Based on some comments I've received about the Identity framework, I
would like to propose the following:
TurboGears should provide a unique visit ID for each visitor (whether
anonymous or identified). This ID *MAY* be tracked in the database.
This ID *MAY* expire after inactivity. But most importantly, this
visit ID can be used by components including the Identity framework
to manage information about the current visit.
For example, the Identity framework would replace the TG_SecretToken
table with a TG_Visit table that contained the following columns:
* Visit ID
* User ID
* Expiry
The e-commerce framework I'm currently working on would use the Visit
ID to record things like: products viewed, products purchased, and
promotions offered. Furthermore, because the visit ID *CAN* be
associated with the user ID (once the visitor has logged in) it
offers real opportunities for personalisation.
I know we're looking to get feature complete so that 0.9 can be
released, but I only just thought how the identity cookie could be
used in the rest of the TurboGears environment...
--
Jeff Watkins
http://newburyportion.com/
"Computers are like Old Testament gods; lots of rules and no mercy."
-- Joseph Campbell
