Meta Tag Author Issues and Copyright Questions

Update my site without infringing on previous webmaster

[blueiris]

I am relatively new to this game and have some questions about my company's site. Several years ago a web designer was hired to build a small site for my company. The site remained on the web but by the time I got on the scene it was extremely outdated. I spoke to the previous designer and he gave me some help to go forward in updating the content. (My company didn't want to pay an outside contractor if the changes could be made in house)

So now I've updated pictures and content to reflect the current company. I haven't changed much of the underlying code, only to fix a couple of browser problems. I keep reading that every page should have a meta author tag, but who do I assign that to? I want to give the previous designer the credit he deserves, but eventually, the code will all be changed as I change the page format.

Second, there is a copyright at the bottom of every URL. Where would I go to check this out, or obtain a certificate?

Trying to make sure my site's the best it can be, but want to do it all properly. Thanks for any input!

[D_Blackwell]

I keep reading that every page should have a meta author tag, but who do I assign that to?

Don't know that I especially agree with this and would consider it an option at most. Sometimes I use it, most times not. If so, I assign the content of the author meta tag to the owner (usually a company) of the content. Best practice recommendation is to assign it to the actual or primary author of the code on the page; the developer. I simply do not use that meta tag very often.

However, if I were managing a site where a lot of people had the ability to create and upload pages, then the author tag can be useful in assigning blame later on:)) I would not usually like very many people having that capability, but in some larger corporate environments that's the way it will be.

The original designer was paid. That's all the credit he needed then or needs now. Old news. It doesn't do anything for him anyway. If he was helpful to you personally, it is your personal recommendation of his services in the future that will have value to him. Even a link to his site is of little value. Personal references are Gold.

Second, there is a copyright at the bottom of every URL. Where would I go to check this out, or obtain a certificate?

You don't need a 'certificate'. Hopefully, the copyright is inserted on each page with an include file. If so, it will <edit> may and should </edit> update itself automatically. If you want to make a change in text or presentation, then one change in one file will be inserted on every page of the website. If the copyright was plugged into each page on a page-by-page basis, then that's a bummer:)) Bad news.

[edited by: D_Blackwell at 2:57 am (utc) on Feb. 20, 2009]