Portals and Web Services
Timothy Lynch
Abstract
"Portal" is more than just the latest buzzword of the web literati. The term, in fact, describes a new approach to interconnecting web sites. For you and me, it means Websites that are more intuitive, information that is more convenient, and a World Wide Web that is atuned to our individual workstyles. Operating a bit like a modern cable or satellite television service, a web portal is comprised of "channels", each offering a unique service. This talk will take a look at Web Services, the particular technology at the heart of a web channel. We will explore some sample channels now under development for the new AgNIC Portal and talk about how these channels can be utilized by other Websites.