Services - A more detailed overview
WEB DESIGN & HOSTING:
If you need an internet presence, there are various options to consider, depending on your budget.
The first thing necessary is a hosting service, and if you want a lasting site or presence, a domain name.
A domain name is a custom location (or "trademark") on the web just for your business, like "mybusiness.com".
Domain names are separate from hosting, and need to be purchased, registered and renewed. Your hosting provider can take care of this, but once you own a domain name, you may (in the future) change hosting providers and keep your domain name, since they're registered with a separate international agency. Domain names are generally in the $10 range per year.
If you are not yet ready for that, many internet service providers (such as your phone / cable company, etc.) generally provide free basic website hosting, and there are other independent sites which provide this as well. In this manner you can put up a basic website for little or no cost, you just need to create/upload your content or have someone do that for you.
The free hosting services usually add advertising to your site, limit the amount of content you can post, as well as the extra features you may use, such as databases, forums, shopping carts, blogs and so forth. Usually, however, it's enough to get your presence out.
Paid hosting services are usually in the $50 - $100 range per year (in addition to the domain name cost), but they will be ad-free, offer a sizeable amount of data space and features, plenty of bandwidth to cover all your hits per day, as well as the ability to add your custom applications and services.
My services as a web designer are separate from the hosting and domain costs, but I can facilitate setting up such accounts for you. I then create the content you want (with as much assistance you wish to provide) and upload it to the provider of your choice. My services are based on the time needed, if you already have photos and text ready, that will be a head start for you.
Depending on your budget, I can create a very simple webpage/website at about the $100 level (about 1/2 day total work including submitting it to your hosting service). This may include your photos and text, your already prepared logo, and perhaps up to 3 pages, such a "Home", "About" and "Contact" page. More elaborate levels with multiple pages and features, professional design, custom colors, backgrounds, buttons, user interactions, etc., are available depending on how much time you wish to be invested in the product. Extra features such as login/registration, content management systems, forums, blogs, shopping carts, etc., generally require a paid hosting service and databases to be set up. As mentioned, it also depends on whether you provide the photos and text or if you call me out to do that for you (site visit, photography, write-ups, etc.). I'm located in the Wilkes-Barre PA area, a local consultation would be complimentary, outside the immediate area would require some travel reimbursement, but generally this sort of business at the basic level can be handled via email and phone.
If your site includes products, information, schedules, etc. which change on a regular or periodic basis, I can tutor you on performing your own future website changes (no cost), or you can contact me to do it for you on a per-event or ongoing basis.
PHOTOGRAPHY / VIDEO / JOURNALISM:
If you don't already have a collection of images or text write-ups on your business, I can provide them for you with a site visit and interview. I can also create brief videos (such as for youtube or your site). If you have old photos, negatives or slides of your history, I can scan and edit them for inclusion on your site. Other effects, such as art renderings of your photos or drawings can be made.
Photo galleries can be added to your site, as well as employee profiles/bios and testimonials from your clients.
SOFTWARE, HARDWARE, SMALL BUSINESS NETWORKING, ETC.:
If you operate a small business, and have multiple computers, there are various variables to consider.
Productivity Software: Rather than using Microsoft Office, you can use Open Office (free) which includes word processing, spreadsheets, presentations and more. It can open and use Microsoft formatted files, and export your work as Microsoft compatible files if you need it to. There are many free applications to replace the paid apps and eliminate the license fees you may be paying now, especially when adding new workstations.
Linux : If you use Windows as your operating system, you are probably paying for a Windows license for each computer you own (or it was an extra expense included in the purchase price). If you want to put a newer version of Windows on an older computer, the same is true, and you will often run into technical difficulties. Linux is not for everyone, but it's a free operating system, and currently Ubuntu leads the pack in being user-friendly and easy to use. For most general office use (unless you require special software which only runs on Windows) it's a good choice, and the desktop interface is a lot like that familiar to users of Apple computers. There's free software for just about any purpose easily downloadable from within the desktop menu, hardware drivers are usually already built-in and included for most peripherals, no need to collect and store a bunch of driver CD's. Licensing is free, you can install it on as many computers as you have. If you are in the market to purchase new computers for your office, I can point you to online hardware sources (or build them for you), and you will save at least $100 or more per unit if you install Linux on them, over store-bought units, even at discount store prices. For small office networking, one DSL or cable connection will do, one router will enable wired or wireless connections office-wide, and file / printer sharing as well.
SERVERS, CUSTOM SOFTWARE, DATABASES, ETC.:
In an office environment, you may have separate people on separate computers doing (for example) the billing, keeping a contact list, getting certain figures updated, and perhaps some of them using spreadsheets to do the work. If all of that content is put onto a database server on a hosting service (or even one computer in the office) you can share the tasks and information with all computers in the office, as well as (in some instances) allow the work to be done from your employees' homes on sick days or via "telecommuting". All the data would always be synchronized and current. This need not be an extremely expensive undertaking, in fact it's usually fairly easy to implement. Again, the cost for such a system is primarily based on how many hours it takes to set up.
OTHER SERVICES:
Please refer to the list on the home page and feel free to contact me if you have any questions.