[Year 12 IT Apps] U3O2 metatags

[Edwards, Russell T]

I was just having a look at the VCAA "Software tools and functions" document=
:

http://www.vcaa.vic.edu.au/vce/studies/infotech/it-apps-software-sr.pdf

A few questions arise about what students "should be able to demonstrate". (=
Meaning? That the software should provide them with the opportunity to do so=
, or that every student should actually know how to do it?)

For U3O2 web authoring software specifically:

1. CSS. Really? I was planning on leaving that to the clever kids. Tables/La=
yout View in Dreamweaver for the rest.

2. Metadata. I'm no expert but I can only recall two main uses for this. Am=
 I forgetting something?
      a. Search engine optimisation, obsolete since Google took over. (Googl=
e ignores them, as they are easily abused to manipulate results)
      b. Auto-refresh/redirect requests. Best avoided. Can't think why it wo=
uld be needed for a virtual team collaboration site. Some realtime chat syst=
ems are based on auto-refresh web pages but this is a really ugly way to do=
 it. Far better to use a proper chat/IM client, even a Java applet. I'd rath=
er see a student put up bit of text saying "We'll all meet in MSNM at 10 pm"=
 than do an ugly HTML-based chat.

3. Import sound. Can't see why this would be useful for U3O2 unless the scen=
ario specifically involves sound (e.g. a music/radio/TV network VT). Most we=
b pages that have sound shouldn't; it's just annoying and contravenes sound=
 KISS design principles.

Finally, a bit off topic, I'd like to point out a funny bit of irony in Pott=
s. Have a look at the discussion of serifed fonts on p 185.

cheers and thanks for any responses

Russell

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