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13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
My review, as submitted to my University as an Assignment., 24 Feb 2001
Apache Web Server is the foremost application in its field, having over 60% of the Web Server market. Hawkins' book aims to be both a tutorial and reference in its chosen subject, and to provide the reader with sufficient information and software (on the enclosed CD) to configure and host an E-Commerce web site with Apache...He regularly extols the virtues of open-source software, particularly within the context of a web server, considering that this provides a greater degree of configurability than that of closed-book software. The book is very pleasant to read and handle, is well laid out and facilitates easy referencing. There are three main sections: Basic Concepts; Administration and E-Commerce, each of which is divided into logically organised chapters. Section One covers the basics, explaining Apaches' numerous directives (configuration options), modules, installation procedures (for Unix/Linux, Mac and Windows) and control methods. Section One gives the reader the means to install and configure a basic Web server. The text is very easy to follow, with clear, bold, sequentially numbered headings to the various subdivisions within chapters, enabling the reader to easily flick back and forth through the text to reference what he or she will. The use of courier fonts for command line directives seems logical. An explanation of the terminology used, exhaustively, in later sections of the book is a welcome benefit. Section Two covers Administration and explains clearly and concisely the extensive number and variety of configuration options and modules available to the reader; virtual hosting, proxies, SSL and database integration to name but a few. Database integration is covered extensively, largely covering MySQL, but Oracle and Informix are covered too. Security is dealt with in extensive detail, an important inclusion, demonstrating the use of SSL (Secure Socket Layer), and its history (there is a lot of interesting historical detail throughout the book). An essential consideration for an E-Commerce site. Other topics are included, such as Dynamic Content with SSI (Server Side Includes), DHTML, url rewriting and performance tuning. The final chapter is brief and discusses the use of Perl and C programming languages to construct Apache modules, referring the user to: Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C by Lincoln Stein and Doug MacEachern [1]. The author refers to pe! rl as the preferred programming language for use with Apache, as mod_Perl was specifically designed for use with Apache, giving far superior performance and ease of use than ?C?. The final section of the book is rather more of a disappointment. Although the CDROM includes software enabling the user to create a sample E-Commerce site, the topic is covered all too briefly in the book, only three chapters; money collection, database integration and construction of a sample site. The latter is a welcome inclusion, easy to follow and concise. The former are not much help at all, perhaps making money is an alien concept to a friend of the Open Source movement. The author extols the virtues of database interaction using (open source) My_SQL and PHP (Personal Hypertext Pre-processor), rather than the more commercially acceptable Oracle and Cold Fusion. This route would save the reader a nice four figure sum of money, an obvious advantage in a first E-Commerce venture. The final part of the book is 180 pages of appendices, covering a variety of networking and programming topics to assist the reader in creation of a sample E-Commerce site. Syntax, sample code and detailed instruction are covered more than adequately and very clearly. Overall, I would consider this an excellent book for a novice intending to create his/her first E-Commerce site, let down only by its lack of detail involving E-Commerce. The book might seem expensive for a paperback, but the inclusion of all the necessary software softens the blow, especially when one considers that the commercial equivalents would cost the reader several thousands of pounds. The book is organised well, omitting most of the code/configuration detail and general techie stuff from the general text, leaving the appendices to act as reference. The appendices are equally logical. Recommended. REFERENCES [1] Lincoln Stein and Doug MacEachern, Writing Apache Modules with Perl and C, O?Reilly & Associates, March 1999, ISBN: 156592567X . BARRY SEED Manchester Metropolitan University, Manchester, UK.
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