I have a wild idea that it might be nice to be able to host a layout
on one or more foreign hosts. That way each host could then use their
own layout to provide navigation and configure CSS stylings applicable
to the underlying content. It remotely resembles something like
frames.
Generally, whenever I have a wild idea like this it's best for me to
take 2 aspirin and go lie down a while until it passes. Sometimes it
can mean that I'm taking the wrong approach and the objective can
better be handled some other way.
So, my questions run along these lines: 1) Does this idea seem to
have any merit? 2) Are there better ways to skin this cat? 3) Has
anyone done anything like this; and, if so can you please give me any
implementation details that I should know.
I have a wild idea that it might be nice to be able to host a layout
on one or more foreign hosts. That way each host could then use their
own layout to provide navigation and configure CSS stylings applicable
to the underlying content. It remotely resembles something like
frames.
This doesn't sound like a good idea from what I can tell, but your
explanation isn't so clear that I have any certainty that I know what
you mean. Please elaborate.
I was thinking of a given web page as being composed of 2 parts: (1)
The substantive content; and, (2) a wrapper (the layout) which
surrounds the substantive content and provides (among other things)
the navigation and a style sheet affecting the styling of the
substantive content. Now suppose that other web sites exist that
would like to include the substantive content on their site by linking
to it; but, these sites would like to have the substantive content
included within their own wrapper (layout) so that they could control
the navigation and stylings. I was then thinking that suppose that
these other web sites could post a layout on their site and then pass
a reference to the URL to that layout as a parameter to the link to
the substantive content. In such a case, that layout would then be
used instead of the default layout on the site that hosts the
substantive content. Is that any more clear?
I know that it's wild. I just wanted to see how wild and see if
anyone else had been crazy enough to think about such a thing.
By way of clarification, please allow me to make one additional point.
Another way of accomplishing what I'm trying to accomplish would be
through the use of an inline frame. That might well be the best way
to skin this cat. I just have this thing about frames (ugh). I was
hoping that I might be able to come up with something a bit more
clever. Maybe not. Thanks.
Overall, I think it would be both easier and more effective for such
sites to just retrieve the substantive content through a web service
interface and embed it into their own layout.
But what the hey -- develop a prototype and send it out to play
Overall, I think it would be both easier and more effective for such
sites to just retrieve the substantive content through a web service
interface and embed it into their own layout.
For substantive content that is static I would definitely agree with
you. However, the substantive content that I am referring to is
interactive. It would be much easier for others to just link to it.
I'm just trying to offer an easy way for them to sort of brand it as
their own. It would be ideal if they could have their own layout.
I'm just not real sure how practical that is.
But what the hey -- develop a prototype and send it out to play
I'm thinking about it. It is, however, helpful to know whether others
think that I'm totally nuts before I invest a lot of time in it.
Thanks for the input.
