Step 4: Make key decisions

This step describes some key decisions you and your supervisor must make regarding which of our 2 template systems you will use and also the hosting of your Web pages.

Which of our 2 template systems will you adopt?

The School of Pharmacy provides 2 different template systems which can significantly simplify your Web development by automatically handling various aspects of your site design. The table below provides a comparison.

	Template System A: Preferred Templates	Template System B: Dreamweaver Templates
Overview	Provides full access to the development framework.	Provides partial access to the development framework.
Availability	Available now on pharmacy.ucsf.edu. Available soon to use on your own server.	Currently in development.
Headers and Footers	Automatically provided. As School standards change, they are automatically updated.	Automatically provided upon installation. As School standards change, you are responsible for updating them to match.
Stylesheets	Automatically provided. As School standards change, they are automatically updated. Server-side browser detection provides reliable rendering in over 18 different Web browsers.	Automatically provided upon installation. However, no browser detection is used, so these templates provide reliable rendering in only Internet Explorer Web browsers. Other Web browsers may display styles improperly. As School standards change, you are responsible for updating them to match.
Breadcrumb and local navigation	Automatically provided once your directory structure has been determined. As School standards change, they are automatically updated.	You are responsible for creating and updating it. As School standards change, you are responsible for updating them to match.
Other functions	Automatically provided. As School standards change, they are automatically updated.	Not provided.
Web Page Author Requirements	Any HTML editor. To create or modify directory structures, you also need basic command-line skills in Linux and familiarity with manipulating symbolic links.	You must use Macromedia Dreamweaver or Contribute. For current prices, contact The Technology Store.

As you decide which template system to use, you must also decide whether to host your pages on pharmacy.ucsf.edu or on your own server. Generally, you would have your own server if (a) you expect a very large amount of traffic, or (b) you plan to have your own domain name, or both. The table below describes the differences.

	pharmacy.ucsf.edu	Your Own Server
Template System A	Provided automatically -- no configuration changes required.	You must have PHP 4.x installed.
Template System B	Notify the Webmaster for the School of Pharmacy; requires special configuration.	No special requirements except a working Web server and proper access.

Go To: Step 5: Buy hardware and software or Web Developer's Guide