Message-ID: <4005B0E6.9090009@cs.msu.su>
Date: Thu, 15 Jan 2004 00:13:10 +0300
From: Alexey Borzov <borz_off@cs.msu.su>
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To: Dave Page <dpage@vale-housing.co.uk>
Cc: pgsql-www@postgresql.org
Subject: Re: Requirements for updated site
References: <03AF4E498C591348A42FC93DEA9661B8720459@mail.vale-housing.co.uk>
In-Reply-To: <03AF4E498C591348A42FC93DEA9661B8720459@mail.vale-housing.co.uk>
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Hi!

Dave Page wrote:
> 1) Should be multilingual for static and non-static pages.

Looks like this part is working now. Although the l10n of the static (i.e. not 
kept in the DB) content can be made in a better way: using gettext or something 
similar. While the pages are mostly translated, the feedback messages in e.g. 
system/handleform.php are not.

> 2) The entire site must be able to be built into static HTML pages that
> can be mirrored. 

Looks like this part is working.

I only want to propose keeping English version in root, not in en/: most of the 
mirror sites will be completely static and unable to redirect to en/ if the user 
hits the root.

> 3) XHTML/CSS compliant.
> 4) The page width should be variable.

The problem with the current code is that HTML is embedded in PHP. It is thus 
*extremely* difficult to edit it. Besides, files in system/layout contain not 
only presentation, but business logic as well (database queries, this kind of 
stuff).

I suggest either
a) Using a template engine
or
b) Creating HTML pages with *minimal* (presentation only) PHP embedded inside them.

Besides, can you give your opinion on sime other usability-related layout 
changes I proposed?

> 5) All common code should be moved into global files as appropriate.

Already done, I suppose. Although some of these global files can benefit from a 
bit of cleaning and commenting, I suppose. ;]

> 6) An interface must be implemented to allow easy translation of pages,
> preferably without the need for the translators to know HTML.

This can be done by using e.g. Wiki markup. But this will limit the layout 
possibilities.

Although I don't see a big problem here: translators will not need to *write* 
HTML, but just to translate the words between tags.

I'd also add another entry:
7) Robust admin interface. The current one does not offer any protection from 
user errors.


> That's it in a nutshell. Specifically, with the exception of the width
> thing we do *not* want a new design yet - that can wait until the new
> framework is in place.
> 
> Robert has outlined much of the todo stuff already so I won't go over
> that again, but *please* we must coordinate any effort rather than have
> various ppl working on their own on the same problems.
> 
> Any questions, email the list, or I'll be on the #postgresql channel on
> irc.freenode.net for a bit tonight (nick: pgsnake) as well as Yahoo
> (pgsnake again).