Abstract * Foil Index for this file
Given by Geoffrey C. Fox at NHSE Review on 25 January 96. Foils prepared 23 January 96
Abstract * Foil Index for this file
| This presentation emphasizes that new Web technologies are particularly relevant to NHSE as they enhance support of computing and interactivity -- natural for software, algorithms and visualizations stored in the NHSE |
| We review key features of Java, JavaScript, Perl(5), VRML, Databases and Digital Audio and Video and suggest how they can be used to enhance the NHSE |
This table of Contents
Abstract
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| Geoffrey Fox |
| NPAC |
| Syracuse University |
| 111 College Place |
| Syracuse NY 13244-4100 |
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| This presentation emphasizes that new Web technologies are particularly relevant to NHSE as they enhance support of computing and interactivity -- natural for software, algorithms and visualizations stored in the NHSE |
| We review key features of Java, JavaScript, Perl(5), VRML, Databases and Digital Audio and Video and suggest how they can be used to enhance the NHSE |
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Java -- Objected Oriented version of C/C++ supporting Interactive Distributed Computing. Previous Web computing (eg CGI) was server-side. Java allows design and Implementation of balanced Client Server Applications
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JavaScript -- only superficially related to Java and was called LiveScript -- is Netscape's fully interpreted Client side extension of HTML. This is a good integration/customization technology where flexibility more impotant than performance
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PERL is a relatively old technology which is being overtaken by Java tidal wave. Still PERL has much better Systems and Document handling capability than Java
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| The Web provides a convenient integration environment for "mature" technologies migrating from existing computer environments. |
| Relational databases are a good example where it is now straightforward in Oracle, DB2, Sybase etc. to provide a Web Interface which can be used by programs ( with say HPF also integrated with Web) or Users (Forms based Interfaces |
| Object databases such as Illustra also interfaced to web |
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VRML 1.0 is now available and specifies static 3D scenes through which you can navigate. Already provides universal visualization environment and we have examples of use In Geographical Information Systems
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VRML 2.0 is subject of active debate led by Mark Pesce. This is designed to support full interactivity (televirtuality) with texture mapped video, avatars etc.
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Digital Video and Audio. This will enable collaboration and dissemination of fixed assets (audio/video clips) stored in multi-media databases
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| Note these are typically streaming and not "batch" approachs. Current default Web downloads video to client before playing and this approach cannot scale! |
| Digital video works well over ISDN (128 kbits) but for full screen needs about .5 megabits per second even with wavelets |
| This will be CNN/Network digital delivery technology for future infinite cable channel world |
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| These new Web extensions are : |
Integrating sophisticated Computing technologies into the Web and the NHSE is storing computing technologies and information
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| Improving the storage, search (database) and delivery (digital video/audio servers) will allow more organized storage and richer delivery options for NHSE data |
| Allowing universal description and manipulation of 3D objects and images for recording results of computation |
| Allowing rich interactive collaboration environment to support remote consulting as envisaged in NSF Supercomputer recompetition |
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This has several obvious near term applications including
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| The above examples are quite interesting reasons for introduction of electronic journals as you should be able to explain complex ideas better this way |
| Note Web was initially book/libraries done digitally. Now we are the second wave of opportunities exploiting the specific advantages of distributed computing backbone |
| We can use Java as both backend and frontend of visual Web computing environments (WebFlow) extending AVS and Khoros. These would naturallu use the NHSE as source of the software |
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| There are some cases where JavaScript is a rapid prototyping alternative to Java (Java can in principle do anything!) |
| Current use (demonstrated in WebFoil) is for customized displayus of information where base information, simulations, audio(video), and indices can be linked in a friendly fashion. |
| Syracuse is extending to a set of WebTools (originally developed as Server CGI scripts) with which you can build customized front-ends with user defined configurations choosing between type of access (administrator and naive user would be different) and display capabilities (resolution, color) of terminal |
| Note client side and so fast even though interpreted |
| However does not yet have (but needs) text processing capabilities of Perl |
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VRML allows user annotated 3D visualizations so that you can explain features of results of simulation in a universal fashion which can be viewed on any machine
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| Very good GIS (Geographical Information System) technology and can be used by NASA/EPA etc for presentation of spatial data with again clickable annotations |
VRML is currently and perhaps intrinsically (numbers ascii) inefficient and Java is alternative / augmentation technology
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| VRML 2.0 will allow projects like Argonne Labspace to produce collaborative televirtual environments |
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You can use structured databases such as Oracle to store NHSE data such as Glossaries in an organized fashion with (well-known technology) to generate HTML on the fly
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| Can also store unstructured information as illustrated by Usenet computer and other relevant newsgroups |
| Powerful Search engines with domain specific keywords or other NHSE enhanced search methods. These can be attached to commercial (e.,g. altavista) or inhouse Web Search sites |
| Object databases can be very useful for VRML and other data which is naturally of this form |
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| Clearly digital audio and video supports the type of collaborative environments needed for consultant-enhanced use of the NHSE -- natural use by distributed computer centers as envisaged by NSF |
Digital video (in fashion built to VRML 2.0) can be annotated to provide much more interactive results of scientific simulations
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| Digital Audio and Video is currently less than 5% of web data but eventually it will be dominant (95%) form of digital information and serving will be major Web activity. |
| Broad distributution requires ISDN-ATM speeds but can deliver from local WebServers as only needs Ethernet or less for each client |