Getting Started
July 30, 2006
Have you ever been to a website that takes so long to load, that you simply moved on. The purpose of a website, is to attract people to your business. If your website is not accessable to visitors, then it may cost you money in lost sales.
For that reason, at this time, I do not build flash websites. Flash can take a while to load. A large number of people are still on dial up, and do not neccessarily have all the bells and whistles. The other reason is, it limits your search engine optimization. You want your website, easy to find, & simple to navigate. Sometimes simple is best.
You want your visitors, to have an optimal experience while on your site, in hopes they will return. To start with, I will have a look at your organization, and together we will determine the purpose you have in mind. From there, we can decide what type and what size of website will best suit your needs.
In the meantime, if you don’t already have a business name, you are going to have to think of one. It would be most desirable, if that name was your domain name. Make sure it is something you really want, as changing it can create complications.
So you can do a search and find out what domain will be available to use. For that, you will pay an annual fee. Then you will need hosting for your website. I can recommend some hosts to you. That too will be an annual fee. Both are quite affordable with many to choose from.
Mission
July 26, 2006
My mission at Zen Web Design, is to work closely with you, in order to identify your needs for a quality affordable website, as well as helping you to build a web presence, promoting your business through search engine optimization. I have experience in this area, as a result of my self-directed study.
If you are a creative person, or not, and do not have the skills or time to design your own site, then it would be worth your while to see what I have to offer. I intend to offer this service at affordable rates, as I am building my portfolio of websites at the moment.
As a creative individual, I believe I can effectively communicate with you regarding your needs, which is why I have chosen to specialize in this particular area. I have done a great deal of study on the web market, as it relates to art, and artists. My skill at creating galleries, editing image and text for web, as well as supplying you with tips on how to photograph your own work.
If it is physically possible, I can photograph your art work as I have a great deal of experience with photography, both digital, and film. My aim is to optimize your images, so your pages load quicker. Your site will be compatible with all browsers, as I have learned many tricks for that. I can have your site and running, in a very reasonable length of time, depending on the type of website that suits your needs.
I am currently finishing my own website for this business, where you will be able to find out more. My intention on this blog will be to offer tips on blogging, and some design tips for the do-it-yourselfers. I have some knowledge to share, as others have been generous in offering their knowledge to me. You can view my other sites, which are listed in the blogroll to the right.
Deborah
The Magic Box
July 19, 2006
I am relatively new to the world of computers. Five years ago, I didn’t even know how to turn one on. What started all of this? About that time I was taking a creative writing course at the university. Being the only person in the class using a typewriter for writing & my assignments, I had no idea what I was missing.
Then a friend called me one day to tell me he was giving me a computer. Scarcely believing my good fortune, I began with Windows95, which was even outmoded by then, but for me it was a luxury model. He told me he would be my tech, and told me I could call him if I ran into problems. I learned a lot about the computer on my own, determined to find out the mystery of where some of my short stories had gotten to.
My learning was completely self directed, I had the Windows95 resource book chalked full of labelled sticky note bookmarks. Mistakes were my teacher. I had no internet at that time, and at the three month mark I had the people come to install internet, and found my magic box wasn’t going to cut it.
Armed with a used computer from the surplus store, I moved on to internet. My writing took a back seat to all of this computer stuff. Determined to learn everything I could about this magic box, I quickly became addicted.
The worst thing that happened was wiping out my ini files, which rendered the computer useless, until I took to the repair shop. For me the best way of learning is jumping in, reading the instructions later.
Although I have no fancy piece of paper, I can do so many things now, some I will share, along with my process. I am still addicted by the way. The benefit of this approach, is what you learn, you learn really well. More next time.
Welcome
July 17, 2006
. . . to Zen Web Design blog. I am embarking on a new venture. An artist & self-taught web designer, I love writing code. The learning never ends, everyday presenting new challenges. My plan consists of specializing in websites for creative people. I look forward to sharing my knowledge and insights with you about all things web related.
