JRS: In article <bpj08u$1pmhf0$13@ID-107532.news.uni-berlin.de>, seen
in news:comp.lang.javascript, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn
<PointedEars@web.de> posted at Thu, 20 Nov 2003 17:23:58 :-[color=blue]
>Dr John Stockton wrote:
>[color=green]
>> news:comp.lang.javascript, Thomas 'PointedEars' Lahn[color=darkred]
>>>> I need a script for counting the no. of enters on my site, please.
>>>You do not need and you do not want this, not even server-side.
>>>Counters are a Bad Thing (feed the words to Google for proof,)
>>>use tools that evaluate server logs instead.[/color]
>>
>> Do not presume that server logs are available.
>>
>> Page counters give usable information, provided that the numbers are
>> interpreted cautiously. For example, if I were to put counters on the
>> Date/Time and Javascript portions of my site, I could get a fair
>> estimate of their relative popularity - especially if the numbers were
>> very different.[/color]
>
>In most cases either the logs are available directly or the service provider
>provides tools to evaluate them (for example a web interface). Even if
>nothing of that applies, and the cookie nagging of free counters aside, I
>strongly recommend not to have a *visible* counter on the site at least.
>Showing the numbers tells the visitor much about the author's character
>because if the numbers are low in most cases the reason is obvious --
>naive-dumb ways of authoring, ignoring the nature if the Web. I have never
>seen a (semi-)professional putting a counter on their web site or even
>heard/read recommending it. On the other hand, those numbers can be faked,
>too. Do not expect a visitor to cry out "Hooray! That site -- so many
>people have visited it, it must be good! I am not wasting my time here!!1".[/color]
You are again being pointless.
Such logging is not necessarily available. Your "most cases" is not the
same as "all cases".
Free counters do not necessarily require either cookies or nagging. For
example, my ISP supplies one (but supplies only minimal logging) with my
type of account. If you're clever enough to find where on my site the
counter is, you might even be able to read its value, but don't ask for
details since I read it by a means not available to you.
The OP wants to discover some form of count; you should not introduce
the idea of displaying the counter to the general public just in order
to denigrate said idea.
--
© John Stockton, Surrey, UK. ?@merlyn.demon.co.uk Turnpike v4.00 IE 4 ©
<URL:http://jibbering.com/faq/> Jim Ley's FAQ for news:comp.lang.javascript
<URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/js-index.htm> JS maths, dates, sources.
<URL:http://www.merlyn.demon.co.uk/> TP/BP/Delphi/JS/&c., FAQ topics, links.
