[Purdue-pm] Meeting Today (really dashes)

[Rick Westerman]

----- Original Message -----
> Rick,
> 
> On a web page you showed at the meeting earlier today I think
> it said something like
> Copyright 1999-2010 Purdue University
> It may have used a hyphen instead of an en dash.

   It did use a simple dash.  Assuming that what you mentioned is valid (and I see no reason why it should not be) I have now changed the web pages to use a double-dash (what your example calls an en dash) on the copyright statement (which is located at the bottom of each page.)


   I bring this up to the group because it is germane to a point I was trying to make today:  where should text, especially simple text, on a dynamic web page be located?

   (1) In a HTML file that can be used by a program (e.g., via HTML::Template or HTML::Mason)?

   (2) In a editable configuration file (e.g., read in by App::Config)?

   (3) Embedded in the program be it Perl or JavaScript?

   
   All three methods will produce the same web page.  However the first two can be manipulated by a non-programmer -- i.e., a lab tech or a pointy-haired boss -- while the latter will require more expertise.

    In this specific case the copyright text is embedded not only in a program but deeper inside a programmatic library.  So in order to change the single-dash to a double-dash required (a) editing the library file, (b) running unit tests, (c) installing the library.   Nothing too difficult.  Unless you know nothing about Perl, Perl testing, Perl libraries nor installs.   

   I really should have the copyright text in a separate non-program file that the lab techs could edit.   Actually I probably should have everything in a CMS (content management system) but that would require an even bigger change.   Or ... I could just keep the text inside the program.  Job security!
   


-- 
Rick Westerman 
westerman at purdue.edu

Bioinformatics specialist at the Genomics Facility.
Phone: (765) 494-0505           FAX: (765) 496-7255
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Architecture
625 Agriculture Mall Drive
West Lafayette, IN 47907-2010
Physically located in room S049, WSLR building