Pricing
In general, many small websites can be built for
as little as $375. A 1-2 page informational site can cost even
less. Ecommerce sites, database-driven sites and content management
platforms take a little more development initially. Expect
to spend around $1000 for an ecommerce site, and at least $850 for
a content management platform set-up.
My hourly rate is $50. I bill in 15 minute increments.
Content Management Platforms
Content management platforms allow clients to update information and add pages on their own. The learning curve is generally a little easier than learning HTML because the interface resembles other software programs you might be used to. Once you understand the concept, adding content is easy.
Joomla is a php-based platform that has great functionality and a huge development team and network. On the Microsoft side of the tracks, believe it or not, there is an open-source project called DotNetNuke. For the novice, DotNetNuke is initially a little easier to use than Joomla, but if you're managing a lot of content, Joomla is a better bet long-term.
Upgrade Your Web Browser!
Web designers have the challenge of building code that will appear uniform in a number of viewing environments. Internet Explorer causes the bulk of our discontent, especially those versions before IE7. PLEASE stop using Internet Explorer 6 as soon as possible and switch to ANY other browser. The best browser is arguably Mozilla Firefox. It is "standards compliant" and is very customizable. The Opera browser is also quite good. If you have to use Internet Explorer, and I mean HAVE to, the latest update, IE7, is better than all previous versions.
Internet
Explorer drives up your cost, because developers have to write extra
code to get it to work correctly. Gradually, people are migrating
to better browsers, but progress is slow, so please share this information
with everyone you know. If we work together to make Firefox the predominant web
browser (and it is heading in that direction with over a third of
the market share) we can send Microsoft an important message.
Enjoy the following articles on the inadequecies of Internet Explorer.
Just Say No to Yahoo!
I do not work with Yahoo hosting or domain name registration. If you would like to work with me, and are currently a Yahoo customer, you'll need to switch before we get started. Yahoo is incredibly difficult to work with. If you've stumbled upon my site and are thinking of using Yahoo, here's my advice: DON'T! Below is a list of companies I am currently recommending. I look for companies who are easy to work with, easy to get on the phone, and have knowledgeable support.
Hosting Companies
A2
Hosting - A great Michigan-based company. Good service and green-conscious.
Save 10% off all A2 Hosting packages with the coupon code tenoffa2. Expires 6/30/2008.
iHostASP.net (Windows-based hosting only for asp.net applications)
Domain Name Registration
Omnis (when
registering, be careful not to sign up for hosting too - they try
to be sneaky).
