Web Science/Part1: Foundations of the web/Web Architecture

Completing the second block of the first part of the Web Science MOOC you will
 * learn that the basic form of the web consisted of 3 main technologies (URI, HTTP, HTML).
 * see that the concepts and ideas of each of these technologies wasn't new but the combination of all of them created such a tremandous extra value.
 * realize how there where similar systems like the web and why the open (licence) structure of the web as well as compatibility added to the success of the web.
 * have implemented a simple web server and web client
 * know the basic components of HTML
 * understand the importance of the 404 for web scale
 * know the most important historical events that influenced the rise of the web

Theory

 * protocol for requesting files (especially hypertext) from URIs
 * HTTP header
 * GET, POST,...
 * status codes
 * content negotiation
 * request / response protocol (stateless)

Implementation


In order to get a better understanding we will implementing a web client and web server which understands HTTP 1.0 and only uses socket libraries.

Discussion

 * the importance of 404 with respect to web scale
 * what are the bad design issues of HTTP 1.0
 * theoretical discussion of HTTP 1.0 and newer versions


 * comparison: Stateless vs connection oriented vs connectionless protocols. Which part of the http protocol belong to which of the concepts?

understanding HTML

 * linked documents
 * The link as a directed edge (again 404 and web scale)
 * mark up language
 * open format is included into the text to be displayed
 * different HTML elements

REST

 * RESTful services

Cookies
as part of http or as a result of the flexibility of http?

JavaScript
Hacked in by Netscape navigator.

CERN

 * information management systems at CERN
 * ENQUIRE
 * How the web was deleted

Computing compatibility problems

 * Compatibility problems of hardware: TimBL's NextStation

Industry

 * Microsoft's Internet Explorer (Why is it actually called internet explorer? What a stupid name!) (inventing cookies)
 * Netscape (e.g. inventing java script)

politics

 * Bill Clinton's role in making the Web high priority.

similar applications and technologies

 * Goopher
 * usenet
 * Compuserve
 * compatibility of HTTP with other protocols in order to have all the content accessible
 * open, non commercial and free nature of HTTP