How To Hide Your HTML Code

Posted Wednesday, October 15, 2003

Many web authors are extremely defensive about their HTML code,
especially if they feel that they have created something unique. A
few days ago I received an e-mail from someone asking how
another site was able to generate an error message whenever he
attempted to use the View Source button to checkout the
underlying HTML.

As an example, if you attempt to use the View Source command
in your browser the message:
<--SSI DHTML ERROR 402 - FILE NOT FOUND-->
will be generated.

So how is it done? I am sure many of you net savvy users will know
right away.

The fact is, trying to hide your HTML code is like trying to hide the
brush strokes in a Rembrandt painting. The HTML is the web page.
What you see when you visit a web site is your Browser's
interpretation of the HTML. The reason a web page can appear
slightly different when viewed in Netscape or Explorer is because
they interpret the HTML differently.

It is done the same way any good illusionist performs a trick. With smoke
and mirrors. The error message is the smoke or slight of hand. It is
only a trick to distract your attention. It could just as easily have
said: --Happy news. For the best pizza dial (555) MyP-izza---.
The mirror is about 20 or 30 blank lines. HTML ignores multiple
blank characters or blank lines. Adding blank lines to the top of a
HTML page will be ignored by the browser but will make the page
appear blank to a casual viewer. Use the scroll bar to find the
HTML if you don't believe me.