Re: Hiding web structure from users

While I agre with every thing that Jim says, it is quite easy to do
what your clients want.

Simply put the information about the yachts in a data base, give each
client a row in a separate table, and then when the client accesses
the page just serve them with links to the yachts that you want them
to see.

We do this stuff all the time in medical sites where people only need
access to records on a 'need to know' basis.

Frank
----- Original Message -----
From: "jim barchuk" <jb(at)jbarchuk.com>
To: "Don Chandler" <don(at)4sea2be.com>
Cc: <hwg-techniques(at)mail.hwg.org>
Sent: Thursday, May 31, 2001 8:59 AM
Subject: Re: Hiding web structure from users


> Hello Don!
>
> > Hi all,
> > One of my client's sites is a catalog of 80+ charter yachts.
Brokers (not
> > the client) refer their clients to the site to view yacht details
for
> > potential charter.  The broker usually selects a few boats, based
on the
> > client's interests.  They would like to be able to give the client
URL's for
> > those selected boats.  Usually, what happens is the client starts
browsing
> > around the catalog, finding other yachts.  Is there an easy way,
short of
> > having 80 separate web sites, and short of having to issue
passwords to
> > every client, to point them to certain pages without giving them
access to
> > the whole site?  In addition, if a user does go to the 'top' of
the site,
> > they should be able to browse freely.  Hope this makes sense...
>
> I think the problem here is not HTML or passwords or yachts, but
> -excessively- retentive client or brokers. (You didn't mention who
wants
> this 'feature', the brokers or the original client.)
>
> In any case ask them -why- they choose to prevent the user from
picking a
> more -expensive- (for example) yacht. The question is in fact fairly
> absurd in that it does not limit a user that arrives first at the
root
> page.
>
> What on earth could be the problem with a user seeing an item the
broker
> didn't 'want' them to see? (And nunna this 'customer is right'
stuff.
> Clients often want things their way simply because it's 'their way'
and
> rarely have much of a clue about how users do things.)
>
> Users are getting smarter. If a broker gives an URL such as
> http://www.any-yacht.com/prevent/yacht42.html they are perfectly
free to
> type in www.any-yacht.com and are already around the fence.
>
> Whatever this sales technique is supposed to 'do' I think the work
> involved is 1000x beyond the benefits. Just make sure you charge by
the
> hour and I think they'll drop this idea pretty quick. :)
>
> Have a :) day!
>
> jb
>
> --
> jim barchuk
> jb(at)jbarchuk.com
>
>

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