Banner Monsters Project

The Banner Monsters is a project we are currently working on with Pinscher Designs. While Pinscher Designs in doing the graphics for the site, Freelance I.T. Solutions is responsible for the 'Place Order' application.

The order application consists of a 5-tab form. This tab allows the visitor to choose the product they wish to order. Option drop-downs are populated on the fly depending on what product(s) are chosen.

The visitor enters contact information in this tab. The tabs can be navigated without loss of data. This allows the visitor to change information without the need for page refresh.

Here the visitor chooses production and delivery options. Again, the visitor can navigate between tabs without data loss. In this case, they may want to make changes to see how they effect price.

This tab summarizes the order and gathers the credit / debit card information. Notice here the grayed-out 'file upload' tab. The tab is visible, but unavailable until the order has been submitted and approved. This prevents the random and anonymous upload of files.

Tech Then and Now

On the left is a 5MB hard drive from 1956. And on the right is a 64MB Micro SD Card from 2006. The had drive from 1956 weighed more than a ton and was used in a 'super computer.'

May 2012 New Jobs Numbers

In May there were 133,000 new, private sector jobs created. A huge majority of those (93%) were created by small and medium size businesses. Businesses with 50 or fewer employees created 67,000 new jobs. Medium size companies – 50 to 499 employees – created 57,000. And companies with more than 500 employees created only 9,000. So, if you're looking for a job, try the local, small business first! *Source ADP, Inc.

Be Careful What You 'Like'

… as well as what links you share on Facebook. Your 'likes' and links may be used as endorsements for products, services and people without your knowledge. And believe it or not, you've agreed to this. Facebook calls this, “Sponsored Stories.” It works like this. A company (or individual – like a politician) pays Facebook to automatically promote their brand through Sponsored Stories. If you share a link that involves that company or its products/services, a Facebook algorithm (program) may post that as an endorsement for the company/product/service/person – even if that was not your intention. Likewise, clicking 'like' or commenting on someone else's post can be used as an endorsement as well. This might not sound so bad, until you find that your name, profile picture, location and other personal information can also be associated with your 'endorsement.' Also, the algorithm can not distinguish the difference between a joke, an endorsement, or a post that ridicules. I've shared links that were meant to ridicule a company, a service, a government decision or a politician. I certainly do not want that used as an endorsement from me! And, let's say a Facebook friend stays at a hotel and has a bad experience, then posts about it on Facebook. I click 'like' to agree with him – not to say I like the hotel. The algorithm only sees that as a like for the hotel and then uses my 'like' as an endorsement for the hotel – obviously not my intention. And this brings me back to, “you've agreed to all of this.” In Facebook's 4000-word 'terms of service,' down in the middle somewhere, there is a statement that says they can do this. By agreeing with the terms of service and creating your account, you've given them permission to use you, your likeness and your posts as advertisements and endorsements. Hmmmm – I think I stopped reading at 250 words.

One Day on the Internet

Companies are always giving statistics about the number of people that make purchases using the Internet and the number of people that research services and products before buying at brick and mortar stores. But, I thought I’d give you some truly amazing (and fun) numbers.

In one day on the Internet…
* 294 billion emails are sent. The USPS would take 2 years to handle all that mail.

* 4.7 billion minutes are spent on Facebook (what?!)

* 864,000 hours of videos are uploaded to YouTube – that would take 98 years for one person to view, non-stop!

* 250 million photos are uploaded to Facebook, printed and stacked that would be taller than 80 Eiffel Towers (also stacked).

* 18.7 million hours of music are streamed on Pandora.

There’s even more at http://www.businessinsider.com/everything-that-happens-in-one-day-on-the-internet-2012-3

Royalty Free Images

When people need images to use for advertisements, blog posts, websites, etc., they usually search the web for something they like and download or copy it. What most people don't realize is that many of the images on the web are actually copyrighted. And these images can not be used without permission or until royalties are paid. I've even had clients who have received 'cease and desist' letters telling them they must remove images from their sites.

But, here's a site with royalty free images you can use in print and digital media.

Free Digital Photos - http://www.freedigitalphotos.net