Workshops

I would like to role-play as a manager for a project team.


Ruby on Rails Workshop 1
1. My experience in web development languages include Java, ColdFusion, ASP, JavaScript, HTML, XML, Oracle, MS SQL Server, IBM DB2, etc. My understanding about web application framework is that it guides developers to build web applications. Also, services like memory management, database connection pooling, and resource management are often provided by the framework.
2. Ruby on Rails is a powerful web application framework that enables development of web applications. Ruby on Rails handles all communication with database. Also, Ruby on Rails provides a template system for handling layouts and pages. Moreover, it has a lot of plug-ins for quickly developing applications easily.
3. Rails is the development framework so that developers can use it to build web applications quickly and easily.
4. “Convention over configuration” means it is easy to configure Ruby on Rails by reducing coding.
5. “Model-View-Controller” (MVC) began in 1979 by Trygve Reenskaug. It has been widely used in building web applications since then.
6. The steps involved in MVC design approach are as follows:
a. View: design the presentation layer for interacting with front-end users
b. Controller: design the middle-ware to control access to back-end (Model) based on the request from View.
c: Model: design the persistence layer to store the data in, for example, database.


Ruby on Rails Workshop 2
2. “Convention over Configuration” can reduce coding required in Ruby on Rails.

Ruby on Rails Workshop 3
1. MySQL Workbench V5.1.18 has been downloaded and installed successfully in my computer on Windows operating system.
2. Instant Rails 2.0 has been downloaded (http://rubyforge.org/frs/?group_id=904) and installed successfully. The following two programs were able to be run in my computer:
a. http://www.mycookbook.com:30001/
b. http://typo
Instruction for the installation and running is found at the following URL:
http://instantrails.rubyforge.org/wiki/wiki.pl?Getting_Started

Ruby on Rails Workshop 4
1 & 2. In Ruby, we can write:
if x.between?(7,12) do ...
However, in Javascript, we must write:

if( x > 7 && x < 12 ) { ... }

3. Ruby and JavaScript are quite similar to each other. For example, they are both scripting language that are easy to learn. Also, they both have the concepts of objects.

Ruby on Rails Workshop 5
Part A: Survey of mobile device capability and Web 2.0 tools
1.a. A simple mobile that can send and receive SMS is enough for supporting the use of SMS message service.

b. Sophisticated devices such as PDA phone / iPhone are better suited for enabling full user experience via SMS, GPS Taxi tracking and Google Maps.

2. The required resources by the taxi company Website are as follows:
Hardware: A sophisticated hardware server is required to host the applications.
Networking: Networking with SMS gateway and with GPS are required.
Software: Application server, web server and database server are required.
Systems: A system hosting in the application server is required.
Personnel: Business analysts, developers, architects, project manager and other stakeholders are necessary to support the development.

Part B: The enhanced customer experience through Web 2.0 technology


Part C: Online Taxi Business Process Modelling

1. The Simple Online Taxi business process model is as follows:


Ruby on Rails Workshop 6
The Struts MVC framework is my chosen alternative to Ruby on Rails framework for development the OTBS system.

Struts framework is so scalable that it can allow system to expand and include more features in the future. Also, it is flexible because it allows developers to add additional service at will after system has been launched.

Capacity planning: the estimated number of taxi and numbers to server per day are required. Also, the peak hours and peak numbers have to be estimated first in order to have good capacity planning.

Performance testing: Response time (e.g. how much time has elapsed before a taxi driver respond to a customer request via different channels) has to measured in order to find out which areas are needed to be improved.

Site maintenance: the maintenance such as software, system and data backup, etc are so important in order to prevent data loss and recover from disaster.

Future development: As mentioned above, the Struts framework is so scalable that future development is easily allowed with addition of additional functions.

Ruby on Rails Workshop 7
There are some hosting solutions. First, the servers can be hosted in a data centre. Usually, data centre has 7 x 24 system monitoring service provided. Another hosting solution is to host the servers by the company itself. The advantage of choosing this option is to have more control on the server by the company.

It is probable that the Rails applications will be required to run on a cloud computing service in the future. It is because as more and more cities have deployed the system, then more processing servers and powers will be required in order to ensure smooth running of the system. Hence, cloud computing is one of the choices for the system.


Ruby on Rails Workshop 8
1. I consider the 3 strengths to be:
- it has detailed instructions provided to setup the system
- it has detailed instructions provided to run the system
- it has provided me another insight into another framework

2. I consider 3 weaknesses to be:
- it takes much time to setup the system
- it will be quite difficult for students who do not have programming background
- Ruby on Rails may not be a very popular framework nowadays in the market

3. The most difficult aspects is:
- to code and run the program because I am new to Ruby on Rails

4. Improvement I would make include:
- Change Ruby on Rail to another more popular framework such as .Net or Struts

5. The other Web framework (such as .NET and Struts) is more effective for me because I am more familiar with them compared to Ruby on Rails. However, it is still a good idea to learn Ruby on Rails so that students can learn about the pros and cons of other frameworks.