800 x 600 - Time to Move Upwards?
When the internet first became recognised as a proper medium for businesses (about 10 years ago), the average computer was a basic 486 model with Windows 3.1 as standard, and a box monitor that was bigger in depth than it was in height.
In those great, if not slightly nostalgic days, it was the norm to have your average monitor set to an 800 x 600 resolution. Even websites assured you at the bottom of their page that their web page was best viewed at an 800 x 600 resolution. Any less meant that you either had a bad eye problem or was slightly mad (must be bought on by the headaches that followed).
Now we are in a different century, and a different millennium for that matter and the average PC is not so average anymore. if you saw a computer from 10 years ago, you'd look to see if there was a handle on its CPU. Keyboards have changed, into slinky lightweight or orthopedic numbers, mice have gone wireless with funky wheels and monitors have got flatter but bigger. All can be had for a reasonable price, hence their popularity.
So why after all this time, do I still find people using the 800 x 600 resolution on these cinema screens of monitors? They look dreadful! The page looks like it has been zoomed in on and doesn't even look natural. The images don't look right, the words are so big that even Mr Magoo could see it from a distance and horizontal scroll bars are available in abundance.
Do these viewers think that every website they look at is naturally bad or does their expectations for a good website fall after a while? My money's on the second result.
Having said all that, I do still test my web pages at this low resolution. Although it does look rather cramped and I don't agree with it, if you type in "800 x 600 resolution" into Google(.co.uk), there are 3.4 million results, with 7 out of the first 10 results quoting "This site is best viewed on 800 x 600 resolution."
So out of 3.4 million different pages, how many could end up as prospective customers in the near future?
In those great, if not slightly nostalgic days, it was the norm to have your average monitor set to an 800 x 600 resolution. Even websites assured you at the bottom of their page that their web page was best viewed at an 800 x 600 resolution. Any less meant that you either had a bad eye problem or was slightly mad (must be bought on by the headaches that followed).
Now we are in a different century, and a different millennium for that matter and the average PC is not so average anymore. if you saw a computer from 10 years ago, you'd look to see if there was a handle on its CPU. Keyboards have changed, into slinky lightweight or orthopedic numbers, mice have gone wireless with funky wheels and monitors have got flatter but bigger. All can be had for a reasonable price, hence their popularity.
So why after all this time, do I still find people using the 800 x 600 resolution on these cinema screens of monitors? They look dreadful! The page looks like it has been zoomed in on and doesn't even look natural. The images don't look right, the words are so big that even Mr Magoo could see it from a distance and horizontal scroll bars are available in abundance.
Do these viewers think that every website they look at is naturally bad or does their expectations for a good website fall after a while? My money's on the second result.
Having said all that, I do still test my web pages at this low resolution. Although it does look rather cramped and I don't agree with it, if you type in "800 x 600 resolution" into Google(.co.uk), there are 3.4 million results, with 7 out of the first 10 results quoting "This site is best viewed on 800 x 600 resolution."
So out of 3.4 million different pages, how many could end up as prospective customers in the near future?
Take the Email Scam IQ Test
Received one of those email scams a couple of days ago. I realised it was dross before I opened it. First of all, I had not signed up with any finance company, so I couldn't confirm my registration details as I didn't have any. Secondly My name isn't DVH, its Debbie. There is a distinct difference. There was no fancy artwork, to make them look even remotely authentic. It was just a plain email where the only bit of HTML was for the link to their website. At least the Lloyds Bank spoof looked authentic. I wasted no time in reporting it to Spamcop (http://www.spamcop.net/).
But on speaking to the Manager at my local Enterprise Agency, he was telling me his father received a call from America basically asking for his credit card details for whatever reason. He obliged but thought later "Mmm should I have given out that information?" I'm sure he soon found out!
My motto is when in doubt - give them nothing. If you go to http://survey.mailfrontier.com/survey/quiztest.html, this gives you 10 example emails that have actually been in circulation and you guess which ones are the scam and which ones are genuine. My total result was 9 out of 10, but that was just me being too cautious. Still better to be too cautious than not cautious enough (Especially when some naughty hoaxers stitched up an entire village not too far from here).
Anyway would love to hear from all my readers to see what your results were and if this test has benefitted your awareness of these toads that are out trying to nick your hard-earned pounds.
But on speaking to the Manager at my local Enterprise Agency, he was telling me his father received a call from America basically asking for his credit card details for whatever reason. He obliged but thought later "Mmm should I have given out that information?" I'm sure he soon found out!
My motto is when in doubt - give them nothing. If you go to http://survey.mailfrontier.com/survey/quiztest.html, this gives you 10 example emails that have actually been in circulation and you guess which ones are the scam and which ones are genuine. My total result was 9 out of 10, but that was just me being too cautious. Still better to be too cautious than not cautious enough (Especially when some naughty hoaxers stitched up an entire village not too far from here).
Anyway would love to hear from all my readers to see what your results were and if this test has benefitted your awareness of these toads that are out trying to nick your hard-earned pounds.
Privacy Policies
I've been busy the last couple of days, Writing up my privacy policy for the website. Found a great Privacy policy generator (see link above as its way too long for this page) You have to create a password and when you do print it, it comes up with a window containing gobbledygook, but if you click on preview, you can print it from there. With a couple of tweaks you can get a pretty good privacy policy and the generator tells you if it doesn't agree with one of your policies.
Anyway, now I've just got to work on the page itself and the Email to my existing customers.
On another bright side, went to see a customer on Friday who recommended me to his friend, resulting in my first FULL e-commerce venture. I have one already, but I was not responsible for all of it. My customer's previous web designer bowed out halfway through and I, in effect picked up the pieces.
Anyway, now I've just got to work on the page itself and the Email to my existing customers.
On another bright side, went to see a customer on Friday who recommended me to his friend, resulting in my first FULL e-commerce venture. I have one already, but I was not responsible for all of it. My customer's previous web designer bowed out halfway through and I, in effect picked up the pieces.
What exactly is Premium about a Premium service?
A couple of days ago, I went to see one of my customers, Lloyd Morgan Design, a specialist in 3D sign making for pubs and village signs. Basically he was one of my first ever customers and we arranged a meeting to discuss a couple of issues after I received a lot of confused telephone calls regarding his website and the promotion around it.
While I was there, my customer received a call on his mobile. The young lass on the phone said she was ringing on behalf of a premium web design/promotion company that my customer had apparently signed up for and my, by now confused customer gave the phone to me so I could figure out what the Dickens she was on about.
It turns out that my customer wanted a domain name some time ago and instead of just giving my customer what he wanted, this darling company decided to design a web page for him around it (not the main link above, another website). I got the domain name and we looked it up on his computer and it was the biggest load of dross I have ever had the misfortune of clapping my eyes on. My customer had never seen this site before and even after the amount of checks I have done online for him, neither had I. The images on it were not to scale and as a result they were very poor and weren't even the right type of sign, it was just a picture of a standard pub sign, which was not very 3-dimensional and therefore nothing to do with my customer.
I must say I did very well to not tell the caller exactly what I thought of the said website, but I could only stifle a laugh when she asked us what we would like her to do with it (I think she only meant would we like it revamped). While my client tried to dig out the paperwork I made small talk with this lass and asked her where she was based. She replied "Oh our office is in Lancaster but our Head Office is in Glasgow." My thoughts went along the lines of "Oh goody, that means we are funding both your offices then."
Well my first words to my customer when she was off the phone went something like: "Bow out of the contract as soon as you can and count your losses, because if neither of us even knew this website existed then they are not a very good promotional company."
Tempting though it is to trash a competitor, I'd best not disclose who it actually is, but I think after typing my customers name into every major search engine and only coming up with his main site, it is fair to say that the only premium thing about this company is its price.
While I was there, my customer received a call on his mobile. The young lass on the phone said she was ringing on behalf of a premium web design/promotion company that my customer had apparently signed up for and my, by now confused customer gave the phone to me so I could figure out what the Dickens she was on about.
It turns out that my customer wanted a domain name some time ago and instead of just giving my customer what he wanted, this darling company decided to design a web page for him around it (not the main link above, another website). I got the domain name and we looked it up on his computer and it was the biggest load of dross I have ever had the misfortune of clapping my eyes on. My customer had never seen this site before and even after the amount of checks I have done online for him, neither had I. The images on it were not to scale and as a result they were very poor and weren't even the right type of sign, it was just a picture of a standard pub sign, which was not very 3-dimensional and therefore nothing to do with my customer.
I must say I did very well to not tell the caller exactly what I thought of the said website, but I could only stifle a laugh when she asked us what we would like her to do with it (I think she only meant would we like it revamped). While my client tried to dig out the paperwork I made small talk with this lass and asked her where she was based. She replied "Oh our office is in Lancaster but our Head Office is in Glasgow." My thoughts went along the lines of "Oh goody, that means we are funding both your offices then."
Well my first words to my customer when she was off the phone went something like: "Bow out of the contract as soon as you can and count your losses, because if neither of us even knew this website existed then they are not a very good promotional company."
Tempting though it is to trash a competitor, I'd best not disclose who it actually is, but I think after typing my customers name into every major search engine and only coming up with his main site, it is fair to say that the only premium thing about this company is its price.
Nominet Changes and Grotty Hosts
I received a letter today from Nominet with reference to my domain name. They provided me with a little PIN number that they now want me to give them my contact details online. They used to send you a paper certificate, but once you've confirmed the said details online, you can print a PDF copy of the same certificate.
Now call me paranoid, but with the combination of being told to do something that previously was not needed and the horror stories on the news of people putting their details online, only to find their bank accounts empty the next day, I decided to call them. I was quite happy with their explanation (I think they might get that a lot) I decided to go ahead. At the time of press, my bank balance is the same as it was this morning, so I think I'm OK.
So note to all of my existing customers who take the time to read this: It is OK for you to do the same. I have checked it for you.
Also had some angry guy from my hosting company call me today. It turns out though that they were the ones who goofed up. Last year my domain name was due for renewal, and at the same time, my hosting was as well, but they didn't inform me about the hosting just the domain name (which kind of begs the question, how many of my customers have had the same problem?). The call today was basically, if I do not renew my hosting account in 7 days time, My account was going to be (vapourised into oblivion along with me) suspended forthwith. And did the guy accept my explanation? Errr no.
The said hosting company have also been revising their hosting account and come up with a new one thats payable monthly instead of annually. This in turn would total to over £15 more than what they are currently asking. And as they will be looking to get all of their customers onto this new service in the near future, I think it might be time to look elsewhere.
Now call me paranoid, but with the combination of being told to do something that previously was not needed and the horror stories on the news of people putting their details online, only to find their bank accounts empty the next day, I decided to call them. I was quite happy with their explanation (I think they might get that a lot) I decided to go ahead. At the time of press, my bank balance is the same as it was this morning, so I think I'm OK.
So note to all of my existing customers who take the time to read this: It is OK for you to do the same. I have checked it for you.
Also had some angry guy from my hosting company call me today. It turns out though that they were the ones who goofed up. Last year my domain name was due for renewal, and at the same time, my hosting was as well, but they didn't inform me about the hosting just the domain name (which kind of begs the question, how many of my customers have had the same problem?). The call today was basically, if I do not renew my hosting account in 7 days time, My account was going to be (vapourised into oblivion along with me) suspended forthwith. And did the guy accept my explanation? Errr no.
The said hosting company have also been revising their hosting account and come up with a new one thats payable monthly instead of annually. This in turn would total to over £15 more than what they are currently asking. And as they will be looking to get all of their customers onto this new service in the near future, I think it might be time to look elsewhere.
