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Unless marked "future", all features described here will be in release 2.0, planned for late 2008. Eventually MWeb Universal will have many of the features of MWeb Enterprise. Please see Future Features for more details.
MWeb Universal provides integrated searching to existing databases and/or MARC files that can be accessed over the Internet.
This is the fastest and easiest way for a consortium to provide integrated access to its members' data and images. Members can use different internal systems and need not provide Z39.50 access.
A searcher may search all resources at once, or may limit the search to specific databases or to specific content within databases.
MWeb Universal works by passing on the users' search requests to the servers where the Databases reside. A Database Connector installed for each Database receives the query and accesses the Database. The search results are returned in XML format. MWeb then displays the results.
MWeb Universal accesses databases three ways:
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MWeb Universal includes a number of layout templates, color schemes, and font selections you may select online and change at any time. You may add your own logo, page title, and page footer.
In Release 1.2, additional messages will be customizable, such as the Sidebar Help in Keyword Search and Advanced Search.
In addition, because Universal is controlled by CSS and and XSLT stylesheets, you can dramatically redesign the interface if you are familiar with those technologies. At that point Universal becomes a search engine that you can style as you wish.
The flexibility of MWeb layouts may be seen at the top of the MWeb Homepage.
MWeb Universal accesses your existing databases. It has no limits on database size, number of records, number of fields, number of images, etc. For performance reasons, we have limited field length to 60,000 bytes; this can be raised if it is a problem for you. MWeb currently understands the UTF-8, Latin-1, NCR, and MARC-8 character encodings; we will add others if needed.
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Data records may contain links to images. Records may have any number of image links, and images may be linked to any number of records.
You provide two sizes for each image. The larger should be around 640 to 680 pixels on the longer side; the smaller (called a thumbnail) should be between 120 and 180 pixels on the longer side. You may wish to experiment with different sizes, but these are the sizes all our clients use.
When the user clicks on a thumbnail, the larger image opens in a new window. Each large image opens in a separate window, as shown here. Any number of images can be opened.
Future: For information about restricting images and data to certain users, see MWeb Security Model.
Data records may contain links to media, such as sound files, movies, Word documents, Acrobat documents, or any computer file. Records may have any number of media links, and media may be linked to any number of records. You may provide icons to be displayed for media links (analogous to thumbnails for images).
When the user clicks on a media icon, the media plays.
In order to display records in all languages, MWeb uses the Unicode character set, an international standard that comprises all languages currently in use worldwide. See the Unicode website for more information.
Databases can be encoded in UTF-8 or Latin-1, or may use decimal Numerical Character References (like ō). MARC files may be in MARC-8 or UTF-8.
Currently only latin characters are indexed.
Keyword Search provides the well-known search box in which the user types keywords or phrases. One or more keywords and/or phrases may be entered; these are automatically "ANDed" but the user can separate terms with OR to override this. Keywords may be truncated.
By default, everything is searched. The user may limit searches to specific databases, to specify types of material, or to records with images.
Every word in every field can be indexed, or you may choose not to index some fields. We provide a list of common words that are not indexed, and you can modify this list.
The Keyword Search screen has a unique Sidebar Help that is unobtrusive but opens up to show the syntax used for boolean searches, truncation, etc. The sidebar is closed when the Keyword Search screen is first displayed; the user clicks to open it. Sidebar text is customizable beginning with Release 1.2.
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Advanced Search lets the user specify where in the records the search terms (keywords or phrases) should be found. Fields in your Databases are mapped to Search Categories, based on the Dublin Core approach. Using Search Categories means the user doesn't have to figure out your data model, or decide what fields might contain the search terms. This is especially useful if you have multiple fields for the same kind of data, such as multiple title fields -- all titles are searched at once.
The Search Category mappings mean that users can search on all types of records in a single search, such as museum data and library data.
The user may limit searches to specific databases, to specify types of material, or to records with images.
The Advanced Search screen has a unique Sidebar Help that is unobtrusive but opens up to show the syntax used for boolean searches, truncation, etc. The sidebar is closed when the Advanced Search screen is first displayed; the user clicks to open it. Sidebar text is customizable beginning with Release 1.2.
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You determine which fields are shown in each type of search result. Each record includes a link to the full record. Thumbnails can be clicked on to see the full-size images.
Some displays look better if the thumbnails can be resized by MWeb. You will have this option in a future release if the dimensions of each image are in the database.
When the user clicks on a link in a Search Results screen, the full record is displayed. These layouts are controlled by XML stylesheets (XSLT files). MWeb comes with several choices, and you can modify them to meet your needs.
MWeb comes with two Full Record layouts. Both show all images (and media icons in future) associated with the record. The Alternative Layout shows the primary image full size. (You will be able to detemine this size in a future release, if the image dimensions are in the database.)
Whichever layout you choose, you determine what fields are shown, the order of fields, and the labels for fields.
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With either style, Full Records can link to other information in a dense network of discovery. At the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, certain artwork records have been linked to as many as hundreds of documents containing background, artist information, exhibition history, provenance history, and other data both inside and outside the museum.
MWeb has a sophisticated security model that you can use to protect any records, any data fields, any data values, or any images -- independently of each other. Each of these can be restricted from being used or seen by unauthorized users. In the first release this security model will be implemented for MWeb Enterprise Databases included in an MWeb Universal project; other kinds of databases should include only public data and images. In a later release the model will be extended to all kinds of Databases.
The default is for all records, fields, values, and images to be viewable to any visitor to your MWeb site. If you wish to hide some data or images from certain users, you may use either or both of the following techniques:
IP Restrictions and Security Levels are completely independent and either or both can be assigned to any record, field, value, or image.
An MWeb Universal project may choose one of three options for logon: no logon required, everyone must logon, or no logon for the public but staff may logon to access secure data or images. Logons are controlled by a unique User ID and an encrypted password. There is also an administrator logon for adding and deleting users and for changing their privileges.
MWeb protects data by using passwords. This provides an average level of security, but we do not recommend MWeb for financial or medical data or data that would be of interest to criminals.
In a later release you will be able to link directly to MWeb Search Results and Full Records from other webpages. This means the user will not have to go through the MWeb Start Page and perform a search. For example, you may be describing a new gift on your website: you could include a link which would display the donated objects in an MWeb display. Or in a discussion of an object you could include a link to the object's Full Record display.
A later release will offer three options for logon: no logon required, everyone must logon, or no logon for the public but certain people may logon to access special functions, data, or images. Logons are controlled by a unique User ID and an encrypted password. There are also several kinds of administrator logon for adding and deleting users, changing messages, etc.
Release 1.2 will expand the number of customizable messages, as well as adding additional color schemes and fonts.
"Accessibility" is the term used by web designers to indicate the availability of a site to the handicapped, especially the visually impaired. There are generally two major concerns: the ability of the partially sighted to override font sizes and colors for better visibility, and the use of the site by "screen-readers," software that reads the site out loud to the blind. Users of screen-readers are best served by having elements on the page in a meaningful order, by having alternative text for graphical elements, and by having alternatives to Flash and other visual components.
Our policy is to enable accessibility by removing barriers, such as the elimination of frames (since frames confuse screen-readers). However, we do not prescribe any specific fonts, colors, or navigation. This is a decision each client must make, depending on their policies and requirements.
For more details on MWeb and accessibility, see MWeb and Accessibility.
MWeb Universal consists of standard CGI programs, compiled for optimum performance. MWeb is delivered as compiled programs (EXEs) for the easiest installation. MWeb currently runs on Windows servers only; a Linux version is in development. (Of course, MWeb can be used on all platforms (Windows, Mac, Linux, etc.), since it requires only a browser.)
Your data can be in any database that provides access through ODBC (that is, just about everything).
MWeb uses the free open-source SQLite database for its control tables.
In addition, beginning with Release 1.2, MWeb's index can be stored in MySQL for higher performance with large databases.
All browsers on all platforms are sent the W3C "strict" doctype, and MWeb emits almost* standard "strict" HTML, this means that all modern browsers for Windows, Macintosh, and Unix/Linux can use MWeb without problems. (Sometimes displays vary slightly between browsers, a well-known problem in our industry.)
* MWeb Universal's HTML is 99% compliant and will be 100% soon. The remaining 1% does not affect displays or functionality.
MWeb does not require ActiveX, Java, Flash, Ajax, or other technologies that can be risky; this allows users to keep their computers and browsers at high security levels and still be able to use MWeb. Of course you may use ActiveX, Java, Flash, Ajax, etc. in pages that link to MWeb, or pages MWeb links to, such as your homepage, sitemap, etc. These pages are not considered part of MWeb.
Users must have JavaScript and cookies turned on in order to use MWeb. These are essential features of any web application that delivers sophisticated navigation and functionality. Cookies are temporary and expire when the browser is closed. Neither the JavaScript nor the cookies contain any personally identifiable information; they are used only for navigation. They do not write anything to the user's computer and are not stored after the browser is closed. Systems Planning Privacy Policies
We provide generous support in implementing and maintaining your MWeb site.
Unless noted, the features described on this page will be in release 2.0. Here are the major enhancements we have planned for later releases. Most of them are already features in MWeb Enterprise and are described here. Enhancements are listed in approximately the order we plan to deliver them. Your input to this list would be welcome!
Systems Planning
