"the Harz": general information about the INTERNET folder

Sources: "content"
Sources: "graphics"
Languages
Status
To be done... (includes "what does not work...")

Sources: "content":

• Generally speaking, sources are mentionned in the "BIBLIOGRAPHY" at ./hzbibz.htm where they are marked with a "dark red star"; this more or less means that I did not read or view the other documents, so... don't ask me more than what already is in the bibliography, but / please / thanx in advance to give feedback ...
• Concerning historical information, much cross-checking is still needed but this is rather static information...
• Concerning timetables, pricing information, "specials", etc... it is more complicated: everything is directly taken from original HSB information, but currently, some work is still needed to cross-check this information because / concerning some detail / various documents not always confirm each other: this is the same kind of problem that tourism-agencies have when they make new brochures, but, as we have a direct contact with HSB Public-Relation Dept., we are sure that the whole will get a good accuracy on the very short term...
• Thanx to both Harz support groups which support us by supplying information
• When some very specific source has been used for elaborating some very specific page... I will try to mention it at the bottom of the page itself.

Languages:

• Versions in 3 languages, i.e. deutsch + english + français ( + + ) are planned for most pages but this is still rather "partially implemented"...
• The chronicle should remain " only" for some time...
• Multi-lingual stuff (?) and translations:
  * all historical stuff is "original Philippe Quiot", and texts were generated in french and/or english; german translations are coming, they will be done by myself and checked by someone who knows both french_and_german_and_trains...
  * most texts re. HSB current information are original HSB texts in german and I translated them into french and english.
  * if someone wants to translate some stuff in italian and/or spanish and/or portuguese and/or dutch and/or etc... she/he is rather WELCOME, please tell me... tog-ch@mail.vtx.ch or tog-sa@he.net

• Graphics... / whatever they are / are in a graphics.dir directory where there is a grhz.dir sub-directory for "harz-specific" graphics (icons, maps, hzdwings, etc...).
• "Harz-specific" graphics" usually have ..hz.. in their name...
• Pictures... there are none at the moment, which are directly integrated in these "Harz" files, but when they are introduced, I suppose that they will be stored in the directories devoted to "The MERCURIO Picture Gallery".
• Drawings are "home-made", and are not intended to provide technically accurate information for the guy who wants to build an HOm live steam model... but only give an idea of what the "Harz" locomotives, trains etc... look like...; currently most of them are not yet finished.
• Most of the maps... same.
• Icons... are in several directories:
  * some are "general purpose" ones, many of them "outsourced", specially downloaded from a site at http://www.ECnet.Net/users/gas52r0/Jay/home.html, managed by a Jay Boersman, and I will try to maintain a .txt file in each directory to mention "credits";
  * some others are "Harz specific" and... "home made", rather simple ones.
• Logos are "home-made", some of them from scanned HSB documents, reworked.
• Bullets... same as above, no "Harz specific" bullets.
• Backgrounds, lines etc..., same...:
  * background choice currently is very basic but many "general purpose" backgrounds have been tested, and some will probably be introduced within a few weeks: they come from "Julianne T. Olson background and textures" last seen (a couple of months ago...) at http://www.sfsu.edu/~jtolson/textures/textures.html, some other sources too... (Netscape ?, NCSA ?);
  * same for lines, but "Harz specific" lines are home-made..
• "Harz-specific" logos are home-made too, generally using scanned HSB documents as a basis for some customizing.

Status

This label is supposed to describe the state in which some page is at a certain moment...

• OK ... well the page is supposed to be OK (hopefully, this doesnot mean that it will not change during the 10 years to come, but that I suppose that I can rather work on other ones...)
• 99% ... some rather minor practical work still needed, e.g. translation problems, some details missing, etc...
• under-construction... much work to be done, please be careful with the information inside...
• early ... some pages are labelled so e.g. empty ones just introduced to ease testings...

To be done... (as of 31/03/1996, both short term and medium term plans)

• Some cleaning is needed in the architecture itself
• "Welcome pages", i.e. 1st and 2nd levels of menus will be replaced by full graphic ones as soon as the architecture is frozen
• Think about a menu for tourism agencies and other professionals or for those who specifically want to organize a trip in the Harz...
• Introduce links to pictures
• Many pages need some basic cleaning / checking !
• Most pages need be run in editor to replace "european" characters by standard codes
• Many "cross-links" need be introduced, and several "back-links" too should be added to facilitate navigating in the folder
• Virtual visits of the 3 lines need be written (most material is available incl. using HSB material) and photos need be supplied: visit of Selketalbahn currently is being finalized
• Introduce missing pages on "organisations", "addresses", "bibliography", etc...
• Terminate many pages on historical topics, diesel locomotives, etc... (most of them are 80% but still need checking and completing) and "put" them on the server
• Re these pages, translate french text into english; german texts will follow much later
• Do many missing translations to/from german in the "INFORMATION" chapter
• Check missing terms, words, details, etc... (marked as XXX) in many to/from german translations
• Check all english text too...
• Cross check accuracy/coherence of some information coming from HSB
• ... specially about "specials"
• organize information collect about "specials" on the HSB
• same about "NEWS"
• Terminate drawings, maps
• Redraw some icons and draw icons for all HSB stations
• Several pages are just represented by empty "shells", need be filled in
• etc...
• medium term, a solution needs be found for the chronicle: storing items in a database and allowing direct selection of updated information