Despite what you might think, it's fairly easy to write MySQL-based Web applications with Zope. In this case study, find out how to do just that by building a Zope-based online poll which uses MySQL to store poll questions and user responses, and DTML Methods to extract and present this information.
They say that the best ideas are the simple ones - and the adage is as true in the realm of the Web as anywhere else. At the end of the day, it doesn't matter which operating system your Web site is built on, or how many buzzwords you throw about in your conversations - if you want your Web portal to be successful, you need to get back to the basics, and build in features that will keep your members coming back for more.
One of the simplest things you can add to your Web portal is an online poll, one designed to elicit responses and reactions from members to the hot-buttons issues of the day. It might seem trite (not to mention common), but it's still one of the most effective methods of promoting a sense of community amongst a portal's members, and of generating demographic data on a site's visitors.
Building an online poll isn't very hard; as a matter of fact, you can slap one together in a couple of hours. And you won't even need a degree in rocket science to accomplish this feat - Zope makes the process so simple and friendly you'll wonder why you waited so long to add it. Keep reading, and I'll show you how.
