Server Software Version IV

The fourth version of the site was constructed using the software from Version III of the site reconfigured to generate static pages.  The pages were generated with embedded PHP code to provide the dynamic aspects of the site.  An Apache web server configured with mod_rewrite was used to make the user experience seamless (the PHP was invisible). The whole thing was hosted on a Solaris box at WWW.Superb.net.

Reconfiguring the Version III software server allowed us to re-field the site without rewriting it (again).  Since we had no inline scripting in the site we were able to reimplement the objects that were invoked to provide dynamic behavior so that they generated PHP.  A little tricky, but the result is that we we able to generate a complete site which used PHP to do its work.  In a sense, we had joined the mainstream again.

We used PHP because it was available on from hosting ISP.  We were reasonably satisfied with it, but missed the power and flexibility of Perl.  In general, we find that web site scripting languages are all about the same.  They are sufficient but not overly so, leaving us wanting more.  The use of Objective-C or Java in WebObjects or C# in .NET provides a useful counterpoint in this argument.  While Perl is technical a scripting language, it is so powerful that we consider it to be a full-fledged programming language.

In general we were happy with that version of the system.  Our conversion code not only expanded and formatted the pages, but it communicated with either a local file system or an FTP server to check modification times and create only the files that require updating.  Thus it functioned not only as a formatter but as a deployment tool.

In addition, we felt that we haad achieved and interesting and effective separation of overall formatting from dynamic display objects.  The wrapping of headers and footers could take place offline, as these items are mostly static.  During actual page presentation only the remaining dynamic aspects of the pages were actually invoked.

That version of software was the fourth complete rewrite of the web site (Version IV).  It was launched in the summer of 2002 and not replaced until 2007.