Memoirs
I have also started to write down some of my memories of myself and family, especially those that have passed away. My Memoirs will be the site these will be published on (when ready for publishing).

I have another dozen or so great Blogging names that will eventually be made into a blogging network. I will even be opening up to selected authors the sites for them to feature their own content.

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.

I recently read about a decision by the FTC that amateur bloggers need to declare all payments and gifts recieved for blog postings. I have on occasions done some paid blogging for a few dollars. This has never been profitable (So far) , the hosting costs far exceed any income.

However if ANY COMPANIES wish to send me any laptops, MP3 players, Flat-screen  TV’s , I am more than willing to start accepting payola on occasions for an honest review. A nice Acer Laptop or 42in  LCD TV would be good.

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.

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.

1. NO Install File supplied.
2. Minimalist approach to Module positions.
3. CSS problems
4. Arrogant and insulting support service.
5. Blatant exploitation requiring essential changes to be paid for as additions.
6. Lost my client , they Lost an Affiliate (Yes I advertised their products),
7. 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.