DHTMLing it Up, +Functionality

The last few posts have heavily relied on features/aspects of the project I want to focus on, which I think are heavily important. If i care about this project, other's will, which will make me happy because I am very excited about this.

Anyways, thinking about the last few posts have been more about features, and I need to start thinking about technical aspects of my project. I think taking NMD302 is going to help me a lot because there is a lot with DHTML (and of course CSS) that I can achieve with the site. There will also have to obviously be a database, which will have to be a collaborative piece of the project because I know 2% of PHP, which I have probably forgotten how to do.

Thus, coming to technical aspects of the site i need. I thought i would make a list of technical features I will need to use, and briefly how they will be used.

1.) DHTML - Since DHTML relies heavily on DIVs, it will be easier for people to access parts of the site they want, whether it be recent stories/maps/etc. Navigation will be a key part in making navigation easy for the user. People don't want to spend all day on a website, they want to do what they want to do, so DHTML will help make accessing what people want easier.

2.) Javascript - Though I know little now, hopefully more will be collected as the semester, the effects of javascript will be inherent with the DHTML to collapse things, allow things to happen when they are clicked, maybe expandable maps and such.

3.) PHP - Unavoidable. People are going to have accounts, which will be customizable for their networks of experiences and maps. I know very little about PHP , so I will need some help with the functionality of the site. I am sure i can come up with some good designs and such on my own, maybe a little collaboration, but most of that will come in the making community portions of the site.


After I research and learn how to do these things more in depth (later on posting more specifically about the things i will need when I decide more on layouts, overall features, etc.), I can really dive into the code and see what things I like and feel will contribute more.

THEN ! Another component is looking for mapping programs. I know that google has their maps which are pretty easily used, but I want to research more about seeing if a GoogleEarth would be the best way to go. I feel as if the realism of google earth adds more of a component of memory and ties to the place if it looks like a building rather than an invisible space on a street map.