Latest Posts
To 5 Reasons Why Flash is Evil
Whenever a client wants Flash on their website I can’t help but cringe. Yes it was possibly really great 7 or 8 years ago, but browsers have come so far since then that there are many non-proprietary technologies available now that will allow websites to have some of the same features once offered only by Flash.
In my opinion, compared to other web technologies, Flash is very difficult to work in. You need special software to create a Flash file for starters, which on its own costs $700. On top of that, there is one file for creating the animation (.fla) and another file to view the published animation (.swf), which means whenever I inherit a Flash website I can never make any changes because the developer never uploads the .fla file on the server. Just to add some icing to the cake, Adobe seems to do a complete overhaul of Actionscript (the programming language for Flash) every time it releases a new version which means you basically have to start from scratch to re-learn.
Now that’s just the down side from a web developer’s perspective. There are several reasons why anyone having a website built should avoid Flash as well. Generally, once I give my clients a few pointers from my “Why I hate Flash” checklist, they change their mind as well, so I thought I’d share my list here. Continue Reading
Bang for your Buck: Mac vs PC
Are you a Mac person or a PC person? This is a question I get asked at least once a week, and while the easy answer is a PC person, its not really comparing apples to apples (pardon the pun)…
Why not? You say. Well, Mac’s are made by Apple, and when I say that I mean all of it. The hardware, the operating system, and a good deal of the software are all made by the same company, which has its perks in that you know its all going to work (probably). Its like all the bits and pieces singing in harmony with one another. This is great for the average computer user, you get everything you need, but when something goes wrong…. well you typically have to take it in to one of those Apple teens in a blue t-shirt, and god forbid if your warranty has expired, you might as well just get a new one. This also makes a Mac a more expensive for what you get since Apple holds all the cards. Continue Reading
The Ins and Outs of Email Troubleshooting
Most people, at some point, are going to need to set up a personal email account on their phone or computer which can be a daunting task, especially for the non-techie person. To try and make the setup easier, here is what you will need to know to get started with setting up your email service.
The Information You Need
1. The username and password for your email account (9 times out of 10 email setup errors are caused because one or both of these is typed in wrong)
2. The incoming server address. You can get this from your email service provider or hosting company. It is usually in the format of mail.domain.com
3. The outgoing or SMTP server address for your email account. Sometimes this is the same as the incoming server, sometimes it is different, so you will want to check on this.
4. The account type that you have (IMAP or POP3). Most will be POP, but some provide IMAP service as well, so when in doubt assume POP3 Continue Reading
10 Tips for Buying Website Domains
When deciding on a domain name for your website, there are several factors that you should consider. For starters, you want a domain that will be easily remembered so that your clients can more easily find you, which can be difficult sometimes. So here are a few more tips to get you started on the big search:
1. If the domain you want seems obvious, always make sure you run an availability check before you commit. There’s a chance that someone has already registered your domain name, so run a search on the domain and often times you will discover that if the .com is taken perhaps .net or another option will be available. There are many domain search websites out there, including my own. You can run a check at http://www.websitesbykristen.com/domains.html
2. If the domain you want is taken, try to find another domain that’s similar. If your business name is taken, try adding inc or llc at the end. If your business is specific to a location, try adding the location name in there somewhere such as NYC or DC so that you can target an audience in that area. Continue Reading
How to Set Up Secure Wireless Internet at Home
Many internet service providers (ISP) offer wireless internet “service” in your home for an extra $5-$20 per month. What many folks don’t know is that you are not actually paying for an extra service, but rather to rent their equipment from them and have them set up the network.
Its actually fairly simple to set up a wireless network yourself at home without much knowledge about what your’re doing. Here’s a quick guide on how to bypass your ISP’s extra monthly fees for wireless and set up wireless internet access in your home on your own: Continue Reading
