This project requires a team of several skilled programmers each one having at least 4-5 years experience in one of the following areas:
- Perl
- XML / XSD
- MySQL
- Ajax
- HTML
- JavaScript
You need to have extensive knowledge with:
- Catalyst (a web framework written in Perl)
- Template Toolkit (a template system written in Perl)
- eXist
- Google Map API
Unless you work for a company that has access to a project manager and sufficient programmers with above skills, please do not apply.
The main part is written in Perl and it will stay that way. Unless you are absolutely proficient with Perl, there is no need to apply.
Below, you will find a sketchy description of what is needed and what needs to get done. Please read the descriptions below thoroughly and read everything on this page till the end.
Introduction
The website started out with advertising privately owned vacation rentals from all around the world. Owners could advertise their properties with descriptions, pictures, rental rates etc for an annual flat fee. The site has a user authentication system that allows users to login and make changes to their data.
After 2 years the company decided to include additional properties from large agencies that have from a few up to over one hundred thousand properties under contract. In order for partners like us to include the data, these agencies provide XML and the photos of their contracted properties as well as an interface to exchange the customer's data when a guest makes a reservation request.
Currently, the site is being managed through a CMS written in Perl. The current system is reaching its limits and new features require a new system with extended capabilities. There is already an existing structure for this new system. You don't need to design the software from scratch. The logic of each component is already available; however it needs to be adapted to the new requirements.
The new system needs to be able to accommodate both, users, who authenticate themselves to add or modify new property advertisements and agencies that provide XML data for thousands of properties.
Tasks
- Importing and processing large amounts of XML data (property descriptions, rental rates, availability data) onto our staging server into the eXist database
- Structuring the XML data
- Import it into the MySQL table of the life server
- Interfaces for various segments, such as the manipulating the rental units, user details, regions tree, tourists attractions, uploading photos
- Static building of HTML pages of rental units, geographical regions, tourist attractions
- Search module that enables to search for rental units by amenity, region, availability, rental rates
- Reservation module with an interface for several different partners. The module captures the guests name and address and sends the data together with the rental unit number and booking period to the partner's server and waits for response.
- Template system.
We will require that you develop the software in our environment. We will pay a good faith deposit upfront and then after each mile stone is accomplished to our satisfaction.
To get an idea of how the website currently looks like, Google the key words World Vacation Rentals.
If you feel that you are part of a team that is capable of handling such complex projects, please send us a message with the following details:
- Year your business was established
- Number of employees
- Numbers of programmers you would need for this job
- 4 verifiable references that are comparable to the complexity of this project
If we feel that you are qualified to apply, we will give you full access to the detailed project description, sample files, screen shots, access to the existing code and to the existing MySQL schema.
Obviously you are unable to make an educated assessment for a bit at this stage. Please place a bid of 3001 USD. Be assured that the budget is more than that.