CSc 8711. Databases and the Web
Spring 2005, Programming Project 3 (MyRSS Portal)
Due: 13 March, 2005

In this project you will build a Web-based RSS portal using Java servlets. The portal should allow you organize a collection of your favorite RSS-feeds in a hierarchical manner with high level CATEGORIES (such as NEWS, SPORTS, JOB-HUNT, CONFERENCES etc.) and SUB-CATEGORIES (such as FOOTBALL, CRICKET, BASEBALL, etc. under SPORTS), and possibly SUB-SUB-CATEGORIES (such as INDIA, AUSTRALIA, PAKISTAN, etc. under CRICKET). Let us assume that there are only 3 levels of categories. Your favorite RSS feeds will be distributed under these various categories (at any level decided by the user).

The user interface for your portal should contain 3 panels:

• FEED SELECTOR PANEL which displays your favorite feeds under appropriate categories. Initially the highest level categories should be displayed. Upon choosing (clicking) a category, the sub-categories along with any feeds under the category should be displayed below the category indented slightly.
• FEED DISPLAY panel which displays the items under the chosen feed from the selector panel.
• CONTENT DISPLAY PANEL, which will show the actual content of the item, when chosen from the feed display panel.

The user should be allowed to add and delete feeds. This can be done in a separate panel. The user should be allowed to enter the feed URL and a position in the hierarchy of categories (such as /SPORTS/CRICKET/INDIA or /NEWS/NATIONAL).

You may design a suitable database table(s) to store your hierarchy of categories and feeds. You should not store the items from a feed in the database as this is expected to be dynamic (possible changing often).

Some RSS resources:

• RSS Primer
• rss-feed1.xml

• National Feed Room
• SYNDIC8