A Guide to Simplified Web Publishing

Cloud Computing: A Real Option For DIY Publishing

by on Sep 22, 2009 (0) Comments

You know you’ve missed the boat on Cloud Computing when the federal government opens its own App Store for cloud computing solutions before you ever even try the technology. Everyone knows the Federal Government will always be the last to adopt new ideas. Maybe not this time thought because they sure beat a bunch of us to the cloud.

I’ve been following Amazon Web Services for several years now, fully intending to dive in to discover the benefits of the cloud. At first the offerings were confusing and complex. More recently, the services and the utilities that support their use have matured and are reasonably approachable. I still haven’t dived in to those waters though. I suspect this isn’t a solution for putting together small web sites.

Joyent has quite a history in the cloud computing arena. They offer Accelerator accounts, their fundamental cloud building block, utilizing Joyent’s custom distribution of OpenSolaris and other Linux/BSD goodies. They also offer more traditional shared hosting at an attractive price point. Continue reading ›

Smashing Magazine Web Site Goes Down

by on Sep 12, 2009 (0) Comments

Smashing Magazine’s web site went down on September 2, 2009. Someone attempted to infiltrate their main server and indeed managed to manipulate some HTML data. Apparently the only server compromised was the site server that supports the WordPress blog.  Two days later their site was almost completely back up. They never determined the exact extent of the attack, but suspect an outdated WordPress plugin or script.

Today I was reading a story on a popular New York news web site I visit sometimes. I had to quit reading a compelling story because I kept getting bombarded by fake virus scanners redirecting me to best-antivirus03.com, a malware web site.

With such high profile web sites getting hacked it made me think about security. Some really popular blogging and CMS software offerings have a less than outstanding record on security. The problem is no doubt exacerbated by the vast installed base of software like WordPress and Joomla on the Web. Being so popular makes these packages a prime target for hackers. Continue reading ›

The Content Conundrum

by on Aug 20, 2009 (0) Comments

Often small business web sites end up being quite appealing visually but very much in need of good content. I suspect that this is a result of the common perception that on the Web design trumps content. A business owner predisposed to this point of view will likely have little trouble finding a local design agency more than willing to focus on the site aesthetic and to ignore larger issues related to the purpose and content of the final site.

In the August 2009 issue of Boxes and Arrows Christopher Detzi discusses issues of the disconnect between design and content during the process of site creation. The Content Conundrum looks at multiple causes of this problem and suggests multiple solutions. This brief but informative article is packed with insight and it’s written in a way that makes is a resource for both technical and nontechnical audiences. Some of the comments that follow this article are actually quite informative, as well.

Worth a read, especially if your contemplating a web site for your business. Sometimes a little insight can go a long way, and save you money to boot.

A Free Website For Your Small Business Using WordPress.com

by on Aug 13, 2009 (0) Comments

WPBlogSeveral years ago a rural water cooperative called me wanting a low cost website. What they wanted was a three page site: home page, contacts page with hours and locations, and a third page that was basically a link to a payment processing service. They didn’t really care what the site looked like. The catch is that they had $150 to spend.

I’ve run into a few more clients like this since then, and I suspect there are many more small businesses out there that go without a website because they can’t find anyone to work for a price they can afford. Of course, in so many cases where we don’t have the money to pay someone to do work for us, we do it ourselves. Unfortunately, the Internet is a complicated animal. People in small businesses don’t have time to do their own jobs, much less figure out hosting and HTML.

This is where WordPress.com comes in. They offer what has to be the best free blogging service on the planet. Luckily their free service can double as a free small business web site solution. Setting up a site there is dead simple. You can do it in minutes. You don’t want a blog? that’s not a problem. Just define a regular page as your home page and don’t write any posts. Problem solved. Continue reading ›