A web-based interface for the NeuroSys database project

Abstract

This paper describes and documents the implementation of a web-based interface for an existing database application. In response to the demand for managing and storing large amounts scientific data, programmers at the Center for Computational Biology at Montana State University have developed client-side software that allows a user to access, edit, and query a remote database. To use this application the client computer must have a current version of Java installed, the application must be downloaded, and browser settings may need to be adjusted. While many of the end users are computer savvy, the setup process challenges other end users. The goal of this project was to develop a server-side, web-based interface for the application that allows users to browse, query, and edit a database by simply visiting a website and logging in. Principles of good design for user interfaces and interactive systems are reviewed and the resulting system is compared with three other database applications using these design principles as criteria. Results of the comparisons are summarized and recommendations for future work on the project are made.