgrades, etc.

Maybe the "Principles behind agile methods — The Agile Manifesto" listed in wikipedia may help to make it more clear, what is to understand by agile software development:

• Customer satisfaction by rapid, continuous delivery of useful software
• Working software is delivered frequently (weeks rather than months)
• Working software is the principal measure of progress.
• Even late changes in requirements are welcomed.
• Close, daily, cooperation between business people and developers
• Face-to-face conversation is the best form of communication.
• Projects are built around motivated individuals, who should be trusted
• Continuous attention to technical excellence and good design.
• Simplicity
• Self-organizing teams
• Regular adaptation to changing circumstances

Concerning Dean's Blog Entry: The impersonality of the Internet

I just want to post some words about the described "internet development".
All in all, I share some of your thoughts and concerns.

But regarding your question:

"Does anyone else get the feeling that with all the technology upon us, we as a society are becoming too impersonal?"

I honestly, don't think, that we "as a society" are becoming too impersonal. I would say more, we just have much more communication options - based on the internet development - than a couple of years ago. And using websites like myspace.com and facebook.com is NOT a substitue to meet my friends in person, it is - for me - more a "nice to have" in addition to that! But I agree, maybe there are some guys, who may use this websites to exessive.

As a personal example relating to your example "Instead of using the phone, we write an email." I use the internet by using skype to call my grandmother at least twice a month! ;)

As conclusion, I totally agree with you, that the internet usage is

"just like most things in the world, it can only work if it is done in moderation"

-Joern

Concerning Chidambaram's Blog Entry: "Is it all about aggregating what others did ? !!"

"In this context, I can see how AJAX can be used as one of the many "cosmetic tool" that real businesses use, but in itself cannot be very useful....Because ajax deals only with client side stuff and without any server side components, its hardly useful to any serious business.....atleast I am not convinced yet....."

I agree with you, that AJAX is a "kind of" "cosmetic tool" because its main "usage" is indeed on the client side. But when you say that AJAX "in itself cannot be very useful" I have to disagree with you. Because considering that AJAX is just a technique uses a combination of XHTML, CSS, DOM, XMLHttpRequest and XML, I would say it is very useful and that most of the real businesses already use such techniques.

And even if

"ajax deals only with client side stuff and without any server side components"

Therfore - in my opinion - AJAX is a technique that is VERY (instead of hardly) useful to any serious business!

-Joern

Today as I was reading some of your posts and I decided to comment some of these. The question that arose at that time was - I wanted to know if someone else already refers (from his own blog) to this post (via the permalink)?

Originally I thought, that the "TrackBacks (0)" shows me, who is already referring to the post. But that's obviously not the case. I know that I can use the tags as a workaround to find "similar" posts but maybe someone of you knows an answer?

Thx
-Joern

Here we go guys ...May I introduce my "Techincal Stuff Remixing" on the right?

Furthermore I loved Bud's "Mashup Possibilities" Widget, so I thought, I will include this one as well...

And after playing a while with the Google (RSS) Reader I fall in love with that tool... you should definetly try it!

As example I may mention that our University in Germany has an information system called "InfoTools" where the professors and university employees enter news. Now I can read this news with the Google (RSS) Reader together with the IS696 news ... isn't that fantastic?

Have fun guys!!!
-Joern

Concerning Kae's Blog Entry: " The example of using Ajax to build the web (Video)"

I just want to add, that there is a similar project in Germany, where the German Telecom built a complete house where you can control everything from everywhere ;)
The T-Com-Haus in Berlin (EN)

And here is a manufacture of such systems: inHaus GmbH (EN)

-Joern

For the Short Assignment 2 I decided to use my (public) tags "webresources" and "technicalstuff" from my Google Reader (RSS) - did I mention that I love this tool ;) - to feed my "Web Resources Remix" and my "Technical Stuff Remix" Widgets.

I added the "Web Resources Remix" widget to have posts together in one place that contain useful web links. The second widget "Technical Stuff Remix" has (for me) the purpose of a FAQ, where I collect all kinds of "technical" issues, mentioned in the "Learning Remix Winter 2007".

For the "bonus" part, I added the "Geo IP Tool" from widgetbox.com. I think this widget is useful and provides a kind of "aha" experience ;)

-Joern

Today we (Andre, Thomas and I) meet the first time to discuss and decide what our team project should be about. We discussed several very cool ideas but most of them where skipped immediately because of the missing API’s or missing data.

Finally we came to the point to decide, that our project is either to implement an “IM Contacts Map” or as second choice “Map your Facebook Events”. (More Details on Wednesday)

The purpose of an “IM Contacts Map” website would be to display the personal (after a login) instant messenger contacts on a Google map to see, where your contacts are according to their IM locations are.

For the initial assessment of the requirements I checked the AIM API where is mentioned that:

“The Web AIM API lets developers incorporate core AIM functionality into any web page, including the ability to sign on, send and receive IMs, and obtain a user's Buddy List. By using the Web AIM API to build their applications, developers can take advantage of AIM's power and large user base, while having the freedom to extend AIM's functionality in innovative new ways. The APIs support both the building of real-time, interactive widgets and one-time queries - developers can use as much or as little of the platform as they like.”

The other API for Google maps is well documented and shouldn’t make any problems.

Furthermore I worked out the first draft for our weekly presentation on Wednesday.

So far what’s going on for our team project ;)

-Joern

I just read the Article “Is Ajax Here to Stay?” and basically I agree with the major points mentioned by Jordan Frank.

I think what you should consider when reading this article is that Jordan wrote this article over one year ago (October 2005). And for me it seams that he was right in his “prediction” ;)

Now, in 2007 – after all, what I saw until now – I am pretty sure, that “AJAX will stay here”.

Also see http://www.ajaxinfo.com/ or http://www.ajaxian.com/.

-Joern

Hi all, while I was looking for an internship I found these two interesting (and technical) discussions about AJAX and SAP Web Dynpro.

Just if you are interested check out these two blogs:

• AJAX @ SAP - an Old Hat!
• Is Web Dynpro using AJAX?

After reading this discussions I definitely come to the conclusion, that Ajax is "Here to Stay”

;)
-Joern

After I read chapter 1 in the HR AJAX book on the weekend, my exercise could now be found here.

Honestly, I like the style, how the book is written and I enjoyed especially the "Espresso Talk":

"... HTML Page: Oh, really? That's not what JavaScript has been telling me. He was just complaining the other day about having to use two different types of objects for making a simple request to a server ..."

This quote reminds me really much on this:

var request = null;
   function createRequest() {
     try {
       request = new XMLHttpRequest();
     } catch (trymicrosoft) {
       try {
         request = new ActiveXObject("Msxml2.XMLHTTP");
       } catch (othermicrosoft) {
         try {
           request = new ActiveXObject("Microsoft.XMLHTTP");
         } catch (failed) {
           request = null;
         }
       }
     }

cu later,
-Joern

@ Bud: You showed us yesterday evening, how "easy" a manual trackback is working... and I though... I couldn't be so stupid to oversee this box ... now I know, why I wasn't able the whole time to create such manual trackbacks...

This is how my "New Entry" screen looks like ...

Could you please let us know, when we can use this function ;)
-THIS should now be your priority NUMBER ONE; and not the tag cloud ;)

May I conclude that we are currently NOT ABLE to create any trackbacks?

Thanks for fixing this ;)
-Joern

Yesterday, after the weekly progress presentation, we worked out the next steps for our project. Therefore we assigned some research tasks to every one of us:

Andre: Google Talk and Map API’s
Thomas: AOL Instant Messenger API
Joern: Yahoo Messenger API

After the research every one of us should be able to get some buddy data out of the messenger and display them on a website (or as JavaScript pop up).

@Andre & Thomas:
I used the "MapYourBuddies" tag for this post. When you post something regarding our project, could you please use this tag (CaseSensitive!!!) as well? Then we should have a nice summary at the end of the project.

Let’s start ;)

-Joern

Hi Aparna & All FYI,

Here is Bud's Comment regarding my previous post "@ Bud: Where Is The Trackback Box Gone???"

I have just copied it, so that everybody gets the info ...

"Joern: In the lower left corner of the image you show, there is a link called "customize the display of this page". Click on that and say you want to display the outbound trackback box."

and it's working ... you need it just to know ;)

-Joern

Joy made some suggestions for the Learning Remix Winter 2007 page.

Your first idea sounds really cool !!! That is for for sure a nice feature - even if I know my due dates ;)

But I totally disagree with you second proposal that

2. It would be better If we limit the number of posts displayed on the first page.

Because I love this (even long) page, because if you know, hm ... there was a post regarding any topic (but you can't remember from whom) ... then I always go to the Learning Remix Winter 2007 page and with "Ctrl + F" I was - until now - always able to find it again... so for me it is useful!

What do you think about to have a box on the Learning Remix Winter 2007 page, that includes for each of our IS696 teams one "tag-link" so that when you click onto this "tag-link" (e.g. for our group the "MapYourBuddies" tag) you get all post (of all team members) that where tagged with this "team-project-tag).

What do you think about this nice feature ;)
-Joern

To demonstrate what I meant with

"What do you think about to have a box on the Learning Remix Winter 2007 page, that includes for each of our IS696 teams one "tag-link" so that when you click onto this "tag-link" (e.g. for our group the "MapYourBuddies" tag) you get all post (of all team members) that where tagged with this "team-project-tag)."

I have included such a widget called "IS696 Team Project Posts" (2nd widget from top) on my site. If you now click on "MapYourBuddies" you will find all posts regarding our project (from Andre, Thomas and me).

I think, if we could have such a box for all 4 teams on the Learning Remix Winter 2007 page that would be great (even because it is really simple to realize).

What do you think about such a box?

-Joern

For those of us that won't believe, that AJAX is "Here to Stay", here is a "commitment" from MICROSOFT ("ASP.NET AJAX 1.0 Released") to AJAX.

And ORACLE ("Oracle's 'Web 2.0' interface coming this month") actually will release its "WebCenter this month ... that lets developers embed AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML) components, portlets and other content into a user interface."

That just btw ;)
-Joern

Concerning Andre's question:

I use the following tools:

• SuperHTML web studio (DE) (as web editor)
• Firebug
• LiveHTTPHeaders
• Web Developer Extension
• DOM Inspector

For uploading the html files to the MyEmich account I used the SSH Secure File Transfer program.

-Joern

Yesterday I did some research to figure out, how to use the Yahoo! Messenger API. As result I have to announce, that this API is unfortunately only for Plug-In Development.

"The Messenger Plug-in SDK is a JavaScript and C++ API that you use to create add-ons with collaborative features that can run inside Yahoo! Messenger. Plug-ins run in the main Messenger window, or as part of an IM conversation."

"Create plug-ins that are as simple as an HTML web page, or as sophisticated as a map collaboration tool that uses ActiveX, Flash, DHTML, AJAX or any other browser-based technology."

For more details see here.

This afternoon, we are going to meet and discuss, how we will proceed and what are the next steps.

-Joern

Concerning Tom's Blog Entry "Team Project: AIM API", I may add some comments to clarify our current project situation.

First of all: Tom's description, that

"...we dumped the project and looked for possibilities. ..."

But now in detail, what happened in the past days:

1.) How Tom already mentioned, after all of us did the research for the API's, Tom and I came to the fact that the IM integration will not work, because in the AIM's case, we cannot access the user's location and in the Yahoo!Messenger's case, the API is only for Plug-In development suitable. And finally the Google Talk + Google Map mashup already exists 1:1.

2.) However, at least Andre had some success with the Google Map API. Thus he was able to map the first locations on it.

3.) Yesterday we met, and after a while of discussing we considered our backup solution (Facebook + GoogleMap + Flickr). While exploring the Facebook API (were it seams to be possible to access the buddies including their hometowns) we came to the idea that we can use the Facebook buddies instead of the IM buddies. The day was rescued ;)

4.) Conclusion: Our project is still "Map Your Buddies” but instead of “Map Your (IM) Buddies” its now “Map Your (facebook) Buddies” ;)

5) Next steps: The assigned task are:
Andre: is going to further enhance the Google Map API’s for the already exiting example.
Thomas: is going to explore the Facebook API and is trying to get out the buddies hometowns/locations.
Joern: is going to build the first draft of the "whole page"

6) Advantages of the “Map Your (facebook) Buddies” are:

• Access to the Buddies hometown
• Access to the Buddies birthday's
• Access to the Buddies favorite music
• Access to the Buddies favorite movies

OK, at this point I may quote Tom:

"To be continued."

I hope that some misunderstandings are now more understandable ;) and our current project situation is clear to everyone ;)

Any further questions?

-Joern

I just read the article that "Google mashes up books and maps" in the Computerworld.

There are 3 books mentioned, that include this new feature.

• Jules Verne's "Around the World in Eighty Days"
• Leo Tolstoy's "War and Peace"
• Charles Sanford Terry's "Bach: A Biography"

The new Feature looks like this:

isn't it amazing?

-Joern

How we can see, Tom finished the "Head Rush Ajax – Chapter 2"

Yesterday, I read it as well and was trying to implement the "hack" from "When browsers cache request URLs" (page 116ff).

First of all - FYI -, I am using Firefox (2.0.0.1) and MS Internet Explorer (7.0.5730.11)

Here you can find my boards.html version from chapter one.
The crazy thing is, that this version (from chapter one) is working in both (including the IE7 !!!)

Well I thought, OK... try out the "hack" it should be useful for "older IE versions" ... so...
Now, here you can find my boards.html version from chapter two, including the "hack".
btw: the "hack" contains only this additional one line code in the "getBoardsSold()"

url = url + "?sid=" + new Date().getTime();

And now... both of my browsers: IE7 + FireFox2 won't work with this version...
In this version, you can hit the button once, and the page is updated... but every second time I hit (in both browsers) the button ... nothing happens :((

I double checked what happens, when hitting the button with Live HTTP headers:

But that looks fine to me...

Now my questions @ Tom: Did you have the same trouble ???

Has anybody else the same trouble ?

Maybe somebody who is still using IE6 could try out my boards.html from the second chapter and tell me, if this is working in IE6 ...

Your feedback is more than welcome!
-Joern

André,

here we go : "@ Bud: Where Is The Trackback Box Gone???"
Here you will find the answer as well ;)

-Joern