ServerError0.21 last updated 05.09.2000

1. HISTORY
2. FILES
3: INSTALLATION
4. APPENDIX


1. HISTORY:

Imagine the following scenario. User X is surfing the net 
and trying to get some files from your server by blindly typing  
the adress directly into the console of the client software.

In the standard case the server would reply to the request with 
a 404 HTTP error code. A bit boring don't you think. 

But maybe the server configuration is modified in a way 
that User X will be redirected to an URL that he didn't expect 
as a result of that request. That's better, but I don't think 
server admins are responsible for other sites hits.

With this thoughts in my slightly manipulated mind(1), the idea of
ServerError was born. 

(1) As a student i am a confessional customer of the local brewery.
As you probably know Wernigerode/Germany is the source of Hasseroeder, 
a very tasty german beer. 


2. FILES:

ServerError consists of five files which should be shipped in one 
package.

index.html	the error HTML file
error-data.js	the Errorsdatabase
date.js		a helper file, to format a datestring
Readme.txt	this document
Errorcodes.txt	HTTP Errorcodes

ServerErrors main component is index.html, a simple programmed file
with some javascript that is compatible with the common browsers like 
NS2.0+/IE3.0+ etc. 

All it does is randomly picking an errormessage from the database file 
and writing it into the page at the time the document is loaded into 
the browser. In addition and for reality aspects the script grabs the
protocol and server name or ip and adds them to the bottom of the errorpage.

In case that some users have disabled Javascript they will 
get a message to turn it on to see detailed error information.

The second part is error-data.js. Meticulously it contains just an array 
of errormessages with text.

I invented a new set of HTTP-errorcodelike errormessages that are completely 
nonsens. The set begins with 600. This number is, depending on my knowledge, 
not used in the official HTTP-errorcodes list.

Feel free to send me new errors ;-) and/or add them to the database file.
They should sound similar to the originals, but ask the user to do something 
unnecessary or better stupid in the end. But please sound serious as far as 
possible.


3. INSTALLATION

Unzip package into a directory of your choice. Modify the server config file 
so that specific errors will be redirected to the errorpage somewhere on your 
server.

If you want to add errors: 
Add them yourself and/or send them to me to a.new@servererror.net so that 
I can extend the errorlist.

For bugs, suggestions or comments contact me at edgar@servererror.net or visit 
www.servererror.net for updates. In case someone follows the servererror instructions 
on the screen I claim no responsibility for the damage he may cause by doing this.

Edgar Soldin, Wernigerode/Germany

And remember the web is full of bad guys ;-). "Trust no one!" F.Mulder X-Files


4. APPENDIX:

Read Errorcodes.txt if you are interested in the real HTTP ERRORCODES.