Stop me if this idea is too hip for the room...

[Sinuuyanea Nocturne]

Denmother, I have an idea, but wanted to run it by you first.

I'm a fairly skilled HTML and JavaScript programmer, and while working on my http://www.geocities.com/kabram1975/chao/chaopage.htmlChao Site</a>, I had an inspiration: to create online tradeskill guides that are "dynamic", encompassing multiple skillup rates, and allowing the person to choose their own paths by clicking on different portions of the document. If I were to code such guides, could I submit them to you? Or, do they have to be pure text?

[Niami DenMother]

Once the database is ready for launch, all the guides are going to be stored in the dabaase as well. You'd want to talk to Ngreth about what sort of bells and whistles we'll not only be capable of handling, but willing to handle.

If it's doable in our new format (which I suspect it is), then it is definitely an idea I'd be willing to see in action.

[Ngreth Thergn]

I hate javascript!

that said, as long as there are non javascript options, I do not see any harm.

It will be a while until we can do anything about it.

[Sinuuyanea Nocturne]

Hate writing it, hate using it, or both? If it's the first, dont worry; I will be writing all of the javascript code for it. If it's the second or third...

[Kentarre]

/cheer Ngreth
/cheer Ngreth

Not everyone in the world uses Microsoft Internet Explorer on a Windows platform... javascript can be a pain in the butt (ie, not work) if you use certain other browsers or other OSes... It's definately good form to be able to get at the same information without using Javascript!

[Sinuuyanea Nocturne]

...so, who said it would be coded solely for Internet Exploiter? <img src="http://www.boomspeed.com/sinuuyanea/dcpuzzle.gif" alt="I didnt say it, did YOU say it?">

Plans are for plain text with hyperlinks, Javascript that parses on IE, and Javascript that parses on Netscape. All by hand, mind you, because WYSIWYGs bite <img src="http://www.boomspeed.com/sinuuyanea/dcrazz.gif" alt="Yes, they do!">

[Inyidd]

... javascript can be a pain in the butt (ie, not work) if you use certain other browsers or other OSes... It's definately good form to be able to get at the same information without using Javascript!

Just to pick a nit:

Javascript was created by Netscape, and the current standard behind it (ECMA Script) is used as the basis for most browsers implementation. JScript, on the other hand, is the MS proprietary version of which a large part of it only works on IE.
&lt;/nit>

[Ngreth Thergn]

well... I learned how to code in javascript, never used it, so promplty forgot the syntax. So...

I hate Coding in it.
I hate Having it on the site because of Compatibility nightmares :/

The new DB site does already have a JS component... but this component is made in such a way that... if you do NOT have JS... you instead get an unordered list. It has been tested with IE. and Netscape... if you end up with compatibility problems... you can turn it of and get the Unordered list I was not reall happy about having to use it, but the results look good (yes I am a tease) and without it, the UI is a bit overwealming (huge amount of information all at once)

for the instance of what we are talking about, I believe the Javascript version would be a guide you could chose, or you could choose the other guides that we already have and will probably continue to get, that are "plain" html. So there is another choice overall for people, just not exactly the same thing

[Grygonos Thunderwulf]

perhaps DHTML or XML would better suit your needs? and /agree javascript is crap. I prefer serverside coding

[Inyidd]

DHTML == HTML + CSS + Javascript, etc...

If you prefer serverside coding, PHP is generally accepted as the way to go unless you find you can't do something, then do it with Perl. Perl rocks. :!:

[Ngreth Thergn]

DB Site is using PHP

[Inyidd]

/em anxiously awaits his PHP and MySQL book from Amazon!