Overview
Most web applications have a lot in common. Marmot is an attempt to integrate all of these common pieces into a framework that simplifies the process of creating a web application. Such common tasks as LDAP authentication/authorization, database access, "themes" for page layout, and form validation are included. Instead of starting from scratch for each application, the developer needs only to write the business logic that makes the application unique.
Using Marmot leads to such good things as reduced development time, improved consistency between applications, and reduced maintenance costs. Though Marmot is still in its infancy, it is already marvellously useful tool and it is getting better all the time.
Marmot is implemented in PHP. PHP was chosen because of its gentle learning curve, popularity, and price (or lack thereof).
Marmot is currently developed by the Network Applications Group at Miami University in lovely Oxford, Ohio.