While a handful of institutions have prototyped or implemented portal projects, many others are waiting to understand their potential applications and benefits before making a major commitment to developing and implementing portals of their own.
Portals are a new concept, merging new technologies into a dynamic new information environment.
They offer personalized, customizable, filtered, and dynamic information and resources to members, unlike conventional Websites in which every visitor receives the same content on the same page. There is much to learn and much to understand about the various aspects of portal technology, including portal specifications, conceptual design, technical architecture, standards, administration, policies, assessment, and maintenance. One of the primary objectives of this book is to determine and understand the functional and technical requirements and specifications for portals. As part of this process, the authors are conducting a series of online surveys. The book is also intended to offer both conceptual and technical blueprints for designing portals for such applications as campus portals, course portals, library portals, and other commercial, government, and e-commerce portals.