Zend is IGN Entertainments Next Generation Platform - Essay Example

1. Zend is IGN Entertainment’s next generation platform Zend Framework has already been adopted by many fledgling as well as formidable s to aid them in devising better PHP application (Zend Framework, 2012). Among them are Varien-Magento, the Indianapolis Speedway, Right Media, IGN Entertainment, IBM Software Group, and bwin Games AB, the latter a subsidiary of bwin Interactive AG, based in Stockholm. This case is about the adoption of Zend by Right Media in 2005. In 2005, Right Media established what it called the Right Media Exchange, an online facility that provided a meeting place for advertisers and publishers to buy and sell ad placements through an auction conducted in real-time. It operated with Right Media’s optimization technology predicting where the ads will work best (Zend Framework, 2012). The Exchange afforded buyers and sellers the opportunity to trade digital media on a common platform in a transparent setting. Because so many buyers and sellers come to view the digital products and transact openly, sellers are able to obtain the best price and buyers are able to gain the best value for their money on each transaction, because of the open auction process. Two years after its initial opening, the Exchange has grown tremendously to the point that it serviced a network of 19,000 advertisers and publishers transacting some 4 to 5 billion ads per day, and processing as much as 100,000 requests per second. The company needed to upgrade its service with a convenient and secure application that will interact with the exchange in post the ads, create the inventory, post bid and ask prices and contract the sale via auction, monitor and document the results, and otherwise assist in all the workings of the exchange. The initial foray of Right Media was to provide a Windows-based desktop application which, however, was unsuccessful in carrying out the desired tasks due to difficulty of maintenance, support issues, and frequent updating which customers resented (Zend Framework, 2012). The firm therefore set out to find a rich web application that customers may use regardless of which platform they were standardized on, and which allowed for frequent updating without too much disruption. PHP 5 was not new to Right Media; in fact, it had initially employed it in its operations as early as 2004 during the creation of the web application as it had already been the standard in the industry (Lerdorf, Tatroe & MacIntyre, 2006). There were several reasons for this choice. First is that PHP 5 was already being used by many quickly expanding top-tier web destinations such as Yahoo!, so the platform’s high-traffic production setting was already proven. PHP5 also exhibited a strong object-oriented feature set which enabled the creation of a secure infrastructure which possessed industry strength but at the same time afforded ease of speedy and reliable updating to add new capabilities (McCombs & Banh, 2009). The PHP already developed a large active user base, and enjoyed familiarity among many programmers. While Right Media had already been using PHP 5, it only belated learned about Zend Framework. When the Windows-based application it initially fielded failed, the company chose to go with Zend after a thorough study, for several reasons. The Framework provided reusable building blocks that saved the developers the effort of writing several thousand lines of code, thereby gaining in productivity. Zend components, which were assembled by some of the best programmers in the open-source community, also provided access to the best practices in the industry such as object-orientation, unit tests, documentation, and simplicity (Zend Framework, 2012). Best of all, Zend has a friendly BSD license that allows Right Media to use the code without restriction. Conversely, the company may also use only those parts of the Zend Framework which it finds useful for its purposes because of the use-at-will approach, thereby avoiding the burden of carrying those parts for which it finds no purpose in its application (Evron, 2008). It may be likely that whichever PHP framework was chosen by Right Media, it would have been able to deliver on the basic requirements for the Exchange upgrade. It is also arguable that Zend would have been the best possible alternative; however, there are many advantages the company has realized because of its decision to choose Zend, which allowed for the efficient operation of the Exchange until the present. Advantages of Zend Framework: It acts more like a library, allowing the user to pick and choose the components which makes it very convenient for use in any project the user is working on, whether new or old. It is also well dedicated to PHP 5, and allows for a great deal of customization, and to get much more solid object oriented code instead of merely boxing data up behind a ‘class’. Disadvantages of Zend Framework: There is concern about the difficulty of setting up Zend Framework projects because of the problems in configuration. However, the latest release, 1.6, now contains a too named Zend_Tool to enable setting up essential elements of a full ZF project. (Porębski, Przystalski, &Nowak, 2011). 2. The development of an interface for mobiles devices This case examines the client interface component developed for the CoMPASS (Combining Mobile Personalised Applications with Spatial Services). The need for such an innovation was born out of the complexity with which Geographic Information Systems (GIS) and Location Based Systems have developed. The wide variety and sophistication of mobile devices and their uses have created problems relating to geospatial applications for location-based services. There are limitations that constrain mobile device operations, including small user interface footprint and pen input onto virtual keyboard while in motion. The result is that multimodal mobile use has redounded to information overload on those devices and interfaces, particularly for the mobile GIS applications with limited interaction techniques. Furthermore, user friendly operation becomes paramount since more GIS mobile users today are novices such as tourists (Doyle, Bertolotto & Wilson, 2009) The interface issue came about due to the tendency of mobile device designers to provide for users the ability to access powerful computing service via small interfaces with small visual displays and inefficient input techniques. These problems are exacerbated by the physical motion that usually attends the use of mobile devices, the fact that the use of mobile devices is location-dependent, and the safety considerations for users of such devices who may be driving. CoMPASS is described as a complex GIS that demonstrates full geospatial functionality throughout its client interface. It supports traditional GIS functions such as navigation and querying; more than this, however, it provides a personalised map detail to its users, and supports annotation functionality and Progressive Vector Transmission. Thus, the design of the CoMPASS multimodal mobile user interface required the provision of intuitive methods of interaction in order that this type of functionality may serve effectively in mobile environments (Doyle, et al., 2009 p. 137). As a device that serves multimodal interaction, the interface design focused on how and application may best be enhanced through different input modalities, such as combining oral messages with visual information to aid target location tasks. For instance, the interface provides oral feedback to the user which are composed of short phrases such as: On the left [of the screen]” or “At the bottom”; this proved to be more efficient and accurate than without any oral output. On the page following is a figure adopted from Doyle, et al. (2009, p. 1420), showing the structure and flow of the client module. The figure provides a block diagram presentation of the principal functional components (server, client interface and client processing). The client interface displays for the client the geospatial data received from the CoMPASS server. It also captures user interactions. The actual processing of such interactions are performed by the client, which includes navigation, manipulation, querying, and annotation. The results of the processing is thereafter displayed and visualized in the interface. In this system, there is a three-fold function which the interface is expected to perform. First, it allows users to visualise the map content, because this provides the basis for the geospatial information that CoMPASS processes. The second is to allow the users to interact with the map features. Finally it should be able to capture all the interactions of the user, whether explicit or implicit, in order to create their user profile, or update it if one already exists. The manner users interact with the map is often the wild card in this context, because the interaction comes in several forms. There is the pen-based input (gestures and handwriting), voice-based input (commands and dictation), and vision-based information (gestures), the first two of which are active and the last passive. Active forms of interaction can more directly convey user intention, but the same is not true of passive forms which do not involve an intentional input from the user (Doyle, et al. 2010). Instead, the interface infers the user’s intention from their implicit movements, which can sometimes be misread by the system. The client interface likewise returns a feedback in either audio or visual form to the user as well as creates a visual display for their queries and interactions. This feedback, which is not present in many client interface designs, is the advantage in this case because it allows for confirmation from the user to the interface as to whether the user’s inputs have been correctly interpreted. Advantage of a client interface GIS system: It is possible to visualize information spatially using maps instead of being provided tabulated data. The graphical presentation is more user friendly. It is a powerful tool for marketing, environmental studies, and various other such applications. Disadvantage of a client interface GIS system: The customer must be ready to defray the higher cost required, particularly for the necessary software. It also necessitates a very large amount of input data, increasing the chances of errors in either the meta data or in the location of data points. (Doyle, et al., 2010). 3. Electronic Payment (e-Payment) Systems Electronic payment has changed the landscape of banking services over the past thirty years. Because of the increasingly innovative technological applications, there have been broad impacts on the financial and commercial systems globally. Bibuljica (2011) noted that by nature the banking industry is constrained by traditional and conventional methods, aside from the requisite strict compliance with regulatory standards not only by the national authorities but by international financial agencies and professional organisations. Because of the increasing volume and value of transactions particularly in relation to foreign trade and investment, pressure has mounted for the financial intermediation industry to break out of the traditional systems and adopt processes that would favour the use of electronic payment systems. On a global scale, the automation of transactions relied upon the measures set up by the US government in the sixties, particularly the automatic clearing bank and the national interbank electronic payment system. From the early payments architecture employed by CHIPS and Fedwire, banking technology has graduated to the present international banking payment system based in Brussels (Bibuljica, 2011). The foregoing highlights several issues that have emerged in relation to e-payment systems. One is the need to adapt conventional accounting systems in two ways. One is to adjust accounting systems to the new technology, streamlining the traditional processes without sacrificing conservatism in reporting and control. Another is to create convergence between the major accounting standards used by different countries. Without a common standard to support the international financial systems, there will be great difficulty in establishing electronic payment systems that would serve international travellers and businesses in international trade. Probably the most important technological issue on the matter of electronic payment that have a bearing on the banking industry is that of security measures. The financial industry functions entirely on the concept of fidelity or trust, which means that the customer will be willing to entrust his money and fiduciary transactions to the institutions secure in the thought that the banks will exercise faithful custody of them (Van Slyke & Belanger, 2003). Unfortunately, the electronic nature of the service is likewise what makes possible hacking and electronic theft, as well as other means by which fraud may be perpetuated (Alley & Toleman, 2011). Over time, consumers make use of more mobile devices by which to transact e-payments, such as their mobile phones, personal digital assistance, personal computers, electronic pads and other communication devices. This increases the possibility that security and privacy of transactions may be breached (Armesh, Saljoughi & Kord, 2010). Several directions are indicated in securing electronic payment systems. One is the need to keep monetary and proprietary information secure when they are transmitted over the internet. This reduces the likelihood that a third party may intercept sensitive information that would provide them access to the sender’s accounts and other confidential data. But while the sender’s information should be secure, there should also be some method by which the receiving vendor or bank could verify the identity of the sender. The disadvantage of the online merchant or bank compared to brick-and-mortar institutions is that not only do they not have visual confirmation of the person transacting with them, but they also operate in a non-cash as well as a card-not-present environment. The lack of tangible means of identity verification makes the online payment system highly vulnerable to fraud (Federal Trade Commission, 2005). There are protocols that may be used to enhance e-payment security, but they are not without shortcomings. Secure Socket Layering (SLL), for instance, protects e-customers from eavesdropping, but presumes that the merchants make sure their customers’ information is kept private. Some credit card companies have established their own comprehensive protocols such as Secure Electronic Transaction (SET) systems, which hide details of the customer’s purchase and verifies the identity of both purchaser and institution. Identity may also be verified by the two-factor authentification method, where the debit/credit cardholder is required to carry additional hardware devices to complete the transaction – which in itself is its disadvantage, because there will be times the purchaser will not have the additional device available. A fourth protocol involves encryption, where sensitive data are encrypted (coded) by a variety of algorithms (Armesh, et al., 2010). Continuing development or protocols is needed because fraudsters continuously develop new methods of breaching known security measures. Advantages: Electronic currency payment systems allow for privacy, integrity, compatibility, good transaction efficiency, low financial risk, and anonymity. It is convenient for individuals to use for paying bills, making purchases at unconventional locations at any time of the day and any day of the week, saving time and saving customers the risk of bringing cash. Disadvantages: The downside of using electronic currency payment systems is the lack of authentication, the repudiation of charges, and the danger of credit card fraud. Any unauthorized user may transact in the name of the cardholder before the card could be reported stolen. Furthermore, most sites require that an online account be opened by the customer with them, requiring registration to allow for authorization to transact with the institution, which may be time-consuming and cumbersome. (Keck, 2010). References Ally, M & Toleman, M 2011 “A Framework for Assessing Payment Security Mechanisms and Security Information on E-commerce Web Sites”. Accessed 20 February 2012 from http://eprints.usq.edu.au/857/1/Ally_Toleman.pdf Armesh, H; Saljoughi, Z S; Kord, B. 2010 “Electronic Payment and its Implications.” Interdisciplinary Journal of Contemporary Research in Business, Dec 2010, Vol. 2 Issue 8, p246-255 Bibuljica, H 2011 “Electronic Payments And Maintenance Of Information Systems.” Journal of Advanced Research in Management, Vol. 1 Issue 3, p14-19 Canada Newswire 2011 “Entrust Answers the Call for Mobile Security -- for Apple®, RIM®, Windows® Phone and Android(TM) Devices -- with a Single Software Platform” TX-EntrustMobileSecur, Canada Newswire. Crowder, T 2011 “Electronic Payment Innovations.” Claims, Nov 2011, Vol. 59 Issue 11, p36-39 Doyle, J; Bertolotto, M; Wilson, D 2010 “Evaluating the benefits of multimodal interface design for CoMPASS—a mobile GIS.” GeoInformatica, Apr 2010, Vol. 14 Issue 2, p135-162; DOI: 10.1007/s10707-009-0079-2 Evron, S 2008 “Zend Framework Components for Non-Framework Development,” Dynamic Languages World Europe 2008, Zend Technologies Federal Trade Commission, Consumer Fraud and Identity Theft Complaint Data 2012 available at: http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel/pubs/Top10Fraud2005.pdf accessed on: 20-02-2012 Keck, J A 2010 Electronic Payment Systems. Viewpoint. WWR’s governmental Collections newsletter. Available at http://www.marketwatch.com/story/benefits-of-online-bill-paying Lerdorf, R; Tatroe, K; & MacIntyre, P 2006 Programming PHP. O’Reilly Media, Inc., Sebastopol, CA Mccombs, A & Banh, R 2009 The Definitive Guide to Magento. Springer-Verlag New York, NY Porębski, B, Przystalski, K & Nowak , L 2011 Building PHP Appplications with Symfony, CakePHP, and Zend Framework. Wrox. Van Slyke, C & Belanger, F 2003 E - Business Technologies. John Wiley & Sons, Inc, Zend Framework Case Studies 2012 “IGN Entertainment, Division of Fox Interactive Media, Chooses Zend to Build Next Generation Platform” Zend Framework Case Study. Accessed 22 February 2012 from http://framework.zend.com/casestudies/ZFCaseStudy-RightMedia.pdf Read More