Design Conscious web design

Archive for the ‘Info and advice’ Category

I really don’t understand the UK. BT have announced that they are preparing to roll out a multi million pound scheme for installing more cable broadband in the UK. This will see a good proportion of us move from copper wires to fiber optic for our broadband, telephone and media content. This is great news and I applaud it, I’d snap their hand, no arm off if I could get it at home. And this is where I don’t understand the UK. I live in a street that is about 5 years old, 5 years ago it was development land, now it’s a new housing estate. The roads were constructed and gas, water, electricity, phone and drainage were installed… er… but no cable. Around me are thousands of new homes being constructed, Telford is exploding with new housing, and roads… er… but no cable.

I heard on the radio this morning that the UK is about 3 months away from recession. I can well believe it, house prices are falling so nobody can sell therefore nobody can buy, food and fuel prices are rising fast and wages aren’t increasing to cover the extra outlay. Some people would say the recession is already here.

So what can you do about it?

I’m annoyed. This has happened before and in the past I have just binned the letter, but now I think it’s better to mention it.

Domain Registry of America sent me a Domain Name Expiry Notice, if you read it – which I know a lot of people don’t ‘actually’ read things. It says that your domain will soon need renewing and that you can do it through them. They aren’t saying you ‘have’ to but that you will ‘need’ to.

This week I’ve had 2 phone calls from potential new customers, both of which totally confused me. Now I understand that people not in this industry don’t understand the technical terms, but there is no excuse for not knowing what you want.

The typical opener I get is: ‘Hello, how much does a website cost?’

OK, lets try asking that question at a garage: ‘How much are your tyres?’ Who can answer this question without getting some further information: what size wheels, type of car, how many are needed?

MARKETING: – Take every opportunity to tell people what you sell.I was recently on holiday and needed some beach shoes, you know those rubber soled scuba jobs that you can walk into the sea with – I was in half a mind to get a wet suit too – well it was a holiday in the UK and the kids wanted to be in the sea.