Document Vending Application Assignment

Running head: DOCUMENT VENDING APPLICATION
1
Design and Implementation of the Document Vending Application
Name of Student
University Affiliation

DOCUMENT VENDING APPLICATION 2
1. Introduction
Technology is increasingly being used as an alternative way of sharing documents for
information sharing. Many organizations including media companies, institutional libraries,
journal databases and other similar organizations have shifted their focus to tap into the growing
online demand for vending documents. To develop a successful document vending system,
however, a careful design of an Architecture of Multi-Tiered model is necessary. While most of
the existing models provide an equally useful platform for the execution of the technology,
implementation of the model in the powerful Java Programming Language provides developers
with an entry opportunity to tap into the on-demand smartphone use.
1.1. The relevance of the Topic
Most of the existing models in the market are presented over web-based applications
written in HTML and other web-based languages. Although web-based access of files and
documents for sharing and vending might seem more preferable for their ease of implementation,
they present a challenge when it comes to interactive operation, especially in low network areas
(Uehara, 2004). Java programming language on the other hand provides a robust technology for
application in both developments of applets and Android devices. It seems, therefore, reasonable
to redevelop these models using Java technology.
1.2. Problem Statement
Web-based document vending systems presents a serious interactive access for their
users. There is need to create a client-server system that is implemented in a language that is
cross-platform and allow easy development of an easy interaction between the users and the
server.

DOCUMENT VENDING APPLICATION 3
1.3. Definition of Terms
WORA – A slogan by the company that invented java that translates to Write Once, Read All
and is aimed at showing the cross platform power of Java Language.
J2EE – An environment for building applications and deploying java-centric applications online
that are not dependent on any platform.
ODC - Offline Database Construction. An database search implementation that focuses on
retrieving data by using properties of stored data.
1.4. Summary
This design and implementation propose for the development of a java applet that will
allow the functioning of a document vending system based on a multi-tier client-server
architecture model. The applet will be able to be downloaded to a wide range of platforms by
utilizing the platform independence of the Java Programming Language and the principle of
WORA (write once, read all). The client-server system will allow users to look up for documents
from the server and store them in a cache. The user will then be able to remove items from the
cache. The user will only be able to access the document once they complete their payment.
2. Literature Review
Similar systems have been designed and implemented in the past, even though some of
the systems are implemented in a different language. The effort discussed here is the
implementation of client-server systems architecture in different systems other than distributed
systems.