Busy Holidays!
It has been busy the last few weeks.
On one hand, it seems like there is nothing going on.
Not so many computers coming through the doors at the moment. I haven’t heard the words, “We’re going to wait until after the holidays…”, but I think that’s what is going on. Those computers that HAVE come through the doors are in much worse shape than the usual virus problem on a computer. Most have had either hardware failures or hard drive failures – and those couldn’t really wait until after the holidays!
On the OTHER hand, it seems like everything is going on!
I’m in the process of creating some basic web templates for the local Mother’s Unlimited group to give them all access to a REASONABLE quick and dirty website at a low cost. Low cost website? That actually works? Now that IS a service. I have heard from a few people here and there that have done the “Create your own website for 4.99 a month!” thing. How has THAT gone? Not so good. When I go back to check them out, it becomes quickly apparent that most people have NO idea what to put in a website. It always does explain what they do, but they have yet to actually include the information that will get them ranked anywhere on a search page. My thinking is that those types of sites are great IF you know what you are doing. I’ve no doubt that I could use one of those low cost website hosting things and create a site that would be ranked. BUT, for the average person, I just don’t think it is going to happen very often.
Lizardwebs set out to add a new Windows 2003 domain controller into the mix. How did THAT go? Not so good. The goal is to move our internal servers to virtual servers. This should allow greater flexibility internally as far as bringing up or taking down webservers, test machines, etc. That is the goal. The first step was to add in the virtual environment using the Microsoft Virtual Server R2 app. I think I’m actually going to save this story, as it could get long, for a blog tomorrow or the next day. In one sentence, after a probable 40 hours on this, we HAVE virtual servers – now integrating them, different story. I think it’s going to be less of a problem to just create a new domain and go that route.
We just launched a redesigned website for PMI Ash. This company works with fly ash from coal burning plants. The original site was not really hitting on much. They still have a lack of content, but we’re working on it! And worse, it really looked not up to snuff as far as a corporate web site should look, IMHO. So with a lot of back and forth, a new rebuilt web site was launched for them yesterday. I think it looks a lot sharper and more in-line for a corporate website. Still – lack of text content, but it’s getting there. Hopefully they’ll want to add some content in the near future.
We also launched a completely new site for Zebulon Pawn in Zebulon, NC. This was a nifty little project. 16 hours or so from start to finish. Actually that doesn’t include the little logo thing. I ended up actually using a chess pawn as the background for it. Jim Slaughter, the owner, actually had suggested blue for the site color. Try as I might with the pictures that I had, it just WOULDN’T conform to blue. At least it didn’t actually MESH well with blue. The site ended up with a wood style theme. And that actually fit nicely with the pictures. He was happy so what more could I ask? 🙂
I was contacted by Jen Wooding at Clayton Flooring about working with her on a new project – a website centering on drug addiction and rehabilitation. This is sounding like an AWESOME upcoming project. Spent an hour and a half on the phone with likely the biggest player in the market talking about his website Sober-Solutions.com and others. It was a very informative meeting. I think this is something that will really let me get my web programming chops up to speed again! Most sites these days are smaller, more static websites, but this one promises to provide a lot of programming fun!
Throw this in with some misc other issues and it adds up to why it seems like everything and nothing is going on.
Actually just reading this, everything HAS been going on!
Follow
