Decisions » templates

Daily Decisions, SMBI, auDA actions

admin — Wed, 17 Mar 2010 19:32:48 +0000

Firstly an apology to my regular readers for the lack of recent postings. I have been busy wth my minisite empire and a shift to a new location in the country.

The fields of Sunflowers at my new location are a change from the bugs of moreton bay. We picked the wettest period in a hundred years to move and had to do it in stages between downpours. On the last day, I fell over the lawn mower and severely injured myself. Bruising thankfully was all I sustained narrowly missing breaking my clavicle and sternum.

The Southern Moreton Bay Islands or SMBI is now behind us, Hurray. We don’t know what we were thinking when we moved there last year. Populated with Several Million Biting Insects and Small Minded Bloody Idiots. SMBI is a much used acronym on the islands, now I will be using a few of my own.

As a auDA reseller and also an auDA Supply class member, I often find the attitudes towards auDA and their rules on Australian domain names by Australian Domainers strange. auDA makes the rules, auDA enforces the rules. Often the domainers choose to ignore the rules and then complain bitterly. Don’t like the rules guys, well join auDA and help to change them. Stop whinging! Related to this DOMAINER.net.au will be mutated into a news and information site about domaining with special focus on auDA . General domaining will also be featured, including monetisation and utilisation of names.

Traffic is what domaining is all about. The more traffic the better. recently a couple minisites were done that was a “proof of concept” for a client. He seems to have missed the point about minisites and traffic as he expected instant millions of visitors. He is getting minimal traffic to his sites but expected the minute I finished his sites that $100s of income would come his way. Sorry, you know who you are, it does not work that way. The MAIN real reason people should place a minisite on their Aussie names is to protect them against auDA invoking their rules against non-usage.

Building Beautiful Big Blogs

admin — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:09:04 +0000

If you have read my early post about templates, you would know I am now designing lots of new templates.

My blogs and indeed all my sites are getting a much needed makeover.
My beautiful wife has been a great help, designing some nice blog templates especially the current one on this blog. Decisions will be featuring several of these blog templates. The current template (as at 10th Sept 2009) features a header photo that I took some 4 years ago just outside the small country town of Guyra NSW,

Also as part of the refreshing new look to Decisions will be many more posts on various subjects. Always though on the central theme of decisions and their consequences.

Experimental Experiences

admin — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 00:46:50 +0000

Recently I have been experimenting with various methods of Website development.
My new template creation software has been a BIG help , enabling me to create a variety of templates or themes. Now the creation of a great looking site is a matter of hours not days. Shortly my new founded motivation and enthusiasm can provide some more clients and income.
Not that I am in my business for the money.
Just recently a young guy on a certain Forum, asked for a review of his new site. It was shocking on so many levels. Yet he really and honestly thought it was great.
Sad but true.
As a result I will be giving tutorial and educational advice on simple minisite creation on several of my sites shortly. This will include the use of several open-source scripts.
I will be creating several simple, but effective minisites as examples using various styles, scripts, templates and domains.
As I do them, I will write a review of the site and it’s features on another of my blogs .

Scripting, Sites, Search engines

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 22:34:27 +0000

Ever wonder where a lot of those minisites that proliferate the internet get their content articles. Yes , No , Who cares. Regardless of that, My Australian Article site is now live using a great script and offers a selection of great articles on wide range of subjects. My existing info based Article Site is still running, but will soon be upgraded to the same Script. It may not enable me to Become rich ,but who knows?
I have also creating a Template display/demo site to showcase my new templates (Url coming when ready to release , I so hate ‘Under Construction pages’
‘
While on the subject of scripts , I really need to get my script directory up and running.

I note with some amusement that Yahoo has given up the search engine market , Microsoft’s BING.com search is now being used . That is exactly why yahoo has lost credibility in the SEO field . Anyway who would use the words ” I BINGed it” when “I googled it” is so endemic in conversation already. I note however that in Australia
Yahoo7.com.au is still using the old search engine (decisions.net.au is currently 2nd Place for search term “Decisions”)

Terrific or Terrible Templates

admin — Thu, 30 Jul 2009 07:54:01 +0000

Recently I needed to get a really great looking Joomla! template for a client. I of course thought of the various Joomla! Template clubs and commercial template suppliers. I chose a flash looking RED Template from a MAJOR website the URL which shall remain anonymous to protect the guilty. After downloading and having to create an install .ZIPFILE that SHOULD have been done by the designer (it only takes minutes, but will frustrate some web-users). I installed the new template.
Then comes the interesting part. No parameter file, OK I can handle that. Next only 3 module positions, Ok I can add more. Continuing down the terrible template tour, I realise that NO valid CSS for the TopMenu . OK I can handle that, Change CSS is easy in most templates. NO not on this little template from the Monster Mansion. CSS files supplied are the most frustrating I have seen, and boy have I seen some nightmares.

Contacted support to see if maybe it was a dud download or an unfinished template that had been supplied in error. No Support not only said it was the correct one, but implied it was the best available on the planet. But they did have a premium service that would add the missing bits for expensive fee (more than triple the original price). I asked for my Money back, after all it was unusable. Support offered to check that there was no problems, if I gave them logon details. After checking and confirming the template was OK (their point of view, not mine). Was told that no refunds were given, but I could have a 50% on my next purchase. AS IF I would ever buy from them again.

So let’s do a little headcount.

NO Install File supplied.
Minimalist approach to Module positions.
CSS problems
Arrogant and insulting support service.
Blatant exploitation requiring essential changes to be paid for as additions.
Lost my client , they Lost an Affiliate (Yes I advertised their products),
Inspired me to start designing templates. I decided to get a copy of ARTISTEER Trial to try it.

Simply TERRIFIC. Brilliant. I can now CREATE Joomla, WordPress, Drupal and HTML templates with a few clicks.

Part 2 of this saga

I now have purchased 3 licensed copies, 1 for each computer. Bloody brilliant software.