3 Website-Web Portal

Transcript

Hello friends. I am sure you are already into e-Learning, what we discussed in previous class and harnessing the benefits of e-Learning. And in this discussion we will be looking into the differences between websites and web portals. I am sure some of you might be aware of the differences between the website and a web portal. But many times maybe knowingly or unknowingly, we try to use these websites or the web portals in a synonymous way.

There are clear cut differences between these two issues. So let us look into them one by one. Basically a website is a collection of inter-linked web pages. Typically hosted from a single domain. A website consists of number of web pages and all of them are inter-linked. A website is accessible over Internet or a private network such as the local area network or with the help of the URL (Uniform Resource Locator). You can easily locate it.

Features of Website

But the features of website include,

• It is visible to everyone. Once I launch or host a website. So it means each and everyone, who is having an Internet connectivity can have an access to the contents of the website that you have prepared.
• And there is no restrictions like login or password etc etc.
• Then the content remains same for every user. So user to user there is no variation in the content, which we observe in other concepts. But it is not like this.

Web Portal

Then coming to the web portal. Web portal is basically a personal location on the Internet. It means it has all those security aspects which the website lacks. So this is what is the basic difference between the web mportal and the website. Then it can be reached only with a user-id and a password. It means the security concerns are there. So that is how every user who wants to enter into a particular portal needs to have a specific user-id as well as the password.

Then web portal is specially designed website, that brings information from diverse sources like maybe e-mail, online forums, search engines together in an uniform way. The sources are common, but its processing and content as well as its delivery is different in case of website and web portal. Usually each information source get its dedicated area on the page for displaying information, that we call it as a portlet. Often the user can configure, which ones to display.

So there is the concept of selectivity. Which content is to be shown to which user, so that the person who hosts this web portal is the decision maker.

Features of a Web Portal

Then coming to the features of a web portal.

• It is public as well as private interface is there. So it is open to the public, provided you have the security measures with you or the openings with you. Maybe the user id as well as the password. Then only it is interface. Then you can access this interface.
• Then access for multiple user role. You can act as an administrator. You can act as an end-user, you can act as a subject matter specialist. There are number of roles depending on the construction of this web portal. So the roles are being assigned and accordingly the responsibilities are given. And accordingly you will be having access to the content in that particular domain.
• Then the personal login is required. So this is what is the basic feature which differentiates the web portal from the website.
• The dynamic content changes frequently than the website. Because it is highly personalized in nature. So each and every user of a web portal is getting his updated information, which is specifically for him and he cannot have an access to the others. But the content in the website is open for all. Anybody can go and see there, and it is common for them, so that is what is the basic difference.
• Then content is unique to the user based on the group member setting. So you are registering to a particular web portal for a specific purpose, for getting a specific information; the required information. And accordingly your login credentials are given to you. Then accordingly you have access to only that particular content. Nothing other than that.
• Then it offers content from various sources. So that depends on the person who designs that. And what are the sources of information that he has. All those things will be accessible to the user of a web portal.

Classification of Web Portal

Then coming to the classification of web portal. So the first type of web portal that we come across is the Horizontal Web Portal.

Which is a specialized portal for a number of stakeholders. To go into for serving a specific purpose. That maybe related to the production information or the processing information or the marketing information. You have a specific role to play and accordingly you will be getting that particular information. And you will be given access to that particular area wherein you are registering yourself. So that’s what is the horizontal portal

Vertical Portal

Coming to the vertical portal or popularly known as the ‘Vortal’ also.

• So it is a specialized entry point to a specific market, subject area or interest of the choice of the person, who is entering into this vertical portal.
• The vertical information portal provide the news, editorial content, then digital publications, e-commerce capabilities so on so forth. That depends on the need of the end-user, accordingly he is providing the services.
• Then it provides the dynamic multi-media applications, including the social networking, video posting as well as blogging. All these facilities are there in the vertical portal.

So that is how you keep on enhancing your contents and the sources of information. And this is what is the basic feature of vertical portal.

Now if you look into this particular slide. So which shows the website of the Banaras Hindu University, wherein each and every individual having access to the contents of this, and it contains number of web pages. You go on searching for topic of your interest, it is there and you can get lot of information with the help of this website, just accessing the different pages.

But when you come to this slide. Which shows that it is the student’s portal of the Banaras Hindu University. So wherein each and every student is given a login credentials; user name as well as password. He can access the content. Maybe he can look into his marks in a particular semester. He can look into the contents, maybe educational contents using that portal. And maybe he can look into his grade point averages etc etc are the facilities that are given to the students and accordingly he will be updating himself.

Then coming to the point wise differences between the website and web portal.

• Base: If we look into the fundamental aspect or the basic aspect. The website is the location on the internet, accessed through a URL, but the web portal provides a particular point of right of entry. Without that right of entry, you cannot enter into a web portal.
• Element: the element that is present in the website is the process by an institution or an organization. There also an institution or organization coming into the picture, but with certain restrictions. As I have shown you the website as well as web portal of Banaras Hindu University, wherein in case of portal, there are restrictions for entry. Maybe as a faculty member or maybe as a student. You have a restriction, that is what is the basic difference.
• Interface: the interface in case of website is one way. But the interface in case of web portal is two way. You cannot ask questions in a website. But you can ask questions in a portal. If your marks are wrongly entered, if your name is wrongly entered or if your OGP is wrongly entered or if you are not getting the content. All these things that you can put on the portal, so and you will be getting the response within the stipulated period of time. So that’s what is the two way communication that we say.
• Property: then when we look into the property. In case of website it is general purpose, then space is open for everyone. Then it need not be a knowledge domain. In case of educational institutions obviously it is a knowledge domain. But there are a number of various other websites which may not be a knowledge domain. But in case of web portal it is for the specific purpose. There we said it is the specific purpose, but it is the general purpose in case of websites. But in case of web portals it is the specific purpose. Then space is not open for everyone, as in case of the websites. And it is a gateway to the explicit knowledge domain only. For that purpose only we are designing the web portals.
• Traffic: then in case of website the traffic is very high. But in web portals the traffic is very limited, because of the restrictions that are imposed.
• Management: and if you look into the management. Websites may or may not be updated at regular intervals. But the web portal is having the updation of information at regular intervals. And that’s what is the basic feature of the web portal.

Conclusion

To conclude we can say that

• The website and web portals can basically be differentiated based on the personalized information and quick access.
• And a web portal renders personalized information to the users, which we find the generalized information that is available in the websites.
• And website is open for all to provide the information, unlike the web portals wherein you are getting the specific information.

Put together as a learner of extension aspects. So this gives us an insight that if we develop a web portal for the purpose of farmers. Farmers can also have the personalized information access and for which he may develop his skills, as well as he can empower himself to get that personalized information. So that he can take appropriate decision for the purpose of his agricultural operations, marketing options as well as the processing as well as other entrepreneurial options. So that it becomes an instrument for empowerment of the farmers. So that’s what is the thing we can learn out of this understanding of the differences between the web portals and websites.

So with this we will be concluding this discussion, and in the next interaction we will be discussing about the concept of expert systems.

Thank You.