RearSite 0.1

RearSite is a simple collaborative Web site manager. RearSite is an automated Web publishing tool allowing to control who is allowed to access the published documents and also to manage per directories collaboratives tools well adapted to distance learning (forums, chats, shareable calendars, or multimedia quizzes).

An administrator can create users accounts (user name, user passwd, and user home directory), users get logged in and then receive access to their documents.


RearSite is written in PERL (CGI.pm based) and use a FastCGI compliant HTTP server (like APACHE).

Using RearSite is quite simple : after login, the user has access to his home dir and is able to delete, rename, create and edit documents. RearSite is well adapted to install WWW directories previously cooked (using any editors). Its very easy to transfer and install archives (ZIP, tar or tar.gz by now), they are automatically unpacked.

Published documents are public (by default), access restriction may be done using user/password couples, DNS domains or LDAP filters.

The user interface is WWW forms like, so RearSite only needs (on the client side) a Java, JavaScript and frames compliant WWW browser (accepting cookies).

RearSite is now quite secured, the login process (developped in Java) use an MD5 encryption of the user password (combined with a one time key). So, people spying the network cannot use the keys they may have seen. After login, users receive a cookie associated with their computers IP numbers.

RearSite also allows the user to specify who can retrieve his documents by configuring access rights :

documents are public (the default).
documents are restricted to users coming from trusted domains.
documents are restricted to users coming from trusted domains or to HTTP authenticated users.
* documents are restricted to class of users existing in an LDAP directory. This kind of HTTP client authentication needs auth_ldap for Apache (See restricted access by users classes).

Since 1.1, if the administrator wants it, the user is able to use templates to specify per directories access rights. By default (and as an example), the user can easily say that a directory is public, for frenchies only or for frenchies excepted those in the ripoux.fr domain (french joke!).

The user is also able to share his directories with other RearSite users (trusted users). When a directory is shared, a trusted user user is able to delete, rename, add ... files within the directory he received rights for.

The user is also able to recursively process all the file names of all his embeded directories. The functionality provided is to rename all files (lowercase, replace a string within all file names, ...) which simplyfies migration from systems with case-insensitive file names. These functionalities are available by selecting the Special tools button which also give a way to export the current directory within an archive (ZIP or tar.gz).

Since 1.4, a forum can directly be attached to each directories. When a user wants to create a forum, the result is a Forum.html file located within the current directory. This file will give access to the forum. People having access to this file are allowed to post in the forum.

Since 1.6, a chat can directly be attached to each directories. When a user wants to create a chat, the result is a Chat.html file located within the current directory. This file will give access to the chat. People having access to this file are allowed to talk in the chat.

Since 1.9, a shareable calendar can be directly attached to each directories. When a user wants to create a calendar, the result is a Calendar.html file located within the current directory. This file will give access to the calendar. People having access to this file are allowed to read the calendar. Only the owner of a calendar is allowed to update it, but he may allow other users. Accessing his calendar via RearSite allows the owner to update it immediatly. When accessing a calendar via a normal WWW access, the user (owner or not) must be authenticated (via Rearsite configured authentication scheeme) before being allowed to update it.

The chat,forum and calendar functionalities are accessible via the Communications button, they have been designed for distance learning purposes but can easily be used for any groupware needs.