Archives for "Web Development"
CMS’s: the good, the bad and the ugly.
For the last few years now everyone who wants a new site or a site redesign, often wants to have some kind of content management system in the backend. Mostly the client wants to be able to update content whenever they want and not have to wait or pay for a developer/company to do this for them. The client from what I have seen never has a plan set up for this updating. Usually they will do themselves, which is fine if they where a marketer, and web developer all in one. I believe to run a website and add content you must possess both talents when it comes to a business. Most clients do not or will not spend the money for someone who is proficient in both. So when this happens, sites go to crap.
Although adding a CMS to a site is not the most involved process, but it will increase a clients cost but usually the convienence and money saved in the long run, out ways the price. Continue Reading
The Future for online applications. My hope.
I hope that very soon we will start to see applications start letting the user control their own data. When you find that application that you would love to use, just to find out that you can’t get the open source and maintain the application yourself but rather give control to the owners of the application and keep all your data with them. I am hoping for an option in the future to allow users to maintain their own data, and just data for now. The application stays on the owners server while allowing each user to set up their own database with the correct structure. Once the user signs up for the application they can enter the database connection and username and password for a successful connection.
Now the user has the control over the data. No more worrying about never getting your data back again. No more being held hostage. Continue Reading
Best free way to create a sitemap? SlickPlan!!
I just started using SlickPlan today (about 30 minutes ago). And I already have created a slick looking 40 page sitemap which I feel could be used for clients or for organization between team members.
SlickPlan is FREE! Just sign up, get the email, click the activation link and you’re ready. Within minutes I was adding pages, sub-pages and all the navigation elements what would be constant. After you are done you have several options to export. Continue Reading
E-Commerce Engine and ColdFusion = CFWebstore
Once in a while you may come across an opportunity to help create and implement an E-Commerce solution using the ColdFusion platform. When this arises, I highly recommend using CFWebstore. CFWebstore is not free, but is not really expensive either. For (I think) $400.00 you can get a license of CFWebstore, which will work on a Windows server, Linux Server, and can use MySQL or MSSQL.
The install is pretty easy and straight forward. Just download the files put them on your web server, setup a database, run the database scripts, change some settings in the config file and you are off and running. If you work like most developers then you already should have an approved mock up of what the e-commerce site will look like. For me the easiest way to implement a design with CFWebstore is to first build-out your approved mock up into valid XHTML. Now you just have to cut and paste your build-out code into your default_layout file within CFWebstore. Most code is well commented within files, and gives you a good idea what that code is doing. Continue Reading
Kentico’s support, Where are you???
I know in a previous post, I mentioned how active Kentico is in trying to help you out with issues, even though it may take a day or so. I am going to over react a bit and say I take all that back.
I understand the need to charge for support at some points but I also believe that you should only charge support if you have a great deal of knowledge base, FAQ’s, and troubleshooting information easily found at the tips of someones finger tips. This is not saying that Kentico doesn’t have a bunch of documentation, but the quality of the support documents is low and to search for anything specific is a nightmare on Kentico’s Development site. Continue Reading