Final Year College Project Idea - WAP Webmail / WAP Web-DB -Help/Advice needed

Faltermyer

Hi, im a final year Computers degree student and my friend and I are trying to decide on a final year project.

We've narrowed in down to a three ideas.

The first being an extension of our 3rd year project which was Space Invaders in OpenGL. It was pretty basic so we would add: Add sound, Network Gameplay, Menu's, Scoreboard, Improve graphics etc. This we dont need any help here on as we are reasonably familiar with what would be involved.

The other two idea's Ive had:

1. WAP Webmail - a WAP Email service - not an email client for a phone, but like a Yahoo/Hotmail on WAP. Something along the lines of what can be done using O2 or Meteor's email sites on WAP - either like the MyMail service or as it used to be previous to this. i.e. Inbox-Read&Delete, Compose-Store as draft or Send.

2. WAP Web-Database - i.e. A site hosting Images, Games, Ringtones with categories that can be browsed over wap and then downloaded to the phone.

While I am pretty familiar with phones and WAP itself thanks to my job and an interest in this area, I dont really know what would be involved to develop one of the above.

We have both coded in Java and C++. Though not as huge amount. Our project last year was probably the most we've ever coded in C++ and we've not done anything that size in Java. We have done some basic C++ Socket programming and some basic JDBC stuff with Oracle, though would need a fair bit of work to know it now. I am also CCNA certified but I doubt that would be relevant to the above idea's.

So we are looking for some advised/guidance as to the above:
-Languages
-Software/Development environments
-Interconnections?(e.g. to connect whatever controls the email to being displayed on the WAP page.)

Please bear in mind neither of us are top of our class, nor do we spend much time outside of college messing with coding/computer stuff in general(bar the usual stuff-www, music, and some gaming), but we are interested, as we are taking 4th year seriously, we are prepared to put in a decent bit of work on this.

Any advice appreciated.

damnyanks

Well it really shouldnt be any different from making a stand alone HTML version instead of WML.

Might be easier for you guys to go with a web scripting language (Asp.net, PHP, Coldfusion, Perl and whatever else)

They should all do the job. Its just a matter of drawing up the right system plan I guess

Faltermyer

Ok, must not have made it clear enough, we dont know whats involved in a webmail at all yet so we need guidance for that first and then whats defferent in making it for use over WAP. Same also applies for any form of WAP site as we've no experience in it at all yet.

Tom Dunne

Personally, I think you should steer clear of WAP. It's an old technology, that was commercially a flop and I doubt it would impress a project supervisor.

Of course, if you ignore my humble advice, the likes of a WAP webmail service is really only putting a web (albeit in WML) front-end on a mail server. You should be able to knock something up in PHP. Think of it as translating from one format to another.

chakotha

Hi

There is a series of 3 very good tutorials on DevShed showing how to write a webmail client in PHP

Part 1
Building A PHP-Based Mail Client (part 1)

The Corinthian

tom dunne wrote:

Personally, I think you should steer clear of WAP. It's an old technology, that was commercially a flop and I doubt it would impress a project supervisor.

WAP was a technology that was rushed out before it was realistically viable and overhyped, back in 1998-99. Since the advent of GPRS, however, it is has become heavily used and has become both more stable and commercially viable. Most WAP-based applications nowadays are not even billed as WAP - Java game or polyphonic ringtone delivery or MMS being the best examples.

Nonetheless, your supervisor may still be unimpressed by your use of WAP. Then again, if your supervisor was really up to speed with what’s going on in the industry, he/she would have a real job.

With regard to Webmail / DB access over WAP, PHP (as has been suggested) would the easiest platform to develop in – but to be honest, you can do so in any language (I’ve done so with ASP, PHP and Java). For emulators, use both the Nokia and Openwave free emulators. Google and you’ll find it’s already been done and is available, TBH. The most important thing to consider with WAP is that WML is not the same as HTML and developing for a handheld device has its own usability issues, so a straight porting of a Web based application may prove unusable in practical terms.

If I might make a few suggestions on more interesting twist to your two WAP based project ideas, however:

1. WAP Webmail - You might introduce a process on the server that polls your account for new messages then sends a WAP Push message to your phone, prompting you to connect to collect the message.
2. WAP Web-Database - Do a telephone directory. Most WAP devices allow you to ‘link’ a phone number so that when selected your phone will dial it. Some will even allow you to add the number to your phonebook.

HTH

eviefahy

Hi guys, Ive just joined this...Im doing a Software development FYP this year and need a few ideas if anyone has any!! Im using WAMP (windows,apache,mySQL and php,) with an SSL. I know what technologies Im using but dont really have any idea as to what the project should do! Im interested in music and reading and (IT obviously!)...Please help!
thanks Yvonne

cgarvey

The Corinthian wrote: »

Then again, if your supervisor was really up to speed with what’s going on in the industry, he/she would have a real job.

Ouch. So that you know, many do! We're called external supervisors and many colleges employ us to stay in contact with industry.

As for ideas, my usual advice is to skip the technology decisions (which tend to be too within the comfort zone/curriculum) until you've chosen a subject you are interested in. Without interest, it's hard to motivate.

AARRRGH

Tbh, I think your project ideas are too easy. I could easily write those in a week, and I'm no expert.

If I were you, I'd try to pick something which will challenge you, and which your supervisor will understand took a lot of effort.

How long do you have to complete your project?

John_Mc

AARRRGH wrote: »

Tbh, I think your project ideas are too easy. I could easily write those in a week, and I'm no expert.

If I were you, I'd try to pick something which will challenge you, and which your supervisor will understand took a lot of effort.

How long do you have to complete your project?

+1

The Corinthian

Who resurrected this thread? The technology discussed is so old that I'm cringing that I wrote on it, even if it was four years ago.

AARRRGH

Ah I didn't realise it was four years old!

Bah!

Evil Phil

Yeah, I'm locking this one.