Lets have a look at how the finished HTML page layout looks. You can see it in Figure A.

FIGURE A


Here's how the finished HTML page layout looks. Roll over picture for a larger image.

The page shown here has content in most of the fields, and you can see that the page structure is quite comprehensive and complex.

One of the most powerful aspects of the design of the page is that it adapts to only show content that is present. You can explore an entire site built using this one page structure by going to the sample site found at http://www.touchdown.com.au/powergames/html/document-2.html. You'll notice that pages look different according to what content is present on the page. Underneath it all, however, is the one set of logic and code as described above.

Next time
In the next installment, we'll be going back and having a closer look at the content management administration interface.

We'll check out the document navigation and editing, menu navigation and editing, text properties navigation and editing, and site configuration editing.

Finally, pragmatism over prejudice
At the start of this article, I revealed some of my technology passions and prejudices from years gone by.

These days pragmatism has got the better of me.

My home network consists of my main work computer running Windows NT 4.0, a Windows 2000 development server, a Lotus Domino 5 server, an OpenBSD router, proxy and mail server, a Windows 98 machine for games, a Redhat Linux development machine, and an Apple Macintosh for testing browser compatibility. If I had the loot, I'd buy a MacOSX based Macintosh. In my collection of classic computers I have an Apple II, a Mac Plus, and an Amiga 1000. I have a Playstation 1 and a Nintendo 64, and if I ever get rich then I'll buy an Xbox, a PS2, and a Gamecube.

As far as development tools go, I know Domino best. I admire and respect Python as the most well designed, functional, and powerful general purpose interpreted language. I develop with Microsoft IIS/ASP when I need to. Borland Kylix is next on my self development agenda because it's just plain cool, and I know that I'll have to get around to learning WebSphere because it seems that you'll need to know WebSphere if you want to remain relevant. I'm far from an expert in most of these technologies, but I know their strengths and weaknesses and I know the situations in which they would shine.

As they say, variety is the spice of life.

Happy programming.

Jeff Gunther is the General Manager of Intalgent Technologies (at http://www.intalgent.com), a Notes and Domino consulting firm based in Northern Virginia providing collaborative solutions with specific expertise in the healthcare industry. Jeff can be reached at jeff.gunther@intalgent.com.