For myself, it’s been, always, looking for a connection to the internet that I could rely on to allow me to monitor and develop websites without having to thing how long it was going to take to do an upload or download task. Over the last weeks it has been brought home to me how much I need this – when I didn’t have it.

I’m looking at how best to improve the SEO position within my own CMS system. A lot seems to be happening within the search engines and trying to get all the right links into Google seems to be a never ending problem. Trouble is -  I like things tidy. I am seriously thinking about the CMS and how to get the search engines to  trigger links a bit better… I’ll find a way.

As soon as my speed improves – then it’ll be a quick look at Windows 7 before I have to upgrade!

Will continue this later….

Perhaps I don’t really want to find the related or similar pages – but I would like to know that the site works properly and is being correctly indexed! We could push the payperclick (PPC) somewhat more – or start submitting the website to different search engines and link farms.. but sometimes this costs money – real money – and without a definite ROI – what do we do?

You spend hours on the content and get nothing!

Churchill Retirement is a good example. It is fighting in a very small market worth a lot of money to those who win. Retirement home, flats, and apartments are always going to be at a premium price – senior living and assisted living environments are so important in our society.

On the other hand – our church website at St Marys Ferndown seems to live a life on its own and most of the pages get properly linked.

Aw shucks. Never mind – keep playing the game.

Paul

You know jolly well – only a couple of months into a new operating system – bound to be problems.

But that is not all – I thought I was paying month by month for a hosting account – turns out that it is a year – and I wanted to cancel it. Bother! So I was stuck with the account. I guess I may find a use for it eventually.

Anyway – that will be enough for now – more on Vista et al later.

I spend hours trying develop sites that work – and nothing happens. Trouble is, my clients don’t have the money to spend on their web sites – and to pay for back links and advertising – no way! Yes, I know about keyword strategies and good content, and finding links from good sites.

So what do I do?

1. I build the site well.
   I try to run as many HTML and XHTML validation tests so that no errors, warnings and comments are found
2. I use CSS for all my formatting – mainly to ensure consistency – and only use the attributes that a cross-browser.
   This can be a real pain – but in the end getting the DOCTYPE right and using consistent CSS does mean that the site is easy to maintain – and can easily be changed if the client has second thoughts about his/her design.
3. I try to make the site fast loading.
   All graphics (where used) are optimized to load quickly. I do not use graphical menus or tables unless I really have to. All in all, the sites load fast. I also place them with a host that will do the site justice – and seems to be reliable.
4. I eschew things like Javascript
   Some people dont allow it – and others use versions of Java that we just don’t want to think about! If I do any scripting I tend to do it in PHP. This still leaves me with some problems (like a Back button – but sometimes we just have to let the user use the Browser back button).
5. I create site maps
   This will be an HTML site map as well as a google site map.
6. I promote the domain and submit the google site map to google.

So there you have it. And people say that anyone can do it… Well they can – but have you seen some of the websites out there? And I have to say – it’s galling to find that they have got a better ranking than I have.

 Thats all for now… supposed to be doing the Vista bit – but who cares – every one else is doing it at the moment..

 Paul

It’s pretty, and fairly stable – but boy – is it confusing the first time you try to find your way round it.

The “performance rating” is a bit depressing – I use a Pentium IV running at 3.4Mhz – and it tells me my computer is slow – oh well – time to buy the dual core AMD 64 X2 5000 (lust lust lust).

I had to buy the latest type of graphics card just to run the graphics – not particularly what everyone will want to hear.

It seems to work yet there are definitely problems of finding drivers and there is definitely a need to replace legacy equipment.

Watch out for a full review soon!

Be afraid – very afraid

Be afraid – very afraid

I know that Vista is not perfect yet (will it ever be) but from what I have seen – it's awesome!

Do I follow Google’s recommendations:

• Only valid HTML allowed
• No covert keyword areas
• No link farms
• No duplication of pages
• No overloading of key phrases
• Every page to be indexed must have a clear link to it
• Use google meta tags to help promote the correct navigation
• Include a Robot.txt file

If I do this – will I get a good ranking? Unlikely – but it could well be an easy site to maintain!

I really must get a good book on search engine optimization. Trouble is – the big three have completely different ideas about what makes a good page – and then they keep on moving the goal posts.

I guess I will keep on trying to do my best and see what happens!

Paul

read more of this article…

I’m not overly sure about the content of some sites. I prefer targetted content that is easy to get at and view with the least amount of time wastage. I particularly hate websites that are loaded with tables and graphics that take an age to load. I may put up with it if it comes from an amateur site – but not from a business site. Yet I do want content.

If I am operating at 1024×768 I don’t want to see a lot of wasted space around the page – I want content. May be a larger font if you need to fill up the space – but I don’t want a lot of block colour around the place.

And if a site could load in 1 – 2 seconds why put graphics and tables that make it take 30 seconds to load – even on broadband? Lets get serious and use good content. Not lots a pretty advertising blocks – just a good read.

Anyway – read the linked article above and see what you think?

Paul

Tags: Internet, Design, Culture

I managed a long time ago (somewhere around 7 or 8 years ago) to develop a product called WinArchive – which was a supersession of a product call "DIP System".  I actively stopped developing the product a long time ago (2 or 3 years) and yet a VERY early version seems to still exist out there! (With cracks and serial numbers and all sorts of things like that). That some decided to download it must mean WinArchive may have been an important product.

I also hold 2 versions of the domain name winarchive.com and winarchive.co.uk - I am actually prepared to sell the .com domain – I really don't need it.

I am thinking of redeveloping and finalising the WinArchive product – it's been used by a major company for 10 years (although I think they have finally replaced it) in one form or another.

There is also another version that is worth looking at – WinCMA – and I guess I ought to get that sorted – I reckon I need that myself! Its the Windows Church Music Archive. I've had it running under Windows98 and Windows XP (it prefers the latter of course!)

 Anyway – comments appreciated – Anyone want WinArchive.com??

Tags: Technology, Software, Internet, Web