If you can get
HTML::Template
on your server it supports almost exactly
the "parse template/fill in content" methodology
that you've just described
(only the tag format is slightly different):
<TMPL_VAR NAME=PATH>
In response to your original question :
Considering that most webhosting companies do not offer
solutions such as embperl, Mason, Apache::ASP or
others of the sort, what is the most efficient way to
work with, build and maintain these websites?
I would not let "webhosting feature availability"
influence my decisions in any major way
when it came to features that would
severly affect the design, development, maintenance,
architecture, scalability,
and performance of a site. I first decide
what are the
right tools to use to make the site then ask
who can provide me with these tools. If
a company can afford a 7 person team to develop a
website then they can surely afford to get server(s)
configured they way they require to run the site.
You are already placing requirements on the server by making the
choices of perl, DBI, and a
database (w/ apropriate DBD module). Requiring
a few additional perl or apache modules is
not asking too much. Making an architectural decision
of such importance based on
provider availability
could lead to a support/maintenance nightmare later on.
It is well worth it to do things properly up-front
to save yourself pain later on. Choosing an inferior tool
just because its convenient is not the right answer :
I don't see any saws near-by, but I do
have a bunch of hammers, so why don't I use one of
them to cut this 2x4.
Webhosting is a competitive market
and it sounds like you are developing a non-trivial site.
Hosting your site could mean a lot of income to whichever web-hosting
provider you use. They should be willing to provide you
with the tools that you require in order to get your business.
If "most webhosting companies do not offer" what you need
seek out the ones that do and give them your business.
Other developers will make the same choices
as you and the
providers that offer better services/features
to the site
development/maintenance team will flourish.