[thelist] can someone build a 100-page website with only HTML/CSS skill?

[Zhang Weiwu]

Will wrote:
> Actually, I think you're not getting it! ;) The method described here
> a few
> times for using PHP as a templating system requires exactly no scripting.
> Requires includes only - just like ssi and way simpler than learning a CMS's
> templating engine and imposed business rules.  The mezzoblue article extends
> that a tiny bit by passing variables to the includes. Really, 15 minutes of
> training for anyone who knows html.  PHP != a bunch of scripting. :)  But it
> can be later...
>
> I still think flat HTML will work just fine but doing it with PHP will make
> life a lot easier. It is essentially the exact same but you're making good
> use of a few includes to save headaches down the road.
>   
Certainly make sense. In case only using inclusion with variable passing
and not programming (e.g. function calls & looping), SSI should be more
or less equivalent to PHP as it has both feature (conditional text,
variable assignment, inclusion). It's only the "template" concept
working here, doesn't matter is it implemented in PHP or SSI. That's
what I am thinking now. The advantage of doing so in PHP is I can use
some PHP snippets to help her through difficult or wired requirements.

There is no really business rules in the current project. A lot of
projects is only about presentation logic, while navigation bar the only
part that can be considered business logic. The business logic and
presentation layer separation concept fits better in web applications
than in websites, although there is a trend of making every website a
web application (e.g. blog with feed-back & comment feature). CMS is not
possible to avoid in web design career because a lot of interactive
sites needs it. However I consider programming not a must. I am just
thinking if we start CMS right now or introduce it later (inevitable).
The SSI/PHP template idea makes me able to introduce CMS in the future
or only for the project that most efficient with CMS. Now I think I more
or less made up my mind to design a working method to get this project
done with good template concept but without CMS & programming. Later
after having done the project I'll write article of my experience to share.

Thanks for everyone participated the discussion.