No Ethics for Web Designers and Developers!
I recently decided to put a code of ethics on my business website. Calling it “Our Pledge”, I thought it would be a quick task that involved a few Google and Yahoo! searches. I was very wrong.
You would think a code of ethics would be a simple matter. In 2008, I fully expected to find dozens of examples from which to emulate or follow. I could hardly find any, and the few I found were paltry and even laughable.
Web Design and Marketing Solutions for Business Websites
The following is Part One of a book review. You might want wonder why I’d break up something as seemingly trivial as a book review into two parts. Well, wonder no more. The reason is that I haven’t finished the book, but I already have enough to say for now. I’ll post part two of the review when I’m done. If you’re one of those “must know everything before buying a book” types, you might want to wait until part two. But my recommendation as of now is “buy, buy, buy”. This is an overview plus an in-depth review of Chapters 1 through 7.
Article Series - Web Design and Marketing Solutions for Small Businesses
- Web Design and Marketing Solutions for Business Websites
New Blog Design Coming
After having this design up for almost two years, I’m more than ready for a new design for this blog. And I’m hoping you’ll help me. With the amount of traffic I get, I feel I owe it to you just as much as I do myself.
For me, design isn’t just about a cool new look. I need to put some more function into this site as well. Let me share a bit about what I’m thinking.
The Design Wishlist
What makes a successful website?
I have conversations every day with people about what makes a successful website or blog? Often, these conversations are about potential websites that someone might want to build that are unrelated to an existing business. By this I mean that I’m not referring here to a website for an existing business, but a website for an “idea”.
And I consistently remind these idea-fiends that Content is King, as you hear quite often on the internet. But the “build it and they will come” mentality still exists out there. People are convinced that a good idea alone is somehow worth something. Maybe in 1998 it was. Or even in 2002. Not anymore.
Speeding up the Website
There are lots of things you can do to speed up a website. But that is a whole article in and of itself. For now, to make my blog more comfortable for my many new visitors, I removed some of my badges and third-party content on my sidebar. For now, this includes my Traineo badge that details how much weight I’m losing, my Amazon Wishlist, and my music listening profile on Last FM. They aren’t gone forever - you can still see them on my “About Lawrence” page.
My Goals for this Blog and this Blog Only
Darren Rowse, who runs the monster site, Problogger.com, recently put out this little challenge to have bloggers write about “developing goals for a blog”. Darren occasionally will put out “group writing” offers with the bait that he’ll include a link to your article if it is pretty good. The guy gets so much traffic that it is almost crazy so people tend to covet a link on his blog. I purposely missed the deadline for two main reasons (not counting my lack of direction lately).
Favorite Shareware
This is basically a list in the spirit of my Favorite Freeware page - the difference being, of course, that you’ll have to pay for this software, although usually very little (under $40). Beyond that, and soon you are talking real software apps! Ouch! If I could find a little freeware app that would do the same as some of this, I’d give it a whirl, but sometimes you just have to pony up and pay the piper (whatever that means).
New Pages Added
For those who follow my site religiously, which includes about a half-dozen wacky friends, a few wayward internet surfers, and a guy named “Moses” (or is it a ‘bot’?), you may not have noticed, but I’ve started adding some more static content along the side. So far, these include such astounding lists as the talk show hosts that I like the most, my favorite freeware, and my controversial, yet oh-so-ever insightful list of the top 10 guitar gods of all time.
