Software Scotland

A question of architecture

2011-04-21T10:27:00.000+01:00

Don't assume that simply taking your application from the office server and sticking it on the cloud will work well. Properly designed scalable cloud applications need to be designed with the environment they are sitting on borne in mind. If this isn't done all you have really done is purchased some very expensive server space.

Storage of media and photos in your hand not in the cloud

2010-04-30T15:55:00.000+01:00

Doesn't matter how big a hard drive you get with your latest PC you know its not going to be big enough in 2 years time. External drives are clearly a solution and with the speed of USB then it is also normally more than fast enough to meet most folks needs.

Online storage is increasingly popular of course - ideal for storing or backing up photos and music files - though it is nice to also see a printed photo in your hand for some reason.

With the cloud becoming the way to go for many it's going to be easier still to store and archive on line - though ultimately the cloud is a pricing and business model and not really some strange storage area without boundaries.

Lets go shopping online

2010-04-28T15:48:00.001+01:00

It's difficult to remember when ecommerce was just starting. Now its an integral part of the business world. We've built a fair number of ecommerce or shopping cart systems for folks - good fun.

Interfaces with the payment gateways are getting easier - though still not perfect. The biggest challenge is often getting support from the payment folks if a problem crops up.

With a software development background in finance (retail banking) its good to use past skills for a wider market place and good to see business making money on line.

The power of the browser

2010-04-26T15:42:00.000+01:00

Web Development has changed a lot in a relatively short space of time. From cutting every single line to the introduction of java script to the adoption of CMS systems.

The technology has turned browsers into desktop applications - enabling users to do almost anything they had to do previously on their own desktop machine.

That introduces challenges from time to time for software and web developers like us. People are now expecting browsers to do anything that they can do on their desktop - thats not a bad thing - but its the browser developers who need to plug the remaining gaps.

2010-04-23T15:30:00.000+01:00

If your thinking about using DNN (thats Dot Net Nuke) I thought you might want to get a few pointers as to why we think it's worth considering...

1) huge community that seem keen to offer help
2) a really good basic admin management for registration and privilegies
3) developed in microsoft.net so a good pool of talent out there to extend it
4) lots of extra modules (though some are poor quality so try before you buy)
5) skinning options include lots of third party skins
6) a really generous open source license

We have been developing in Dot Net Nuke for many years now - its made a huge difference to the speed at which we can develop web based systems. It's a big system to get to grips with but worth the effort.

2010-04-21T15:22:00.001+01:00

When we first started using the term "intranet" we had to quickly stop. The term confused people. Now, though, it's clear the term is in common usage. We get enquiries now from people very clear that they need an intranet system development for them and even clearer as to what they need it to do. For us we'll do that as a sharepoint development or as a DNN development - it depends on what the client preference is - or the technology already in place.

Good to see the term in common usage - no doubt we'll all be using augmented reality soon as well.

Is it IT or Software

2010-04-19T15:14:00.000+01:00

From time to time I find myself having to explain that we are not an IT company - though maybe I shouln't.

IT to me means the plumbing - but I guess increasingly that is not completely true. For instance when does the email system start to become a CRM software system - its a fine line I guess.

Maybe I'll stop trying to explain the difference and just find out what the client wants first.

VB 3 to VB.net - who'd have thought

2010-04-16T15:03:00.001+01:00

The first time I saw VB I was knocked out - I couldnt believe it. VB 3 I think it was - at last a product that could let you develop windows applications without it taking a year. At the time I can remember others being less overwhelmed - the term Basic being the thing that seemed to be the problem.

Many years on and VB.net is now the programming choice of many - though it is only a distant constant of VB 3 of course. We use VB.net and c# as our prime software development languages when developing online system - who would have believed that then.

Knock knock - who's there - newsletter

2010-04-14T14:56:00.000+01:00

Readership of newsletters always surprise me. We've been sending out our own newsletter for some time now - we built our own newlsetter system and offer it out to clients as well.

The one stat that always surprises is what the readership preference is - its always the funny or amusing one. Technical or business advice articles are read but hardly to the same extent - so if you want your newsletter read put in a few knock knock jokes.

Community websites - getting to grips with engagement

2010-04-12T14:52:00.000+01:00

Community has been all the range for a while now - Facebook, Bebo and the like have all changed the way in which we engage with each other and make new friends.

On the website design and development side of the business we have been extending DNN (Dot Net Nuke) to allow us to build community or web 2 sites for a range of clients. Some building brand new businesses some enabling the community they already have. It's been an interesting experience as we see ourselves as sofware developers getting to grips with the needs of an ever changing community.

Train timetables made easy on the iphone

2010-04-09T14:47:00.000+01:00

At school I remember being taught how to read a timetable - quite a skill. They can be complicated things and require a fair amount of detective work to ensure you don't try and travel on a Sunday expecting to find normal train scheduling.

Even online train times and train timetables are a bit confusing. But on the iPhone that seems to be a thing of the past. The limited interface has forced designers to simplify the whole thing. So if you want to travel from Peterhead to Kings Cross - it tells you when to get on and when you'll get off - result.

I know will use the iphone to find train times rather than a PC - its so much easier. Well done to the designers of the trainline iphone app.

iPod and touch screens

2010-04-07T14:38:00.000+01:00

On buying an iPod as a present the other day I found myself behaving rather oddly - I kept touching the screen to make it do something. It struck me that the iPhone has a lot to answer for - because I was holding the device in my hand my brain was obviously telling me how to use it....wrong!

It shows how quickly we accept new interfaces and how quickly really cool ones become old hat. In its day the interface for the iPod was genius. We've developed a fair number of interfaces - based on an automated retail banking background - but iPod and iPhone - we would never have come up with (pity). As web developers we use our previous skills and the innovations of the market leaders to help us arrive at good design - maybe one day we'll come up with something better than the iphone - that would be good.

Whats the killer app for Multi Input Touch Screens

2010-04-05T14:34:00.002+01:00

You can see more and more of the academic institutions playing around with the huge table top touch screen systems - Multi Input Touch Screens.

Can only be a matter of time before we have one to play with - though I suspect the price may hold back software developers like ourselves for a wee while yet.

Scope for there use look interesting - but I dont think anyone has quite came up with the killer app. No doubt it will be obvious when they do - hope its us!

Software development - a green activity?

2010-04-02T14:29:00.001+01:00

Software development (I guess) must be one of the more greener activities. It creates efficiencies - allows for remote working and so on - so I guess its sort of green.

Years back you could not have had that argument (correct or otherwise) due to the huge amount of software paper listings that used to be produced and poured over looking for the place where it was all going wrong. And then there was the paper archive that some firms kept - that faded and was useless after 18 months.

Software listings - haven't seen one of them for years.

Website design - CMS is thinking in the box

2010-03-31T14:46:00.000+01:00

Website design can be a difficult process. We use a content management system (Dot Net Nuke) and that can force you to think well inside the box....literally.

However, with the right type of effort you can get out the box when it comes to design - CMS or not. We've found that challenging ourselves from time to time is the best way to strethc the CMS meets designer issue. Better we stretch ourselves than over promise to a client.

Feature creep in Software Development

2010-03-29T14:17:00.000+01:00

It starts innocently enough with a minor request for a minor tweek. In most cases it just gets done - all part of completing a software project or website development. But then in some cases before you know it requests are growing.

It's an easy situation to get into - a bit like building a new house or doing an extension - things grow and develop. We try our best to be flexible with clients - as we find it can be hard for a non expert buyer to fully understand or appreciate what has been agreed. Sometimes the simplest solution is to agree a picture of the system up front - normally that saves a thousand words.

When is a bug not a bug - when it's a feature

2010-03-26T14:12:00.000Z

The word Beta is a wonderful word. Google and many others have redefined the term to ensure that they can release pre market ready products. By saying Beta - it sets expectations.

Personally I think it is a good thing - it lets the market feedback what is wrong or what is missing. Release soon and react fast is the motto.

In the past though you couldnt really do that - a bug was a bug. And if it was a released product and the bug caused a crash or a big issue it was fixed fast. In balance I like the new Beta use of Beta - it suggests that the whole community is assisting the software developer get the project done right - I like that.

Software coder - I prefer software developer

2010-03-24T14:05:00.001Z

There is a word in the software development world that I find a wee bit annoying - coder! It suggests that you stick someone in front of a screen and of they go - coding.

It's a term I think that is normally used by people who don't understand the process of software development and I am sure most use it when they mean developer or programmer.

Software development and software consultancy involves some pretty clever people working with large and often complex platforms and concepts - so the term coder for me doesnt really suggest that. Ok complaint over!

The end of the software reference book

2010-03-22T14:00:00.001Z

I recently blogged on the need for a good DNN text book...... today I've just thrown out a pile of reference books for various languages and platforms that we either used or are still using as software developers.

We had a cupboard full of them which hadnt been opened for a year as far as I could tell from the dust.

So cancel the need for a Dot Net Nuke development book - lets keep the cupboards for storing useful things and use Google instead.

Software development without the music

2010-03-19T13:51:00.000Z

Everywhere you go now - especially on public transport it's clear that folks are plugged into music via earphones. I noticed recently that 75% of a fairly busy railway carriage were plugged in - to avoid the conversations or musical taste of the other passengers I suspect.

In the software development environment they can be popular as well - though we discourage them because they limit team communications and can be a frustration. However with the increase of video and new media that is flying around their use is increasing in the office.

DNN - great but limited text books

2010-03-17T13:47:00.000Z

I guess one of the things that is a frustration is the lack of good text books on Dot Net Nuke - our CMS of choice (DNN).

Maybe it's an age thing but it is useful to have a couple of text books to refer to from time to time. It does mean of course that our DNN development skills can be in high demand - it's a big system and needs good people to make the best of it. But it would be nice to have a few more easy to read manuals around - still there is always Google I suppose.

And in the end that is where developers head to first - the information is probably fuller and more uptodate than any text book could be.

Drupal - a Banana Split CMS

2010-03-15T13:42:00.001Z

I must be getting old but I still can't used to the name Drupal - sounds too much like one of the Banana Splits. Maybe it was - who knows?

It's a PHP CMS system and one that we have used in house as an alternative to DNN (Dot Net Nuke). It's pretty neat and if it has to be a PHP solution it seems hard to beat - Joomla is ok - but I think Drupal is better if it has to PHP. Generally we'll stick to the Dot Net Nuke product because of our Microsoft.net development expertise but from time to time it makes sense to land up in Banana Split land.

SEO - don't be a dummy

2010-03-12T13:39:00.000Z

From time to time we get in an enquiry with a bit of a background. We got one in recently where the client had spent a five figure sum on SEO work but had never received a report on the progress or the effectiveness of the work done.

We recommend that clients know a bit about the topic to ensure that they can ask sensible questions of their supplier. And we also recommend SEO for Dummies - not the kindest of names for a book but a really good read.

But I haven't changed anything - the mystery of software developmen

2010-03-10T13:34:00.001Z

I heard it the other day - the first time for a while "but I haven't changed anything".

It's a cry that most Software developers or software consultants will make from time to time - hopefully not too often. it's a bit like putting your glasses down and not being able to find them - someone has moved them. But of course then you remember where you left them - normally when you see them.

Software development can be a bit like that - so much to keep on top off as a project reaches conclusion - easy to forget that you had changed a routine to return a slightly different result.

Traps for email newsletters

2010-03-05T13:29:00.002Z

Newsletters can be tricky things to create and even trickier to deliver to the intended recipient. Get the balance wrong and the email newsletter can end up in the junk.

We've spent a fair amount of time learning how best to avoid the pitfalls following the development of our newsletter system. We don't send out spam - but we and our clients do send out interesting newsletter to target markets. However, it's easy to fall foul of the spam traps - use the wrong word (however innocently) and you can be gone!

We test out things out well - but as the traps change the weighting of the rules that trigger them it can be an ongoing process. Also a bit of a problem can be the various email clients - all with their own set of particular rendering issues - makes forr interesting times (though at times frustrating).

Facebook - the influencer of the internet

2010-03-03T13:24:00.000Z

I've never really gotten Facebook - but I do use it. I have to admit to be being a bit slow with the Facebook thing - so it sort of passed me by. However, now we find that many of our clients are lookin for similar features as Facebook exhibits to ensure that they can stay connected to their clients in an effective way.

We've built a decent selection of community based websites which encourage communication between members and the swapping of best practice. Difficult to imagine how quickly the internet has changed thanks to the Facebook site - hugely influential in the direction of website design and development.

Whats the point of twitter

2010-03-01T13:21:00.000Z

I know there a lot of people out there who really don't get or don't like Twitter. The normal complaint that I hear is that people don't wan't to learn who is out shopping.

However, the main benefit of Twitter is for news and business intelligence. It is an incredibly impressive way to keep up to date with what is going on in your sector.

As software developers we use it to get breaking news on technology and trends. We've also as you would expect ensured that news or articles on our client sites can get easily posted to the micro blogging site. Twiiter? Brilliant.

Effective website design

2010-02-26T12:17:00.000Z

As software consultants and website developers we are often asked how best to present a website. The key thing when designing any website is the call to action in our opinion. It can e the prettiest most technically advanced website on the internet - but if it doesn't have a strong message explaining what to do next then it won't deliver results.

A call to action can be perfectly simple - such as "Call our X experts now to find out how you can improve y". Hardly a difficult thing to do. Or perhaps the call to action is no more than the request for an email address to provide an (interesting) newsletter.

We develop a range of different style websites for our clients but it is always key to understand what would work for them when it comec to a call to action.

Online Markting for free

2010-02-24T12:12:00.000Z

Online Marketing can be done at little or no cost - all that is required is a time, diligence and effort.

Search Engine Optimisation is extremely effective as a method for website promotion and of course so is Pay Per Click.

SEO provides great results if you are in a field which is not overly competitive - ensuring the urls, content and tags all reflect your product and service is the key. PPC is also important though - it can drive transactions to your site cost effectively (though you can mess up badly if the call to action doesn't chime with the advert).

For us a combination of all works best. Theres lots of free advice on the web regards SEO - we offer some ourselves on various sites to help folks with no budget - it isn't rocket science.

Software project management

2010-02-22T12:05:00.000Z

As the customer base grows within any company the nature of project management can change as well. For us we like to ensure that our software consultants build a good relationship with the end client - it's often quicker and better to go direct to the software consultant than via a help desk or account manager.

Software development is a complex task and often it is difficult for clients to fully explain what they want until prototypes are built - so giving them access to the correct people at the correct time can ensure that developments run a lot more smooth than otherwise they might.

Sharepoint support in Scotland

2010-02-19T11:45:00.001Z

Microsoft Sharepoint is one of those systems that everyone knows off but not everyone uses. It's mainly used for intranet projects though can be used very successfully for public facing sites as well. In essence it's a Content Management System and developed specifically to ensure scalability and robustness.

There are many CMS alternatives of course - some better than others - but in some cases it's the pricing model that is the deciding factor. We are happy to develop Sharepoint systems as required though if license pricing is the deciding factor it's normally systems like Dot Net Nuke we opt for as the system is open source.

It's down to technology preferences and budgets in the end. And of course the existing system that is in place - throwing the baby out with the bath water is never a good idea.

Windows 7 - not before time

2010-02-17T11:41:00.000Z

It's amazing to see the transformation from Vista to Windows 7. Quite an improvement and to be honest well overdue. At last the PC interface is starting to look engaging - though perhaps somewhat borrowed from the Mac.

When it was launched it came out to aclaim - but even now it is looking like a very solid platform to build on. Not before time.

As for whose idea it was? Everyones - we all knew that we needed something easier to use and work with. As software developers we find some interfaces tricky - so goodness knows how the non techy types cope.

From asp.net to microsoft.net and Dot Net Nuke

2010-02-15T11:35:00.000Z

When Microsoft.Net first got announced we were already knee deep in a huge ASP.net project so could'nt easily jump ships to the new platform. It was a bit of a frustration for us but there really wasn't much we could do about it. That was a good few years back and now of course we build almost all of our software solutions and websites around the .net framework.

It's made life much easier for developers like us and with each new release the product seems to geet better. We've combined the benefits of Microsoft.Net development with the DNN (Dot Net Nuke) framework and it's made for increased throughout for project. Good to see progress.

Great Hex songs

2010-02-12T11:30:00.000Z

I do like number jokes - I know its naff.

This one courtesy of a colleague who sang tunes all day in hex....

"I've got the key of the door never been 15Hex before"

love it

Dot Net Nuke as a core platform

2010-02-10T11:24:00.000Z

One of the systems we use a lot is Dot Net Nuke - it's a Content Management System based on Microsoft.Net technologies. For us it's a near perfect fit with our skills set which include a significant team of .net developers.

We've found that the framework it supplies lets us concentrate on the clients requirements rather than on the more tedious areas of web development. We've extended the system a great deal and added event management systems, social web components, shopping carts.

Thats not to say we dont use PHP and other technologies but the benefit we see is the ability to build scalable and robust .net systems at speed.

Augmented Reality - the term for 2010

2010-02-08T11:19:00.001Z

Its good when a new term emerges in the technology and software development arena - the term for 2010 appears to be "augmented reality".

Sounds really good - almost Minority Report in nature. Augmented reality is the ability to overlay images and videos with dynamic information - ie point your phone at a street and it will tell you what direction to walk to reach the nearest Starbucks.

Augmented Reality is undoubtedly here to stay - great term.

ZX spectrum in the loft

2010-02-05T11:16:00.000Z

I never bought a ZX Spectrum but I did geet one when a friend had had enough. Very quickly I had as well and the thing ended up in the loft. It turned up the other day when we were gutting the loft - strange how it's keyboard was clearly unusable and yet we all persevered with it.

I've notice though that cost cutting with PCs these days is introducing very flat looking keyboards - not as bad as the ZX - but far from ideal.

Newsletters for marketing

2010-02-03T11:06:00.001Z

As our email inboxes fill up with junk it's easy to forget that most of the information we get is through that medium.

We've seen our marketing been positively impacted by the use of a regular and informative newsletter system. As software developers we built the system ourselves and promote it through our web development site - Web Wise Business.

It's fascinating to see readership levels and interest in the news we publish and a relief that not everyone junks email.

Business Events in Scotland

2010-02-01T11:00:00.001Z

With Techcrunch soon coming to Edinburgh (May) I thought I would run through the events site we run to see what else was coming up - Whats On Central - a lot going on and some interestng events from the University of Edinburgh as they bring in expert speakers to motivate aspirational businesses.

The site is free to use if you a business or academic event to promote.

1 in 10 people understand binary

2010-01-29T10:58:00.000Z

From time to time this joke still makes me chuckle - "only 1 in ten people understand binary, the other 50% don't".

A software renaissance

2010-01-27T10:31:00.000Z

There seems to be a renaissance in Software Development these days and the credit (in large part I think) has to go to Apply and their iPhone. The beauty of the iPhone is the interface and the way in which is has forced software developers like us to think more about the way in which a user uses their product.

Our background is in automated retail banking software so we know more than most about simple to use interfaces - but hats of to the iPhone guys - a work of genius.

Software development an early indicator of returning economic activity

2010-01-25T10:20:00.001Z

It's been a tough couple of years for most businesses - I dont think many have escaped the downturn in the economy. Even though we've been pretty busy throughout its been a time of continual concentration and attention to every aspect of the software development business that we are growing.

Now as the economy begins to think about turning itself around we're seeing increased enquiries and as a result we've been recruiting. Good to see the team expand.

Hopefully the demands on us are because business generally is on the up - doing web development and sofware systems I guess we would tend to see the first since of a return of confidence. Fingers crosssed.

Techcrunch heads to Edinburgh

2010-01-22T10:12:00.000Z

Techcrunch is coming to Edinburgh in May - should be good - more info here .

Techcrunch are a good source of info, comment and gossip and it will be interesting to see who heads along. The entrepreneurial community in Scotland is starting to build into it's own wee eco-system so the arrival of techcrunch can only help.

As we bob about promoting our software development services it's clear that there are a lot more techy events popping up - interesting trend - hopefully one that continues. Maybe see you at techcrunch.

DRM - protecting us all

2010-01-21T11:11:00.003Z

Digital Rights Management - or put more bluntly the stuff that stops you copying files illegally - is a great thing and a bad thing all in one.

One of my recent frustrations was trying to share files across two accounts on one PC. Spent ages fighting with iTunes so that whoever was logged in could share the same music that we have previously bought for the family. Gave up in the end and decided to opt for one account.

If there is a simple solution - let us know.

We know DRM is a big issue - we've built software systems that help some of our clients protect their material - but ultimately you cant stop photocopying or CD copying.

Web development in Scotland – flash

2009-06-21T16:31:00.000+01:00

Flash can produce some great looking sites but it can be expensive to put together and it is not very SEO friendly at the moment. By all means use flash but use in sparingly and don’t blow the budget. As web developers we can come up with decent features without resorting to flash.

Web developers in Scotland – fashion

2009-06-16T16:30:00.000+01:00

One of the things we notice in web development world is fashion. Images can look dated fast, styles of presentation can look old within months and glitzy animation can suddenly look old hat. We’d recommend holding back on too many expensive whiz bang things and encourage good solid functionality.

Web development in Scotland – shopping carts

2009-06-11T16:29:00.000+01:00

A reliable shopping cart is pretty important if you are adding ecommerce. They come in a variety of formats – some free and some expensive. As web developers we build our own – sometime based on others base implementations. We do that so we can stay in control.

Web developers in Scotland – ecommerce

2009-06-05T16:28:00.000+01:00

Ecommerce is the quickest way to turn interest into business. So if you have the option to add a shop, then check things out to see what is feasible. Paypal can be a good way to get things started on a limited budget. A decent web development company will help out.

Web development in Scotland – selling

2009-06-01T16:28:00.000+01:00

Whatever you are writing for your website the chances are that you want to generate sales. So make sure that all your copy has the benefits of what you offer made obvious. As web developers we often recommend to put call to actions in numerous and multiple locations to help with the chance of converting a visitor to a customer.

Web developers in Scotland – interest

2009-05-29T16:27:00.000+01:00

Keeping the interest fresh on your site can be pretty tricky, so regular news and new features are important. Systems like that need good timed content and steady management.

Web development in Scotland – registration

2009-05-25T16:26:00.001+01:00

Many CMS systems will provide the ability for visitors to create user accounts. This helps create loyalty if you have resources or information hidden behind the scenes. If you are building customer loyalty via registration type benefits then you will probably need web development help to take care of the tricky areas.

Web developers in Scotland – mobile

2009-05-18T16:25:00.000+01:00

As browsers on mobile phones become more sophisticated (Safari on the iphone) then it becomes more important to think about usability on small screens. So if mobility is a factor then consider simple interfaces – good web developers can help.

Web development in Scotland – browsers

2009-05-13T16:24:00.001+01:00

When developing your website its important to check it’s behaviour on the various browser – IE, Firefox, Safari etc. Each browser has its own way of handling certain things such as determining widths – so check and double check as web developers we have to.

Web developers in Scotland – width

2009-05-08T16:23:00.000+01:00

It’s often just a question of taste but sometimes it also depends on how much you have to say. Some websites will expand their width automatically to ensure they use all the screen available while others are fixed width to either allow the web developer to stay in control of layout or if there isn’t really much info to display.

Web development in Scotland – html

2009-05-04T16:23:00.000+01:00

Behind all websites is HTML but thankfully CMS helps web developers avoid that as much as possible. Nonetheless good HTML skills will ensure you get the most from the CMS package you want. As web developers obviously our HTML skills are put to good use often.

Web developers in Scotland – social bookmarking

2009-05-01T16:21:00.000+01:00

As you add interesting news and articles to your website a simple way to promote your site is to add the news to a social bookmarking website such as Digg. If you are lucky and have something that appeals then you may attract increased traffic. Social Bookmarking can be a help in website promotion and as web developers we have added bookmarking facilities to much of what we do.

Web development in Scotland – micro sites

2009-04-25T16:20:00.000+01:00

If you have a site with a great deal of information and diverse products you may decide to build one or more Micro Sites. This helps with customer focus and to some extent can also help build the back links that can influence SEO and Pagerank. In the world of the web an extra website might be worth the effort.

Web developers in Scotland – promotion

2009-04-19T16:19:00.000+01:00

Once you have your website you will want to promote it. As web developers we also offer SEO and marketing advice. In short the best way to promote your website is through Word of Mouse – so use blogs, social bookmarking, online PR and PPC. And of course get your SEO act together.

Web development in Scotland – taglines

2009-04-14T16:19:00.000+01:00

As you pull your website together you may suddenly realise that you need a tagline ie XYZ Limited for the best Mutton Pies in Scotland. Makee sure that when you add it to your website that it goes in as a piece of text – not a graphic. If you put it in as an image then google will miss it. We tend to add our own taglines to the breadcrumb trail for the menus.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for enterprise Search

2009-04-13T16:17:00.000+01:00

The Enterprise Search facilities within Sharepoint allow users subject to their permissions to look deep into the organization records and data sets. Searches can look into libraries, email folders and as you would expect websites as well.

Web developers in Scotland – timed content

2009-04-10T16:17:00.000+01:00

One of the great features of a good CMS is the ability to load up copy and then release it gradually over time article by article. This means that marketing campaigns can be set up and executed in an extremely planned manner. Within our DNN CMS we have such facilities all part of being DNN web developers.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for blogs

2009-04-09T16:21:00.000+01:00

Blogs may have grown up as part of the wider internet but are now seen as an effective and easy to implement way of spreading information across the organisation. Sharepoint allows for the easy creation and management of blogs ensuring information can flow easily.

Web development in Scotland – background music

2009-04-06T16:15:00.000+01:00

Many CMS packages allow web developers to add background music that automatically starts when the website page is loaded. We don’t encourage this – it can be a bit of a surprise in a quiet office.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for Business Intelligence

2009-04-05T16:20:00.000+01:00

Sharepoint provides a range of tools and services to keep your team informed of the latest information. Excel spreadsheets can be exposed as can all manner of reports and charts.

Web developers in Scotland – resources

2009-04-02T16:07:00.000+01:00

If you want to add something interesting to your website then a collection of online resources is a good idea. Documents normally in PDF format that give handy and easy to read facts are always welcome. So think about what you can give away – givers gain!

Sharepoint support in Scotland for survey management

2009-04-01T16:26:00.000+01:00

Sharepoint plays up the feasibility of using web based forms to gain feedback and survey information. Typical uses could include customer or workforce satisfaction surveys to help you business maintain and improve its performance.

Web development in Scotland – FTP

2009-03-29T16:05:00.000+01:00

Many HTML websites simply rely on FTP to get the HTML files live. In CMS packages this is less common as you are entering the copy and images directly onto the server. Web development has come on along way in a short space of time and as web developers we seldom use FTP as a transfer mechanism when developing websites.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for searching for people

2009-03-28T16:54:00.000Z

Users within your Sharepoint systems can create their own personal profiles and as you would expect these profiles can be searched – allowing large organisations to get the right people connected to the right people.

Web developers in Scotland – security

2009-03-23T16:04:00.000Z

Wherever you get your hosting from make sure that there is a strong security policy in place and protection set up from viruses. We host with a reputable firm who look after this for us.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for searching public folders

2009-03-22T16:52:00.000Z

If permitted by administration levels Sharepoint can allow searches to dig deep into public file folders ensuring that your businesses valuable data is used to the utmost.

Web development in Scotland – hosting

2009-03-19T16:03:00.000Z

As web developers we chose to host our customer’s websites. This gave us maximum flexibility and confidence. It reduced the number of unknowns and it has allowed us to do develop our DNN CMS package without worrying about a separate hosting company having possible restrictions. Hosting can be pretty cheap and pretty lousy as well – but when we supply hosting it comes with support to make sure we can keep our customer websites looking fresh.

Sharepoint support in Scotland using other documents

2009-03-18T17:10:00.000Z

In addition to using its own templates for websites, Sharepoint allows the user to convert documents such as Word documents into webpages. This can ensure that pages can be created rapidly if required from existing material.

Web developers in Scotland – costs

2009-03-15T16:02:00.000Z

How much will it cost me? It all depends! Websites are difficult to give prices on and often being able to explain the budget is the quickest way to find out what sort of website you can get. A few hundred will get you little more than a static 4 or 5 page site while several thousands could get you not a lot more if you go to an image consultant type web developer. Set a budget and produce a set of wants and find someone you can trust. It all depends on what you want and what you can afford.

Sharepoint support in Scotland and Visual Studio

2009-03-14T17:08:00.000Z

Sharepoint allows much of its preconfigured world to be customised and the recommended tools often lie within Microsoft Visual Studio - so if you need to go beyond the standard out the box offerring you will need a good bunch of software developers.

Web development in Scotland – privacy

2009-03-11T16:00:00.000Z

Just as the Ts and Cs are important so is a Privacy Statement. This is there to make sure that you declare what you will do with any information gathered. Perhaps you will share it – perhaps you want – but whatever you do you have to declare it. Again as web developers we provide a fairly generic Privacy statement and let our customers refine as required.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for parallel workflows

2009-03-10T17:05:00.000Z

Sharepoint supports workflow templates and workflow customisation to ensure that businesses can operate efficiently. These workflows can also be configured to operate in parallel where more that one set of tasks can be carried out at the same time. This ensures that the real world doesnt get held up by an inappropriate one task at a time workflow.

Web developers in Scotland – terms and conditions

2009-03-07T15:52:00.000Z

It is now essential that you have a page available that describes the terms and conditions of your website. It is there to make sure that your visitor is made aware that you may use cookies and that you don’t guarantee anything. As web developers we do this as standard now for our customer and let them change it if they feel it appropriate.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for email alerts

2009-03-06T17:01:00.000Z

An important feature in Sharepoint is the ability for workflows to trigger email alerts to the next link in the chain. This ensures that jobs can be progressed effectively as one step completes.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for site structure

2009-03-02T16:59:00.000Z

Significant sites can be created with Sharepoint and managing the multiple pages can be daunting. Within Sharepoint a Site Manager is provided to show the hierarchy and allow adminsitration levels to modify and streamline the site.

Web development in Scotland – contact

2009-03-01T15:51:00.002Z

Just as an About page is important so is the Contact page. Although your contact details should really be on every page you might as well also have a contact page that can provide fuller details including maps and directions to get to your premises. Thankfully for us as web developers Google has ensured it is easy to pop a map onto a website – so have a look and do the same.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for searching email

2009-02-28T16:51:00.000Z

If permitted by administration levels Sharepoint can allow searches to dig deep into email folders ensuring that nothing stays lost.

Biztalk in Scotland – what does Biztalk Pipeline Execution mean

2009-02-25T21:48:00.000Z

Pipelines allow messages to be processed before and/or after they pass through the Message Box. The execution activities can transformation or even encryption type activities. Biztalk

Sharepoint support in Scotland for search relevance

2009-02-24T16:48:00.000Z

Inbuilt to the search facilities in Sharepoint is the ability to ascertain relevance by looking at various parameters such as anchor text and depth within a menu structure.

Web development in Scotland – be regular

2009-02-21T15:50:00.000Z

One of the things that many website owners do is forget to keep things updated. Try and build in some regular activity to review and update your website. As web developers we see the benefits from regular updates – it keeps the customer coming back and it also helps with SEO.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for searching documents

2009-02-20T16:39:00.000Z

The Enterprise Search facilities within Sharepoint allow documents to be searched fast to retrieve the information needed. When adding documents you can also add meta data to ensure that Search works fast and effectively every time.

Biztalk in Scotland – what is a Biztalk Message Box

2009-02-18T21:45:00.000Z

The Biztalk MessageBox is a SQL Data Database where the messages pass through. Easy.

Web developers in Scotland – video

2009-02-17T15:49:00.000Z

As web developers we are often asked to add video to websites. We use DNN and have our own control that makes that dead easy. We basically hook into YouTube. If you prefer to host your own videos and do your own streaming then you will need a server capable of that.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for targeted audiences

2009-02-16T16:36:00.000Z

By defining content based on the type of visitor or audience who may find it of interest Sharepoint websites ensure that users obtain relevant and interesting content at all times. The result is a system which can target content at specific audience types.

Biztalk in Scotland – what is a Biztalk Send Port

2009-02-14T21:44:00.000Z

A Biztalk Send Port accepts messages from a Message Box and then sends them on. However, the Send Port itself can have Maps or Pipelines associate with it allowing the message to be altered prior to its onward journey.

The Send Port is a highly flexible Biztalk endpoint to allow messages to reach their end destination.

Web development in Scotland – using RSS

2009-02-13T15:48:00.000Z

Really Simple Syndication (RSS) is supported by almost all good CMS packages. Basically it allows your website to publish some of its copy as an easy to digest string of text. Not only is that preferable to some humans – the search engines also like it. An of course your own site can include RSS feeds from other sites if you want to publish other businesses news. As web developers we prefer to publish our own RSS feeds rather than use other folks.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for website personalisation

2009-02-12T16:32:00.000Z

Personalisation features well within Sharepoint providing the user with the comfort of having some control over the environment that they work in. RSS feeds, for instance, are one area where a user can potentially define their own preferences.

Biztalk in Scotland – what does Biztalk pub/sub mean

2009-02-10T21:43:00.000Z

In Biztalk the term pub/sub is used. All it means in crude terms is that messages are subscribed for (subscription) by the Send Ports – ie they declare what they want. And the publisher (Pub) is in essence simply broadcasting or notifying the interested parties.

Web developers in Scotland – size

2009-02-09T15:47:00.000Z

Size isn’t everything but in the web development world size does matter. Websites that have “depth” will by their nature probably attract more attention than thin websites. As web developers we find that the most compelling way to build depth is to add news and resources making the site genuinely interesting to the web visitor.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for managing tasks

2009-02-08T16:31:00.000Z

Sharepoint supplies various techniques for creating and managing tasks with workflow being such a core part of Sharepoint alerts notify users of the tasks required of them and a specific users task list will follow them around the areas or connected websites as they move around the Sharepoint controlled environment.

Biztalk in Scotland – what is a Biztalk Receive Port

2009-02-06T21:42:00.000Z

As the name suggests a Receive Port takes messages into the system if enabled to do so. If handling XML then XSLT transformations can be applied to handle multiple different message types making the Receive Port potentially very flexible. Once a message received it is passed through the Message Box (a SQL Database).

Web development in Scotland – structure

2009-02-05T15:46:00.000Z

When you are laying out your website it is important to think about the website menu structure. As web developers we have got used to going this and it sort of becomes obvious. For new comers think about logical groupings of products and services and keep them together. For SEO purposes ensure that you don’t put too many different things you do on one page – ideally one page equals one message.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for site templates

2009-02-04T16:29:00.000Z

A variety of site templates are supplied with Sharepoint to ensure a consistency of look and feel across the enterprise regardless of what the visitor or user is looking at. Portal, mini sites, libraries and search results can all take on a common look. And if desired you can of course design your own templates.

Biztalk in Scotland – what is a Biztalk Port

2009-02-02T21:40:00.000Z

The physical in and out areas of Biztalk are called Ports. As you would expect you can have a Receive Port (for accepting incoming messages) and a Send Port (for dispatching outgoing messages).

Web developers in Scotland – copy

2009-02-01T15:45:00.000Z

The copy on your website is the arguably the most important thing on your website. As web developers we have taken the view that it’s easier for us to do the first draft and then let customer’s tweek it. We have found that it can be a bit of a challenge for some folks new to the web to come up with the correct copy. And of course ideally it should be written with SEO in mind. So we do the first drafts to get things moving fast.

Nonetheless copy with a strong sales message is essential.

Sharepoint support in Scotland for workflow management

2009-01-31T16:25:00.000Z

To administer documents potentially for compliance issues Sharepoint comes with a variety of predefined workflows (though you can design your own). Typical of the ready to go workflows are those for seeking approval, gaining comments, getting sign off and even time based expiry of documents.