Web Page Variation
A computer implemented method for defining, at a web browser, an element of a web page for variation, the method comprising the steps of: the browser providing an element selection facility for a user to select an element for variation as a variable element; in response to an element selection, the browser storing an identifier of the variable element; the browser rendering a variant of the web page by adding at least one additional element to the web page so as to render the web page with a variation of the variable element.
1 . A computer implemented method for defining, at a web browser, an element of a web page for variation, the method comprising the steps of:
the browser providing an element selection facility for a user to select an element for variation as a variable element;
in response to an element selection, the browser storing an identifier of the variable element;
the browser rendering a variant of the web page by adding at least one additional element to the web page so as to render the web page with a variation of the variable element.
2 . The method of claim 1 wherein the variable element identifier is stored at a server computer system.
3 . The method of claim 1 wherein the at least one additional element is a reference to an executable script stored at a server computer system and being suitable for execution by the web browser.
4 . The method of claim 3 wherein the script is operable to perform a method including the steps of:
retrieving at least one modification instruction from the server computer system, wherein the at least one modification instruction defines a modification of the variable element; and
modifying the variable element in accordance with the one or more modification instructions so as to render a variant of the variable element.
5 . The method of claim 4 wherein the one or more modification instructions are determined by a modification generator based on a characterisation of a user of the web browser.
6 . The method of claim 4 wherein a modification of the variable element includes one or more of:
an addition of a resource to the variable element;
a removal of a resource from the variable element;
a specification of a size of the variable element;
a specification of a size of a resource associated with the variable element;
a specification of a location of the variable element;
a specification of a location of a resource associated with the variable element;
a specification of one or more resources for rendering with the variable element;
a visibility state of the variable element; and
specifying one or more attributes of the variable element.
7 . The method of claim 6 wherein the addition of a resource, removal of a resource and specification of one or more resources include references to at least one resource stored at the server computer system.
8 . The method of claim 1 wherein the steps of identifying, providing, storing and rendering are undertaken by a browser extension.
9 . The method of claim 1 further comprising the steps of:
the browser accepting a user input specifying a modification to the selected element of the web page; and
storing the specified modification as a modification instruction at a server computer system.
10 . Web page variation definition apparatus for defining, at a web browser, an element of a web page for variation, the apparatus comprising:
an element selector for a user to select an element for variation as a variable element;
a storer for storing an identifier of the variable element;
a renderer for rendering a variant of the web page by adding at least one additional element to the web page so as to render the web page with a variation of the variable element.
11 . The apparatus of claim 10 wherein the at least one additional element is a reference to a component at a server computer system, the component comprising:
a retriever for retrieving at least one modification instruction from the server computer system, wherein the at least one modification instruction defines a modification of the variable element; and
a modifier for modifying the variable element in accordance with the one or more modification instructions so as to render a variant of the variable element.
12 . The apparatus of claim 11 wherein the one or more modification instructions are determined by a modification generator based on a characterisation of a user of the web browser.
13 . The apparatus of claim 10 further comprising:
a user input acceptor for accepting a user input specifying a modification to the selected element of the web page; and
a further storer for storing the specified modification as a modification instruction at a server computer system.
14 . A computer program element comprising computer program code to, when loaded into a computer system and executed thereon, cause the computer to perform the steps of a method as claimed in any of claims 1 to 9 .