Modified CLAS webpage template

[Graham]

Hello everyone,

Back in the spring, we discussed in the "Website" thread the
possibility of using the CLAS webpage template (http://
clasnews.clas.ufl.edu/templates.html) for the GMA page. I've switched
my webpage over to it (math.ufl.edu/~gwp) and I like it a lot. The
only problem I had with it was that it's difficult to use. For
instance, if you wanted to change the left-hand menu, you would have
to go into every single webpage and change it separately. This is a
huge hassle, but fortunately there is a simple fix: HTML includes.

For those who aren't familiar, HTML includes are basically a line of
javascript in your HTML file that tell the browser "go get this other
HTML file and display it here." The code is:

<!--#include file="file.html" -->

where file.html is the separate file you want to include. By putting
the content of the left hand menu, the header, and the footer into
separate HTML files and including them in this way, you can just
change the separate files (you need two to run the template
seamlessly) and it will automatically change throughout your website.
There are just a couple of caveats:

1) When using HTML includes, the file you're using needs to have
extension .shtml rather than just .html
2) You will only be able to see the page properly when uploaded on a
webpage, it won't look right if you're viewing it on your own machine.

Why is this relevant to you? Well, I've condensed the work I've done
on my own page down into a new template, which is just a slightly
modified version of the CLAS template linked above, but which is much
easier to use. You can find it at http://math.ufl.edu/~gwp/test/webtemplate.zip
. To see what it looks like, just go to http://math.ufl.edu/~gwp/test
.

This template differs from the CLAS template in a couple of minor
ways. I changed the image in the header to that crappy fractal so
that everyone doesn't have to have "photo by ravzeqna, flickr" written
on every webpage. Also, I've included a template course webpage file
(course.shtml) so TAs can just fill in their office hours, email
address, etc. rather than write a whole page from scratch. If someone
can use a clonestamp tool to take out the "Name Name Department of
Mathematics" bit on the golden ratio graphic, I'll replace that so
people can add their own name in if they like.

I hope this motivates some people to spice up their webpages a bit.
It takes a little bit of time to get used to it, but I update my
webpage very regularly now and my students love it. Any questions,
comments, suggestions, etc., are welcome.

This can also be easily adapted to the GMA's purposes as well, if a
redesign is still in the works. Also, whoever does the computer
training for the TA orientation next year could present this to the
incoming students so they can start out with slick-looking webpages
rather than change them later (if at all). Whatever you all think is
workable.

- Graham