Archive for July, 2008
Analysing Analytics
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Web Development, Web Technologies
So how do you interpret analytics? What is the business case for analytics and analytics packages? IT Professionals sometimes neglect to think of the business case when using a technology set. Google Analytics looks pretty and shows you some useful stats, but it doesn’t exactly tell you what the business case is for using it is. If your business strategy is not aligned with the use of web analytics then web analytics cannot be utilised properly. Sure it will give you insight into your visitors, but if your business strategy does not embrace it, it will not have the same impact.
The success of any business is determined solely through its profitability. Web analytics on its own cannot make money, therefore you have to understand how web analytics work and how you have to try and use it within a business context.
The first thing to know is that web analytics come in two basic flavours:
- Log File Analysis
- Cookie-based / Javascript-based Analysis
Log-file Analysis
HTTP-Servers create log files, and the log files themselves contain lines and lines of data that gets generated by the HTTP-Server each time a new visitor comes to your website. Various HTTP-Servers generate log files in different formats. Internet Information Services 6, for example, uses a W3C-format.
Cookie-based / Javascript-based Analysis
Cookie-based / Javascript-based Analysis require that you add some JavaScript snippet to all the pages you want to generate web analytics for. My basic understanding is that for each visitor that comes to a page with the JavaScript code-snippet in data is sent to the provider of the analytics. Cookie-based / Javascript-based Analysis require a provider such as StatCounter or Google Analytics.
Which method should I be using?
You should use both and then you have to have your own way built into your website that measures the success of a visitor to your website. In other words if the success within your business determines that you sell 100 goods per month then such a measure has to be in place.
Quirk textbook: eMarketing – the essential guide to online marketing
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Web 2.0, Web Technologies
I attended the Quirk Breakfast from Module 1 to Module 6, but sadly missed out on Module 4. Rob Stokes presented the majority of the modules, except module 5 or 6, can’t quite remember. A lot of the focus in each of the modules was aimed at everything relating to social media and Web 2.0 and how to optimise your web site or how to incorporate Web 2.0 into your current web development strategy. The lectures also had a build up towards Online Reputation Management (ORM) for which they have developed a tool called BrandsEye. They have also now released a book, an e-marketing book written by Rob Stokes titled Quirk textbook: eMarketing – the essential guide to online marketing. Its a 300 page book aimed at marketing practitioners as well as 3rd and 4th year students.
Google, iGoogle, GMail… the whole thing
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Web 2.0
Okay so Googleness is the awesomeness and wholesomely goodnessness of the world and they have a great image of never harming anyone ever. Right. I am a great fan of GMail and all the services you get for “free”, but one thing that has been bothering me for a while is navigating from GMail to say Google Analytics. Getting from GMail to Google Analytics means opening a new tab, going to the Google homepage, clicking on My Account and then clicking on Analytics. Google Analytics is not easily accessible from GMail, but instead from iGoogle. iGoogle is a customizable page that you get when you sign in with your Google Account. You can click on Web in your GMail account and navigate from there as well. I would have liked it if I had access to all my Google accounts from GMail.
Using a Wiki as a modelling tool
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Web 2.0
During this year I have found myself using Wiki’s in a way that seemed strange at first, but that made sense later on. I have been using Wiki’s to describe systems and processes, in detail, from which I was then able to model a solution using Object Oriented techniques and methods. I find that if I take time to write out what I want to do, hidden or vague things become clearer. From the description I can then identify objects and processes and implement those in a system or program. At the moment I am using a .NET based wiki called ScrewTurn wiki on a local Intranet. The wiki allows me to create and share articles across our organisation in a consistent manner, and the content remains as a constant reference both for myself and team members. A wiki can also act as a good knowledge management tool.
Facebook Facelift
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Facebook, Web 2.0
Facebook has a newish look and feel, feels like things are a bit more spaced out.
I will never visit this moment again
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under Personal
Have you ever thought about all the people you have known in your life, those that were closer than others, and you find yourself thinking that the times you had with them will never repeat them self again, ever? Isn’t it amazing how songs can bring out the memories? Songs are so powerful.
Sometimes I sit back and I realise that the moments, the good times, I shared with someone were meant to be cherished for the moments they were. The irony is that I always think I will revisit that scene somehow, yet it only replays in my memory, not for real. In this time I’m thinking of a family member whom I last saw at least six months ago, maybe a year, and their life has undergone such a dramatic change that the times I remember with them seem so distant. I remember the year I turned 21, back in 2001, the day before 9-11, when they came from Pretoria for my birthday. Its been 7 years.
Do business and people still need websites?
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under General, Web Development
So do they? Do businesses in South Africa still need a website? Is there a need for a business to create a new website, or create one from scratch?
Using SQL Server Authentication
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under ASP.NET, SQL Server 2005, Web Development
So during the week I had a situation where I had to take an existing web application, that used SQL Server Express, and had to make it work with SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition. Both versions of SQL Server form part of the SQL Server SKU line of products, but their implementation in certain scenarios differ. The providers that are used to connect through your applications are the same though.
I used Visual Studio 2005 to develop the initial application, and in many ways Visual Studio is awesome but in other ways its not, and specifically with regards to SQL Server databases its not that great. Visual Studio allows you to simply drag and drop databases into your web application project, which is great for productivity, but it may cause you some headaches later on. If you have SQL Server Express running on a local machine you will note that a database created in Visual Studio will not show up in SQL Server Management Studio Express. Visual Studio creates the database for you, but it does not attach it to the SQL Server instance that you are running in SQL Server Management Studio Express. SQL Server Express uses a special mode of operation called user instancing, which means it uses accounts such as NETWORK SERVICE and ASPNET to give it rights to connect to the SQL Server Express Instance. SQL Server Express Instancing also adds a 45-75MB memory overhead.
Useful Screen Capture Tools
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under General
Pressing your alt and print screen button takes a screen shot of your screen as it is.
You can then open Paint and paste that captured image for use, which can then be saved into an image format such as bitmap (bmp) or jpeg. This approach works fine, to a point. If, for instance, you wanted to take a screen shot of a specific area on your screen, then the method described above will not work well enough. Sure you can crop the part you want and save it, but thats an extra step you need to take before you get to the screen shot you want. How do you take screen shots of a specific area on your screen? I have a few applications that I use for specific screen shot purposes everyday:
- FireShot is a Firefox add-on that allows you to capture screen shots within the Firefox or Flock web browser. It can also be integrated into Internet Explorer. The immediate disadvantage of this screen capture tool is that it is limited to the browser window only. You won’t be able to take screen shots outside that window. The other limitation is that its not entirely free. You will have to pay for it.
- Another tool that I use for screen capture is called SnagIT, which allows you to capture video and images of a specified screen area.
- I found a tool called Bug Shooting. This is a completely free piece of software.
- For video clip stills, i.e. screen captures from video files I use GOM Player
ASP.NET Authentication
Posted by fr3dr1k | Filed under ASP.NET, SQL Server 2005, Web Development, Web Technologies
During the week I have been working with SQL Server 2005 Standard Edition and 2005 Express Edition for a website. I have specifically been looking at using SQL Server 2005 for Authentication as opposed to using the standard authentication that comes with ASP.NET when you configure an ASP.NET application in Visual Studio 2005. When you enable authentication for your website an SQL Server Express database (MDF file) is automatically created and the connection string in your web.config file is also changed to point to that SQL Server Express database.
Why is the standard authentication model not appropriate for all uses?
A couple of reasons I can think of:
- If you wanted your development environment and your application environment to work together seamlessly then you might want to consider using SQL Server Authentication, or at least get both environments to use connection strings that are similiar or the same.
- If you wanted to change or add to the fields provided by the regular membership model provided in ASP.NET and in particular have those fields stored in a proper database table.
- If you wanted to use a Database Management System other than SQL Server. Perhaps you want to use MySQL or MS Access. You can also use Active Directory and XML as an authentication model.
