1. E-Commerce The technical side

2. LAMP • Linux • Apache • MySQL • PHP All Open Source and free packages. Can be installed and run on most computer systems.

3. Linux • Operating system • Similar to Unix • Command line • Requires some specialist knowledge and skill • Many different versions – ‘Distributions’: CentOS, Ubuntu, Mandriva • GUI included with some

4. Linux • Powers the majority of webservers • Secure • Reliable • Low-cost • Small but increasing share of desktop/netbook market

5. Webserver • HTTP – HyperText Transfer Protocol • DNS – Domain Name Server • FTP – File Transfer Protocol • SQL – Database services • POP/SMTP – mail services • SSH – secure remote login

6. Apache • HTTP server with around 70% market share of busiest sites • Very reliable with low demands on server power • Answers requests from users/browsers • Can include Authentication, Security and many other features

7. MySQL • Very powerful Relational Database Management System • Simple (ish) language – Structured Query Language • Usually entered as text • Some GUI interfaces exist • Low processor demands • Identical on many different platforms

8. PHP • Powerful and versatile computer language • Server-side scripting • Needs specialist skills • Originally developed for producing dynamic web-pages • Now developed into a versatile general purpose language

9. Working together

10. Javascript • Language included in browsers • Can provide effects such as pop-ups, lightboxes etc. • Not always compatible with earlier versions of IE – but improving now • A key element of AJAX

11. AJAXThe new kid on the block • Asynchronous Javascript, and XML • Client-side scripting • Javascript is included in the code for the page sent from the server • ‘Page’ can then interact with server independently of user – pages update ‘invisibly’