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From: Dr J R Stockton on 20 May 2010 11:56
In comp.lang.javascript message <ht1bdc$7qt$1(a)news.eternal-
september.org>, Wed, 19 May 2010 11:41:43, Garrett Smith
<dhtmlkitchen(a)gmail.com> posted:

>Dr J R Stockton wrote:
>> In comp.lang.javascript message <hsncmp$c0$1(a)news.eternal-
>> september.org>, Sat, 15 May 2010 17:02:30, Garrett Smith
>> <dhtmlkitchen(a)gmail.com> posted:
>>
>>> Dr J R Stockton wrote:
>>>> In comp.lang.javascript message <hsi2vs$3no$1(a)news.eternal-
>>>> september.org>, Thu, 13 May 2010 16:46:01, Garrett Smith
>>>> <dhtmlkitchen(a)gmail.com> posted:
>>>>
>>>>> For purpose of the FAQ entry, I have shifted the focus on javascript
>>>>> being used to restrict access to a web resource.
>>>>>
>>>> Such a subject, for the readership that you should be aiming for,
>>>> will
>>>> merely add further disguise to whatever other meaning the item may be
>>>> intended to convey.
>>>> For a start, who is "I"?
>>> It is the hypothetical reader that appears in other entries, for
>>> example: "how do I format a Date object with javascript," "my element
>>> is named myselect[], how do I access it?
>> That is what you think it means; that is what you want it to mean.
>>And
>> in that case, there is no other reasonable distinct interpretation. Of
>> course, the FAQ reader may not want to do it himself, but to pass the
>> advice on. "Formatting a Date Object" is sufficient, since it is a
>> JavaScript FAQ.
>>
>
>So you want FAQ headings as subjects worded not in the form questions,
>but as titles of what the entry is about?
>
>An FAQ is a traditionally list of questions. A different format could
>probably work.


>Everybody seems to be using FAQ in question format. I'm all for
>progress, but the question format seems acceptable. I see the argument
>for omitting all the "How do I"'s.

I looked at a few found by a Google search for "FAQ". The question
format is common (and for many articles appropriate), but other forms of
Subject often appear. The subject should suit the contents, and not
merely adhere to a purported tradition.

You can always define in the FAQ the word Wyktma as "Will you kindly
tell me about", and put that at the beginning of Subjects where you
think it is needed.

"Wyktma controlling access to a Web page?"
"Controlling access to a Web page?" is better.

BTW, "controlling" is better than "preventing"; if it is a Web page,
there's a reasonable presumption that some form of access is to be
allowed.


>> You were asked to notify the group when new FAQ versions are
>>produced,
>> with their version number and date. Please do so.
>>
>
>I do. That was probably a minor edit. RobG and nick recenty pointed a
>few mistakes out and it was a clear and obvious error. I said "thanks -
>fixed" and updated with a new date and same version.
>
>> I have on my disc "Version 30, Updated 2010-05-06, by Garrett Smith".
>> I also have a link to <http://jibbering.com/faq/index.html> which is
>> "Version 30, Updated 2010-05-13, by Garrett Smith". Same number,
>> different date - confusing.
>>
>
>I can't stay 30 forever?
>
>> Both versions say :
>> This is the comp.lang.javascript meta-FAQ, 30. The latest
>> version is available at http://jibbering.com in HTML form.
>>
>
>Good catch! Fixed. The correct URL is: http://jibbering.com/faq/
>
>Do you think that needs a new version?

The version number should be changed whenever there is a significant
change. The date should change whenever the date (preferably UTC)
changes. You could number versions as 35.00 and increment the fraction
for merely cosmetic changes. But there should be no two versions
released with exactly the same version number.



>> The page it links to is interesting, but it is not the FAQ. While it
>> may be OK to have a short form for access to a page when it will have to
>> be re-typed, a true link should always be as full as possible. If, as I
>> suspect, you have access at Jibbering only into the FAQ directory, then
>> the link should at least be to http://jibbering.com/faq/. Using
>> http://www.jibbering.com/faq/ would be nicer, because of the common
>> expectation that Web domain names start "www.". And, if you will ise
>> index.html for the FAQ, the link should be to
>> http://jibbering.com/faq/index.html, since that is a more robust form.

>
>Have we discussed this before?

Yes.



>> I do not want you all to use my js-quick.htm direct from the server
>> whenever you want to so arithmetic. So I use JavaScript to prevent a
>> copy from my server actually doing its work.
>
>Not really.

Yes, really. Except maybe if JavaScript is disabled when the page is
fetched and enabled after that. Perhaps I can deliver the textarea as
readonly and script the removal of that. That will be better, since the
demos will then be visible.


>> So you should now see that "prevent access" has multiple applicable
>> meanings.
>>
>I see it may come from different goals; regardless, the word "prevent"
>is key here. Access to a web page cannot be prevented. Content can be
>encrypted, user access to a web page can restricted, but not securely
>with javascript.

Note that there is a distinction between executing a Web page directly
from the server (which costs server bandwidth) and executing an
unmodified copy from the local disc or elsewhere (which does not). One
can allow use of a page, but limit mode-of-use, by testing
location.href.


--
(c) John Stockton, nr London UK. ?@merlyn.demon.co.uk Turnpike v6.05 MIME.
Web <URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/> - FAQish topics, acronyms, & links.
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