User- and Locker-Served HTML Document Service

A modified of the NCSA httpd WWW server was created to provide the following functionality. Note that the "stock" NCSA httpd must be modified to accommodate our file-systems (NFS & AFS).

What is this service?

The goals of this project are to provide a mechanism which provides an easy and convenient way for users or groups (through lockers) to provide access to HTML documents.

All of the information that you make accessible is governed by the guidelines documented in the following sections in the OLC Stock Answers database:

  1. General Information
    1. Official Policies (that you should be aware of)
      1. ISU Code of Computer Ethics 
      2. MIDnet Acceptable Use Policy 
      3. NSFnet Acceptable Use Policy

After your username or locker is registered, there is a file-system to URL mapping like this:

Example 1:
        /home/username/WWW/homepage.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~username

        /home/lockername/WWW/homepage.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lockername

Example 2:
        /home/username/WWW/homepage.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~username/homepage.html

        /home/lockername/WWW/homepage.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lockername/homepage.html

Example 3:
        /home/username/WWW/dir1/file1.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~username/dir1/file1.html

        /home/lockername/WWW/dir1/file1.html
           -> http://www.public.iastate.edu/~lockername/dir1/file1.html

Note the the URL "http://www.public.iastate.edu/~username" will automatically pick up the file "homepage.html". The file 'homepage.html' will be the "homepage" for these User- and Locker-Served directories. (This filename is NOT open for discussion.)

How to make it work

The WWW directory and all files below it must be world readable. All subdirectories under the WWW directory must also be assigned the same access rights as the WWW directory in order to be accessible.

Note: In the following examples, replace 'filesystem' with the username or lockername you wish to serve documents from.

AFS Instructions:

        vincent% cd /home/filesystem
        vincent% fs sa . system:anyuser l
        vincent% mkdir WWW
        vincent% fs sa WWW system:anyuser rl

NFS Instructions:

        vincent% cd /home/filesystem
        vincent% chmod o+x .
        vincent% mkdir WWW
        vincent% chmod o+rx WWW

Remember that all files must be world readable also. An easy way to ensure this is to issue the following command:

        vincent% chmod -R +r ~/WWW

Where to go for help

General WWW stuff

For assistance on general World Wide Web issues, start by pulling down the "Help" menu in Mosaic. You'll find the following menu items (which are actually links to HTML documents). I've marked what I consider to be the "must see" documents with *'s.

    Help
        About...
        Manual...
       *What's New...
       *Demo...
        On Version 2.2...
        On Window...
       *On FAQ...
       *On HTML...
       *On URLs...

Additionally, examine the "starting points" and "meta-index" items in the "Navigate" menu.

Remember, every document you look at is an HTML example. You can always select "View Source" from the "File" menu.

Experimental User- and Locker-Served HTML Document Service

Run the User/Locker Registration program pubwww_reg. If you represent a group then I strongly suggest that you use a locker because usernames can and do change/expire.
Triple check directory permissions. (This will be the #1 problem that people have.)
Contact the Help Room, 138 Durham, for assistance.
Report the problem in olc on Project Vincent.