# Microsite

**URL:** <https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837>\
**Category:** Rails\
**Created:** [September 30, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837 "2008-09-30T13:09:13Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 4\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mrbless)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:09pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837/1 "2008-09-30T13:09:13Z")

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Hi guys. I don’t know whether this is the right place to put this  
question or not. But i want to build a microsite in rails. But i have  
no idea so whatever related to microsite. Can anybody give me an idea  
about microsite and how can i build it using ror. Thanks in advance

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**Author:** ![mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mrbless)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:23pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837/2 "2008-09-30T13:23:19Z")

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On 30 Sep 2008, at 11:56, mrbless wrote:

> Hi guys. I don’t know whether this is the right place to put this  
> question or not. But i want to build a microsite in rails. But i have  
> no idea so whatever related to microsite. Can anybody give me an idea  
> about microsite and how can i build it using ror. Thanks in advance

From the point of view of backend etc… how does a microsite differ  
from a normal site ? As far as I can tell there is no difference

Fred

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mrbless)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837/3 "2008-09-30T13:40:55Z")

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I would check out Why the lucky stiff’s:

[http://code.whytheluckystiff.net/camping/](http://code.whytheluckystiff.net/camping/)

OR

[http://clarkware.com/cgi/blosxom/2008/08/06](http://clarkware.com/cgi/blosxom/2008/08/06)

both come from respected Rails developers.

H

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<div class="post-metadata">

**Author:** ![mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/letter_avatar_proxy/v4/letter/m/ba9def/32.png) [@mrbless](https://www.ruby-forum.com/u/mrbless)\
**Post date:** [September 30, 2008, 3:33pm UTC](https://www.ruby-forum.com/t/microsite/149837/4 "2008-09-30T15:33:36Z")

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> From the point of view of backend etc… how does a microsite differ  
> from a normal site ? As far as I can tell there is no difference  
> I very much agree with this assessment. What is a “microsite” anyway?

Well according to this list of definitions  
([define:Microsite - Google Search](http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&safe=active&defl=en&q=define:Microsite&sa=X&oi=glossary_definition&ct=title))  
the term itself is too abstract to have any “real” meaning.

It’s like “AJAX” or “Rich Internet Applications (RIA).” Concepts far to  
abstract to nail down a definition other than “Well you know one when  
you see it? Maybe?”

Some definitions seem to "require" that the microsite has a different URL than the "main" site. Others don't seem to have that. Some say it's "usually" on the same server as the "main" site, but that doesn't seem to be a requirement either.

There are techniques/plugins used in Rails to handle sub-domains. There  
exist web servers that allow “virtual hosting.” There are techniques to  
“keep a site small.” Basically don’t put much there and have some  
separation from the “main” site and BAM! You just created a “microsite.”

There is also nothing I read that even requires a “microsite” to be  
dynamic at all. So what does Rails, or any other tool for building a  
site have to do with building a “microsite?”

Sorry for the rant, but this trend to try to place concrete definitions  
on abstract concepts is starting to get out of hand. AJAX, RIA, REST,  
Microsite, SOA, etc. We all know the concept of what these things are,  
but that doesn’t mean you can formulate a concrete definition for any of  
these terms.

Frederick C. wrote:

> On 30 Sep 2008, at 11:56, mrbless wrote:
> 
> > Hi guys. I don’t know whether this is the right place to put this  
> > question or not. But i want to build a microsite in rails. But i have  
> > no idea so whatever related to microsite. Can anybody give me an idea  
> > about microsite and how can i build it using ror. Thanks in advance
> 
> From the point of view of backend etc… how does a microsite differ  
> from a normal site ? As far as I can tell there is no difference
> 
> Fred