As well as ensuring all client side code is cross browser compliant (for the CSS, javascript and XHTML), I worked on various bug fixes resulting from a very large growth of the site in a very small amount of time. This culminated in overseeing the successful integration of a brand new database into the site.

As well as the redevelopment work, I was tasked with implementing commercial takeovers. These happened on a weekly basis across various pages on the site. I implemented a timed system so that these could go up and come down automatically. The CSS (as well as any necessary javascript and html) was then produced and tested by the client before the takeover went live. Examples of takeover implementation are shown below.

I was also the technical help on the Sugarscape webchats for the games channel, where celebrities such as Alesha Dixon, Miley Cyrus and The Veronicas had webchats with the site users. This involved ensuring that the webchats themselves went smoothly for both the celebrities and the site editors and also ensuring the webchat transcript was displayed as soon as possible after the end of the webchat.

The design of the site uses CSS heavily to match the design brief originally created. By using AJAX, user are able to see the nutritional value of recipes they create while they produce them. Once recipes are produced, they are stored in a MySQL database where other users can view them, rate them and add them to their favourites. An amazon a-store was added to the site to provide an easy way of purchasing juicing solutions, such as books or juicing machines. The a-store utilised the basic amazon template which then had CSS applied in order to match the style of the main sections of the site.

An extensive pubs database was created by crawling the web for addresses. The completed listing allows users to search, browse and view pubs in their area. They can then create pub crawls which are immediately viewable in map form along with the venue details of each pub. The techniques and code used for the solution are object orientated to allow the base classes to be used on a more extensive mapping site currently being developed.

The site has to display photos, details of what I have been upto and videos of the places I go. Since I will be maintaining the site in Internet Cafes with unknown facilities, a web based content Management System is required to ensure that changes to the site content can be made quickly and easily.

The site was created using a combination of Flash, CSS, PHP and MySQL. A PHP based content management system was setup to store details of the photos, videos and diary entries stored. This also handles file uploads and deletions. The main site then loads these at runtime based on the country currently being displayed. A simple Flash menu bar was created to direct the user around the site which is then styled using CSS.

While travelling basic AJAX was added to the site to ensure that people viewing the site through Internet Explorer did not have to activate the menu bar on each page, due to changes in Internet Explorer while I was away. This was achieved through dynamically loading the content through one main page using javascript.

Year 1

• Programming Languages and Software Construction This was an practical, programming unit based on the Java programming language.
• Fundamentals of Information Systems This unit looked at the Systems Development Lifecycle with a particular emphasis on the early stages of analysis and design.

Year 2

• Data Structures and Algorithms For this unit the foundations of data and storage structures were looked at, in particular different storage structures for holding data were considered. Practical work in this unit involved the use of Java to implement the structures considered in Lectures.
• Software Development Tools This unit was practical based and used several different programming languages. Both C and C++ were considered and aspects of these covered included file handling and loop structures. The use of Java was then considered in creating Graphical User Interfaces for applications.
• Internet Technologies This unit was an introduction to internet based technologies and on the practical side concentrated on HTML and JSP to create web sites. Other web languages and technologies looked at for this unit were XML, Javabeans and Servlets.
• Systems Analysis In this unit the early stages of the Systems Lifecycle was covered in detail along with tools and techniques used. The Feasibility, Analysis and Design period of the lifecycle were covered with topics looked at including investigation methods, file design techniques and Human Computer Interface design.
• Database Systems For this unit the emergence and use of databases was considered. On the practical side of the unit SQL was used as a way of creating and manipulating database data and EER diagrams and normalisation was used as a way of designing databases. Finally Java was used in order to create standalone database applications using the JDBC interface.

Year 3

• Introductory Computer Graphics This unit was based on 2D computer graphics and covered the basics of computer graphics using C++. Topics covered included line drawing algorithms, raster graphics systems and computer fonts.
• Systems Development for the Internet Age This covered further the topics of JSP and Servlets considered in the Internet Technologies unit and also introduced Enterprise Java Beans as a way of constructing distributed web-based business solutions. The unit also considered the design and implementation of distributed server-based systems.
• Comparative Systems Development In previous units the Systems Development Lifecycle was considered as a methodology to construct computer-based systems. This unit considered other methodologies which can be used. The main methodologies looked at were the: Soft Systems Methodology, Rational Unified Process, Dynamic Systems Development Model, Jackson Systems Development and the Structured Systems Analysis and Design Methodology.