nunatak informatics/Jay Brown - Portfolio:
Web Application Development

This page outlines all of the web application development projects I have been involved with over the years. Most of the project are complete systems where I was the sole developer, while some involved a larger team or the application was part of a larger site. Each entry states the organization and project name along with the timeframe for the project, although the majority were not full-time for the duration. Then there is a description of the project and some of the highlights or challenges, followed by a list of technologies involved. (See also: System Administration portfolio)

Natural Resources Canada: Office of Energy Efficiency – QTOOL  (Apr. - Oct 2003)

The software aims to give purchasers of alternative fuel vehicles an easy-to-use tool to determine the cost-effectiveness of purchasing original equipment manufacturer (OEM) vehicles capable of operating on alternative fuels. The heart of the program is a dynamic calculator that works with figures for a vehicle, government rebates, and fuel costs to illustrate marginal costs and ammortization.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Access 2000, HTML 4, CCS2, JavaScript 1.3

Natural Resources Canada: Office of Energy Efficiency – Personal Vehicles Adminstration  (June 2003)

The NRCan client needed an application to manage all of the data for the Personal Vehicle Program. Their database contains over 5000 vehicles for model years 1995-2003, each with more than 20 fields of data. The application provides a streamlined interface to manage those records and add new vehicles with optional photos, as well as functions to calculate the overall and class rankings for each year.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Access 2000, HTML 4, CCS2, JavaScript 1.3

Natural Resources Canada - Ratings Guide  (March 2003)

This is a companion application to the "Statement of Qualifications" application (see below), both of which are used by government managers in the hiring process. This application will be used to guide the manager through the interview process for their candidates. It uses the same database as the original system so the manager can see a list of suggested questions associated with the qualifications for the position. The end product is a template for the interview with each page containing a qualification, the associated question, criteria and expected responses, and scoring columns - all of which is saved to a bilingual, legal-size RTF document. There is also an administrative component to the system for the HR group to manage the data.
Technology: Windows 2000 Server, ColdFusion 5, Oracle 9, HTML 4, CCS2, JavaScript 1.3, Fusebox 3

Natural Resources Canada: Office of Energy Efficiency - FleetSmart Discussion Forums  (Dec. 2002 - Feb. 2003)

This is an on-going project for the OEE to allow the Commercial Vehicle community to discuss issues pertaining to their industry. The application was custom-built for NRCan to allow moderation and translation in the usual "Category/Topic/Message" strucutre.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Access 2000, HTML 4, CCS2, Fusebox 3

Natural Resources Canada - Ratings Guide  (March 2003)

This is a companion application to the "Statement of Qualifications" application (see below), both of which are used by government managers in the hiring process. This application will be used to guide the manager through the interview process for their candidates. It uses the same database as the original system so the manager can see a list of suggested questions associated with the qualifications for the position. The end product is a template for the interview with each page containing a qualification, the associated question, criteria and expected responses, and scoring columns - all of which is saved to a bilingual, legal-size RTF document. There is also an administrative component to the system for the HR group to manage the data.
Technology: Windows 2000 Server, ColdFusion 5, Oracle 9, HTML 4, CCS2, JavaScript 1.3, Fusebox 3

Natural Resources Canada: Office of Energy Efficiency - Personal Vehicle Program  (Dec. 2002 - Feb. 2003)

This useful site was totally redesigned with current web technologies and CLF-compliance. The is a general ColdFusion framework to manage the site along with serveral embedded applications (e.g. Fuel Consumption Guide, Find & Compare Vehicles, Driving Schools) that deliver lots of data about vehicles.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Access 2000, HTML 4, CCS2, CLF

Nokia: Networking Division - Sales Tools Survey + Circle of Excellence (Dec. 2002 - Jan. 2003)

These are two "internal" applications for the Nokia sales staff. The first is a straight-forward survey composed of dozens of multiple choice, ranking, and/or text quesions. The second is a booking system for reward travel for the top sales people; it collected contact information, flight information, room preferences, and activity selections. Both applications had sizeable adminstration areas with numerous reporting options.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Access 2000, HTML 4, CCS, JavaScript 1.3, Fusebox 3

Natural Resources Canada - Directory of People and Services   (Sept. - Nov. 2002)

They have some old web applications written in Livewire that need to be converted to ColdFusion. At the same time the government Common Look and Feel (CLF) standard is being applied to the updated application.
Technology: ColdFusion 5, Oracle 9, HTML 4, CLF, Fusebox 3

Intelligent Photonics Control - MRP System   (June - Oct. 2002)

This ambitious project is designed to centralize and facilitate several aspects of the company's operation. There is a module for Supply Chain Management that is capable of creating requisitions, with charge codes, quote uploads, and management approval, and the related purchase orders, with shipping/receiving tracking, terms and conditions, and printable forms. There is also a module to track Engineering Changes through the various processes (requests, experiments, documentation, approvals, implementation, revisions), complete with document management capabilities. The system uses LDAP for both authentication and as a directory of employees and vendors.
Technology: Mandrake Linux, Sun Solaris, Apache 1.3, PHP 4.2, MySQL 3.23, OpenLDAP 2, HTML 4, CSS2, JavaScript 1.3, Fusebox 3

Statistics Canada - Application Software Registry   (Jan. - June 2002)

A division of StatsCan acquired the source code for the Software Registry that I had developed for DFO a few years ago. They contracted me to guide their internal developers and help with any development problems as they integrated and customized the application.
Technology: Windows 2000 Server, ColdFusion 4.5, MS SQL Server 7, HTML4, JavaScript 1.2, Fusebox

HRDC: National Student Loans Service Centre - Canlearn Interactive   (Dec. 2001 - Mar. 2002)

Focused primarily on the "Find It!" section of the web site
Technology: Windows 2000 Server, ColdFusion 5, Oracle 8i, HTML 4, CSS2, JavaScript 1.2, CLF

tomoye - Portal Software   (July 2000 - Aug. 2001)

I was the system/network administrator and a member of the development team for an Internet software start-up. The development work involved a team of four programmers using PHP and MySQL to create portal software.
Technology: Redhat Linux 6.2, Apache 1.3, PHP 4, WDDX, JavaScript 1.2, MySQL 3.23, CLF

Carleton University - Startups Portal   (Sept. - Oct. 2000)

"Startup Central" is a list of companies in the Ottawa area as a service to students. It can be searched by company name, by technology sector, or by size.
Technology: Apache 1.3, PHP3, MySQL 3.23, Fusebox

Natural Resources Canada - Statement of Qualifications Application   (Aug. - Oct. 2000)

The system provides a "wizard" for managers to generate "Statement of Qualifications" documents for hiring. The application guides the user through a series of screens prompting them with information appropriate to the position in question. At the end of the process, a preview of the complete information is displayed and the user can save the work to a file for editing in their word processor. There is also an administrative component to the system with numerous forms and lists, to allow the HR group can manage the data. Note: This application was placed on the Fed. Gov. Knowledge Sharing database and is currently being used by at least 20 other departments.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Oracle 7, HTML 3.2, JavaScript 1.1, Fusebox

Canadian Teachers' Federation (CTF) - Event Registration Engine   (June - July 2000)

This is a generic system to record participants at national meetings and conferences. The participant can register online noting their contact data, arrival time, and preferred workshops.
Technology: GNU/Linux Debian 2.1, Apache 1.3, PHP3, MySQL 3.23, Fusebox

Financials.com - Cobrand Service   (May - June 2000)

Financials.com is a web site that provides financial data, such as stock quotes and annual reports. Functionality was added to the existing software to allow other sites to access the financial data provided by the primary site. This wizard allows customers to set up new accounts, customize look and feel of the section, and select the types of information they require for their site.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.2

JDS Uniphase - Image Catalog   (May 2000)

This application is a central repository of images of company products and components. Each image is categorized then provided with a description and keywords for easy searching. The images are used within the organization for web sites, marketing, and other communication materials.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Access 97, JavaScript 1.2, Fusebox

Repo.com - Web-based Mail   (March 2000)

This company wanted to provide email accounts for their members. This is a powerful system to read mail, store contacts, and schedule appointments - all using a browser.
Technology: Redhat Linux 5.2, Apache 1.3, PHP3, TWIG, PostgreSQL 6.3.2

Canadian Teachers' Federation - Hit the Books   (March 2000)

This is system allows teachers to order educational and motivational materials over the web. The web application is tied into a backend database that allows staff to track and process orders as they arrive.
Technology: GNU/Linux Debian 2.1, Apache 1.3, PHP3, MySQL 3.23

Cognos - Year 2000 Server Status Monitor   (Dec. 2000)

The IT department realized late in the year that they could benefit from a central application that would gather reports about status of their various facilities around the world during the year 2000 rollover. This system provided an interface to input that information, store the data, and display dynamic reports about technical systems throughout their operations.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Access 97, Fusebox

Department of Fisheries and Oceans - Application Software Registry   (Sept. 1999 - Mar. 2000)

A technology branch of this department needed a way to track all of their software. This system contains detailed information about each version of every piece of software, including contacts, development cycle, components, documentation, and deployment. It is a fully bilingual system with full reporting and administration modules, as well as some embedded Crystal Reports(. This is a large application, with five levels of security, which could be deployed nationally. Note: Nominated for a "Technology in Government Distinction Award" for year 2000.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Access 97, Oracle 7.4, HTML4, JavaScript 1.2, CSS1, Fusebox

Canadian Teachers' Federation - Edcetera   (June - July 1999)

This organization wanted to port their internal lexicon database to a Web-based application. The application is a trilingual (English, French, and Spanish) database of terms and phrases used in the education field.
Technology: GNU/Linux Debian 2.1, Apache 1.3, PHP3, MySQL 3.23, Fusebox

Club Managers Association of America - Online Image Audit   (Jan. - Apr. 1999)

They wanted a quiz for members to help improve their skills. The assessment consists of approximately 100 multiple-choice questions, divided among ten sections. There is only one correct answer, and each response has feedback associated with it. Members login each time so they can stop the quiz at any point and the application will remember where they left off. After completing all sections, the user is shown statistics and graphs of their results. There is also a full question management system for administrators.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.1

St. John Ambulance - Online Catalogue   (Oct. - Dec. 1998)

This well-known organization wanted a fully dynamic catalogue of their various types of merchandise. The catalogue engine can display thumbnails, sale prices, and stock numbers, as well as an image, description, and price for each item. It also has the ability to prompt for colour and sizing options when applicable. The system can remember customers and transactions.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.0

Trekware - Palm Map Download   (Oct. - Dec. 1998)

This company needed an application to distribute their interactive mapping application for the Palm Pilot( organizer. The system prompts the customer for a login and then gives them access to a set of binary files, depending on which Trekware product was purchased.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.2

Ottawa Centre for Research and Innovation (OCRI) - Event & Conference Registration   (Oct. - Nov. 1998)

This application handles the different methods of registration (e.g. fax, email, secure) and the different activities (e.g. events, conferences) for OCRI's public events. This system also keeps track of users so their data will be recalled when they return to the site.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.2

IDRC: Office for Central and Eastern Europe Initiatives (OCEEI) - Project Management System   (Jun. 1998 - Mar. 1999)

This is a complete information management solution for the OCEEI office. It enables them to follow a project from its proposal phase through approvals, budgeting, and execution. An exciting feature of this system is that it allows them to share this information with their counterparts in Eastern Europe. Managers can generate a variety of powerful reports based on numerous criteria.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Access 97, JavaScript 1.2

Bellanet - GK-AIMS Redesign   (May - Sept. 1998)

This is a powerful multi-lingual system that includes a complex search and reporting mechanism, a queuing system for administrative approval of public records, and a document library. Users entering this system from various entry points manoeuvre the site with a customized interface to the same database. The look and scope of the data is fitted to their personal needs.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1 (session variables), SQL Server 6.5

Communication Canada - Intranet Search Engine   (Mar. - Apr. 1998)

This organization was just at the beginning of implementing a dynamic intranet structure. The first phase was to install ColdFusion on their web server and create an interface to search their existing information. Verity's Search97 engine, which was bundled with ColdFusion 3.1, was used to index and search thousands of bilingual web pages and binary documents.
Technology: NT Server 3.5, ColdFusion 3.1, Verity

IDRC - Publications Mailing List Management   (Feb. 1998 - July 1998)

A value-added contact database used to track delivery requests for numerous publications. Each record stores information about organization type, occupation, interests, and language preferences.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, SQL Server 6.5, JavaScript 1.2

Bellanet - Lessons Learned in International Development (LID)   (Feb. - Apr. 1998)

The LID project was created for Bellanet in order to allow organizations in the international development field to share what they have learned while executing projects. This system has mechanisms for browsing and full text searching on specified records as well as a set of membership management tools.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1 (client variables), Access 97, Verity

IDRC: The Acacia Initiative - Pipeline reports   (Jan. - Mar 1998, Dec. 1998 - Mar. 1999)

This site is also divided into the public and administrative sides. On the public side, users may only browse a list of publicly accessible projects. On the internal side of the site, both public and private records are available. From here, projects may be added, have their status changed, or even removed from the system. A pipeline report displays financial indicators helping to keep track of project spending for a given time period. There is also a file repository that allows different types of data to be shared via a web browser. An administrator can make a record private or public at any time.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3.1, Access 97

British Books @ American Prices - Web Store   (Jan. - Feb. 1998)

British Books wanted to automate their catalogue publishing and order fulfillment processes. AbleCommerce, an e-commerce application written in ColdFusion, was deployed to create a custom store-front and shopping cart.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3, Access 97, AbleCommerce

IDRC: Foodlinks - Project Tracking System   (Oct. 1997 - Apr. 1998)

This program needed a system to manage the batches of proposals they were receiving. Each proposal is evaluated on numerous criteria by multiple staff. The scores and comments from all evaluations are available to the lead person who then make a decision of approval, clarification, or rejection. An approved proposal moves through several project stages where budgets, reports, and further evaluations are created and managed. Key attributes of this system include workflow, custom reports, detailed project tracking, and a contact database.
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 3, Access 97, JavaScript 1.2

Canadian Teachers' Federation - Publications Catalogue   (Oct. 1997)

CTF has a list of publications that it is selling to teachers and the general public via the Internet. The publications department wanted a concise purchase order to help them process transactions. A CGI script, using PERL, takes the order from the web, calculates shipping and taxes, and then sends the information to a designated email account for processing.
Technology: NT Server 4, Perl 5 (Win32), HTML

Ontario Boat Exchange - Online Catalogue   (Aug. 1997)

This site enabled individuals and marinas to list new and used boats for sale. The result was clean and easy listing of items that could be browsed and searched by numerous criteria. It also featured the option to display different numbers of results per page (e.g. 10 items per page).
Technology: NT Server 4, ColdFusion 2.5, Access 95