[Openaaq-discuss] Patron Question Posting Specification

[Alex P. <ale...@zw...>]

OK, here's the start of a spec for the question posting module. I'm
trying to simplify, because the more complex notions were going
nowhere. I'm handing off the responsibility for complex user profiles
and any kind of stored patron profile.

Take a look at the Ask page at the Internet public library:
http://www.ipl.org/div/askus/

My new philosophy: Ask A Question is a solution for a transaction driven
question and answer service. It is not a Customer Relations Management
system, although it may be integrated into one.

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OpenAAQ
Patron Question Posting Specification

* Overview

The system uses a one page patron profile and question model. This is
intended to simplify the basic question posting interaction. The system


* Complex profiles

When a complex profile requires multiple pages, or the contact email and
other information comes from a web site's existing membership system,
email and other fields can be passed by a preceeding page.

Preceeding pages can use mechanisms OAAQ does not incorporate, such as
image maps or DHTML forms. Any number of values can be passed to OAAQ
to be stored in the form as hidden fields and recorded as a part of the
question record.

* Output requirements

The system will produce complete HTML pages or just the question form as
a Server Side Include page component. SSI is the easiest way to insert
the OAAQ form into an existing site design.

When a site uses an SSI to include the OAAQ form in a page, submitting a
question will return a redirect to a "success" page.

* Input verification

The system will use Java script to verify the presence of required
fields. More importantly, it would be helpful to verify the email field
by ensuring there is an @ symbol, and by resolving the IP address of the
destination server.