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superninjagoat

macrumors 6502
Original poster
Apr 23, 2004
325
0
Apex, N.C
When developing a Web site, it's one thing to create a great, standards-based site. It's quite another to keep the code clean after handing it over to the client.

As an example, I've included a specific problem. But I'm interested in the larger issue. (I've inherited a huge Web site at www.sc.edu/beaufort that needs some serious work. So far, I've been able to patch the thing to work well on Win IE and some WIN NN. It doesn't work well on Macs or for disabled visitors. But whatever I do will have to be worked on by many people in many departments. And none of them have Web training.)

Current example:
I originally designed my United Way of Beaufort site as XHTML Strict, but have since "downgraded" to Transitional. But the more I think about it, I may need to downgrade yet again. Here's my problem.

I gave up on using FrontPage to do the site because it throws in too much crap. So I got a (fantastic!) freeware program called HTML-Kit, a text-based HTML editor integrated with TIDY. I'm loving it, and I don't see myself using FP anymore except as a "jot pad" for Web ideas.

But once I hand off this site, it's going to be managed in FrontPage, no matter what I do. And all the United Way has is FrontPage 2000, which has miserable support for standards-based Web creation.

Here are my options, as I see them, with comments:

1. Upgrade to FP2002. I understand FP2002 handles XHTML better. But it would cost the United Way money, something they have precious little of. Any feedback?

2. Downgrade XHTML to the generic HTML 3-4 smear that FrontPage creates. Of course, I'd have to test the hell out of the code in various browsers and likely dumb some of it down to tables. But I think I could make this work.

3. Put the majority of the page in XHTML Transitional, but let FP2000 generate its crappy code in the main content area. I can make all the menu items into included pages that FP would never touch, so it wouldn't screw things up. But within the main-content div, all hell would break loose. What would happen? Browsers in quirks-mode?

4. Teach the old lady who manages their Web to write XHTML. Sometimes she has trouble with MS Word, but who knows ... Perhapse she'll take to it quickly :D . This seems hopeless and time consuming, but so do the other options.

If you want a look at the code, the page is here, and the css is here.​
Does anyone have comments on this particular problem or general suggestions for workflows that ensures non-Web-savy people keep their sites clean?
 
Great questions. You're really getting at one of the major conundrums that faces web developers today.

First off, check out this article about maintaining web standards, this one on introducing people to web standards, and this one on XHTML Strict versus Transitional.

Personally, I'll never touch FrontPage unless there's absolutely no choice, and even then I'd probably use Notepad instead. ;)

That aside, if that's what the United Way there uses, you've got 3 options:
1) Use FP friendly code (most likely HTML 4) and deal with the fact that the pages will most likely stop validating in a hurry.
2) Become an advocate for newer tools (Dreamweaver MX, GoLive CS, FP2002) that will maintain your standards-based design.
3) See if they can implement a CMS or even something like Macromedia Contribute.

Personally, #3 is the most attractive option to me.
 
PHP and a mySQL database - let them then enter the content via a web based admin area.

However, I don't know the workflow of the site so I can't comment.
 
If money is really tight, why not check out SourceForge for a good CMS. They have plenty available that are all free. Or you could create something like in this article. And have the little old lady do simple web based editing through FCKeditor

Hope this all helps.
 
Sourceforge looks promising

Dave,
I haven't given it a thougough rodgering yet :) , but Sourceforge looks like a great resource. As much as I like free stuff, I can't believe I've never run across it before. I googled them -- and there're everywhere. Always fun to find somthing new.



Rower,
The articles were great. I just wish they had more solutions! In many ways, it just proves the point that it aint open-shut.


Has anyone had any particular sucess stories?
 
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