13-Mar-2003

Referrer script

I have added a referrer script to the individual archive pages for the site. I got the script from waxy.org. Thanks to Andy Baio.

Unfortunately, my host runs Zeus 3, which has a nice bug when it comes to the CGI variable DOCUMENT_NAME. If you use the script on a version of Zeus before 4.1, change the reference to DOCUMENT_NAME in the script to DOCUMENT_URI.

Additionally, my host doesn't allow the #exec cgi= server side include. Changed it to #include virtual=, which works just fine.

There of course is a small problem with it (although, as I currently don't get a lot of referrers, it's not so much of a concern). The script displays referrers for each individual page that the server side include is in. And it only shows the highest 10 referrers. While this is customizable, who want's 90 referrrers listed on each page?

Think about the emphasised statement. With all the discussion of power laws at the moment, this can only make the rich richer, at the expense of the poor (if you follow the analogy).

Eventually, I will modify the script to output a database for the entire site. Then I can construct a separate page dynamically a la Mark Pilgrim's referrers that lists all referrers. This is a much more equitable solution.

Of course, I'll do this in my copious free time.

Posted at March 13, 2003 7:20 PM
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