Making Sense of Site Management Software
Part 2
By Scott Clark
Web Connect 2.0
Web Connect installed from the CD-ROM with no problems, taking up a little more than 7
MB of space on my hard drive. The Web Connect server allows you to connect to your
project over an intranet or the Internet. The Web Connect Administrator comes with a
searchable online Help system, but at the time I reviewed Web Connect there were no
printed manuals. Luckily for me, most of Web Connect's features are either explained in
the Administrator's online Help, or are readily apparent by just using the product. I was
able to configure the Web Connect server and Administrator, connect to the server, and
access the files from my Web site without even glancing at the help files.
Web Connect is part of the StarTeam package of application development tools designed to
enable collaborative team development of software and Web sites. The other components of
StarTeam are the Workstation and Server.
Web Connect is the standalone portion of StarTeam; it can act as its own Web server or
work in conjunction with your existing server. Web Connect makes it possible for
developers who are part of your team to access projects from their PC, without having any
StarTeam program on their system. By using Netscape 2.0 or greater, you can check out
files from the remote StarTeam project using your Web browser. Then you can edit or
continue development on the file using whatever tools you're familiar with. When you're
done, you upload, check in, and unlock the file on the Web Connect server.
Web Connect enables you to access files (including C++, Delphi, Visual Basic, Java,
graphics, and HTML among others) that are part of the project that was put together with
the StarTeam Workstation. The StarTeam Workstation is a combination of tools that
include version control, defect tracking, audit logs, charts, reports and a project repository.
One of the really slick parts of the Workstation is the use of threaded conversation within a
project. By using threaded conversations, you can exchange ideas, discuss issues, bugs,
and upcoming features. StarBase has the corners covered well with StarTeam; if you can't
make use a tool like this, I'd like to take project management classes from you.
Web Connect is actually a subset of the StarTeam Workstation. The only limitations that
Web Connect has are:
- It does not support multiple file operations.
- No Visual Diff (the Workstation includes this utility to visually show the difference
between two files).
- No reports or charts.
- You can only check in files with Netscape Navigator (Navigator supports file uploads).
- 2 MB file size limit.
- The project has to be a StarTeam project, originally created using the StarTeam
Workstation.
The StarTeam Server provides secure access to projects through Internet, intranet, WAN,
LAN, and dial-up connectivity. Anyone, anywhere can access the projects (provided they
are a team member and have the proper authority), by using the Workstation on their end
and the Server at the main office. Up to eight projects can be open at the same time. Those
who don't need a full Workstation can simply use their browser to access the same files
using Web Connect.
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