EasyBus information is available on various different platforms. Implementation includes:
- Web site format which focuses on distributing information in a logical and efficient manner. Our goal was to ensure that users were able
to access the information they want quickly without any aggravation.
o Favourites allow members access their most common bus stops, ensuring quick prediction retrieval.
- Mobile version website which allows users on the go to access time predictions in a simple and cost efficient manner.
- Shareability through Facebook Connect allows the sites popularity to grow as more users of the popular social networking sites visit
EasyBus.
- Desktop application implemented by Adobe Air allows users to install a local application with all the latest time predictions of their
favourite buses. There are no limitations by the user's computer, operating system or costly software.
Django
Since we are developing using Python, the use of Django provides us with an open source web framework that provides an easy way of implementing python within web sites. Django also offers various tools that will allow us to implement either required or other optional features. These tools include:
- A caching framework so that we can cache certain elements of the web site to allow for peak performance. Caching will be mainly used
on the route information provided by NextBus. Although this information changes occasionally it is an element that can be cached until
information in updated.
- A system that can produce and read XML and/or JSON files, this will help implement our XML data sheets that are supplied by NextBus
- Standalone web server for development and testing
- Tools for generating RSS and Atom feeds
- Tools that help with a database-driven website
SQL Lite 3
In order to store user names and passwords so that users can specify their favorite routes, alarm times, etc, we must create a database to store all of our information. We will be using SQL Lite 3 which comes with various tools and features that include:
- SQL Lite 3 is open source thus can be used with no fee
- Query caching, if we decide to store search results
- Cross-platform support so that different systems can access stored data
- SQL Lite 3 is known to be every efficient and fast, this will allow us to keep the performance of our site up.
- Security measures can be implemented using SQL Lite 3; this will allow us to limit the access of information from the user.
Although this is not a major issue with the current scope of the project, this could be need with future implementations.
- Has a large user group, thus a lot of documentation is available online for assistance.
- Allows us to cache information so that multiple look ups do not need to occur, again this goes towards our goal of an efficient website.
XML
We have chosen to us XML strictly because this is the format that the information feed is given to us in by NextBus. XML allows us to easily retrieve the data fields we like to display; also it is very flexible in a way that all computers and devices can read the information acquired from XML.
Adobe Air
This is a cross platform runtime environment for creating internet utilities which can be implemented as desktop applications. It allows flash, HTML, and javaSript code to be implemented in order to develop a desktop application. This allows for real time updates, which takes away the need for an internet browser. Many different large companies are using AIR, they include but are not limited to AOL, NASDAQ, and YAHOO! AIR allows developers to created dedicated internet influenced applications that focus on specifically the user's needs. There are different ways of creating AIR applications, we will be using for the purpose of our assignment HTML/JavaScript/AJAX, which flows with the basis development techniques used on the EasyBus website.
Facebook Connect
This feature allows users to affiliate sites using their Facebook account. By implementing this feature we will be able to increase the potential popularity of the EasyBus web site. This utility is integrated within a website where it can be selected by users so that the website can be seen on their Facebook profile page as a "favorite" website.
EasyMethods:
Zohaib Ali, Josuha Gonsalves, Chris Ma, Stacie Simmons, and Jaime Soo See.