[thelist] counting pages

More thoughts and fun...


As much as it pains me to sound like Bill Clinton ...... "Define 'page'
...."

If we count files ... then we run into folks who have not, as yet, "seen the
light" ... and didn't segregate their 400 *.gif files into a separate
directory. (Yeah, yeah .. so don't count graphics ... they're pretty easy to
spot.)

Okay - If we only count *.hmtl, *.htm, *.asp, *.cf, *.pl, *.cgi, ect. files
.... how do we separate out server side includes?  Some people label them as
*.inc or *.shtml and might be able to split them out that way ... but I've
seen some well-reasoned arguments (probably here) for labeling them as
*.html, *.htm, *.asp, etc. ... in which case - they won't be so "easy" to
spot at all.  Particularly if you are bidding to take over maintenance for a
site designed/built by someone else!

{Do sites that use ad rotators make counting more difficult?}

I'd like to say that only things that render to the user count as "pages".
However, that method is fraught with peril [always wanted to say that!] as
well ..... some (not all but some) SSI will render in and of themselves ...
but I wouldn't want to count them as 'page's.

... and how the heck would you count 'pages' .... on a framed site? ....
Count the number of frames?  I dunno ... I would think a 'navigation only'
or "corporate identity/logo" frame would be more like an SSI than a "page"
... maybe it shouldn't count at all ...


Hmmmm ... I think if I ever try freelance work ... I'm gonna stay the heck
away from $xx per page pricing!!


Kudos Zach ... for a simply stated - "difficult" question.

Ron L.

<tip> I haven't tried to implement this yet.  But I have some Intranet sites
that get updated ... oh .. let's say once a month.  Today I notify the users
(that I know about) via email.  I'm thinking I should start logging users -
so I have a better idea who is on the site - and so I can do a better job
informing them when the information has been updated. {Now watch me get
beaten and battered as I suggest to MIS that I get access to the
logs!}</tip>


		-----Original Message-----
		From:	Zachary Mutrux [mailto:zacm@etr.org]
		How do you figure out how many pages are in your site?