Frequently Asked Questions: CGI

• What is CGI ?
• How does CGI Work ?
• Do I have access to my CGI bin ?
• Do I have telnet access ?
• So, how can I use my own CGI Scripts ?
• What language do they need to be in ?
• How can I submit my special CGI Scripts ?
• Can I test and compile my programs on your server ?
• What is the difference between CGI and JAVA ?

CGI stands for Common Gateway Interface. It is a standard created to provide a consistent interface between web servers and the programs that extend their capabilities.

CGI programs are programs that actually execute on the web server, not on the client's computer. They retrieve data that was sent from user input, manipulate it, and return a message to the browser.

CGI programs can be written in almost any computer programming language, as long as that language can execute on the server where it resides. Some of the more common languages include Perl, C, shell script, and Apple script.

Here at Metanet.net, we wish to provide a secure place for our clients to host their pages. For this reason, we use wrappers to allow our clients access to their CGI bins. This is so that people with an extensive knowledge do not try and breach the integrity of the data and compromise the security of Metanet.net and our clients.

No. For the same reasons stated above, we do not allow any telnet access to Metanet.net accounts.

You create a cgi-bin directory and upload your script and make it executable.

Your scripts should be in Perl to run any cgi services.

You can submit your CGI scripts by uploading them into your directories and sending a message to our CGI staff, or you can attach it to an email message.

No, we do not allow CGI programs to be developed on our system. They must already have been debugged on another system.

JAVA is a programming language whose claim to fame is that it can be executed on many different platforms and operating systems. JAVA is code that is downloaded and executed on the client side as opposed to CGI programs which are executed on the server side. JAVA is used to perform and control form input, perform graphic animations, and many other interactive chores. There are no problems with including JAVA programs on your web site here at Metanet.net.