Discussion Question

The Discussion Board (DB) is part of the core of online learning. Classroom discussion in an online environment requires the active participation of students and the instructor to create robust interaction and dialogue. Every student is expected to create an original response to the open-ended DB question as well as engage in dialogue by responding to posts created by others throughout the week. At the end of each unit, DB participation will be assessed based on both level of engagement and the quality of the contribution to the discussion.

At a minimum, each student will be expected to post an original and thoughtful response to the DB question and contribute to the weekly dialogue by responding to at least two other posts from students. The first contribution must be posted before midnight (Central Time) on Wednesday of each week. Two additional responses are required after Wednesday of each week. Students are highly encouraged to engage on the Discussion Board early and often, as that is the primary way the university tracks class attendance and participation.

The purpose of the Discussion Board is to allow students to learn through sharing ideas and experiences as they relate to course content and the DB question. Because it is not possible to engage in two-way dialogue after a conversation has ended, no posts to the DB will be accepted after the end of each week.

From your knowledge and experience, discuss two technologies that can be used to integrate data from a database into a Web application. One technology must be open source. The other technology must be proprietary.

In your own words:

• Identify each technology as open source or proprietary.

• Compare and contrast the ability of the two technologies to integrate data from a database into a Web application (note this does not mean cost or access to the code).

• Discuss a significant advantage of using the open source technology to integrate data from a database into a Web application.

• Discuss a significant advantage of using the proprietary technology to integrate data from a database into a Web application.

• Discuss a significant disadvantage of using the open source technology to integrate data from a database into a Web application.

• Discuss a significant disadvantage of using the proprietary technology to integrate data from a database into a Web application.

• Student experience is very valuable and contributes substance to the discussion. Any personal experience included in the discussion should begin with "In my five years of experience as ..." or words to that effect. Do not attribute personal experience as source material because the reader cannot retrieve it.

• Engage your classmates in further discussion by providing at least two substantive responses to postings made by classmates.