Have me install my Content-Management-Software on your site. This web application will have nearly universal appeal to web site owners. It allows you to log-in to any page on your site (with just a web browser) and edit the content! It is both Browser and Platform Independent which means it works just as easily and seamlessly on Mac-Safari as it will on Windows Internet-Explorer or AOL: Try the Demo now.

There are several factors that determine the cost of a web site: Size, level of interactivity & functionality desired, nature of graphics work (logos, etc.) needed in addition to your level of participation and preparedness. If you haven't already done so, follow the Get Estimate link for a rough cost.

I can bid or work by the hour at $ per hour. Either way, I require a 50% deposit before I start a job which is negotiable on larger jobs. I will give you a ballpark figure for final cost. I do not give "binding" bids on verbal descriptions - you will need to provide me with well defined written plans if you want a bid.

Windows Internet Explorer Google Chrome FireFox Opera AOL          Macintosh Safari FireFox

I need the text information and photos for your site. Make sure you provide me the text information via e-mail, disk or in some "digital" format such as a Microsoft Word file. If you hand me printed pages I will have to re-type them. If you previously hired a graphic designer I can also work with him/her to get any text or graphics files (logos, photos).

I find that many of my clients have the images in "digital" format, that is they are already on their own computer and they now need to get them to me. In these cases, they can be e-mailed or burned on CD. If you have actual photographs then simply provide them to me and I will scan them.

The amount of time it takes to complete a site is subject to it's size, complexity & and your level of participation. I typically can have smaller sites completed within a couple of weeks, however, larger more complex sites will take longer. In addition, if you stay actively involved during the site design process it will be completed sooner.

1. Graphics: For image processing and vector based artwork I use CorelDRAW. This high powered graphics suite can do everything I want and far more!
2. HTML: For HTML I use an excellent text editor called "Textpad" from an England based company called "Helios". Because of my complete fluency in HTML itself, I do not use HTML editors like Frontpage, Dreamweaver, etc. Working directly in HTML gives me the precise control and flexibility I need to create custom, compelling and highly interactive web sites.
3. Web Software: For web programs (e-commerce, slide shows, data-base sites, etc.) I use Textpad as described above. It it a text editor designed for the professional programmer.

Yes. It's not something I dabble in on the side - it is my sole full-time occupation and has been for over a decade now! Modern web development demands extensive computer knowledge, and at a minimum, one should have complete expertise with HTML and Graphics. In addition to HTML & Graphics, I am completely fluent with:

• D-HTML (Dynamic Hyper Text Markup Language)
• JavaScript Programming Language
• Active Server Pages (ASP & ASP.net)
• XML: The eXtensible Markup Language
• C# Programming Language
• CSS Cascading Style Sheets
• Data-Base driven web sites

My skills in these cutting-edge technologies allow me to create advanced web applications, from powerful e-commerce solutions to advanced data-driven content. The sky is the limit!

No! It's just "me, myself & I" who works for me and no-one else.

I must confess, deep down, I am quite the geek! I love reading and I maintain a HUGE volume of technical books and magazines on all the various Internet Programming technologies. During slow periods, I read and experiment with new and emerging programming techniques & technologies.

Web technologies are constantly being improved and expanded. Web functionality that is possible today was only a dream in 1995! A "technology upgrade" refers to an underlying upgrade of your web site's code (bringing it current standards) so that you may:

1. Add new functionality; and/or
2. Ensure that your site works & displays correctly on the latest generation browsers.

I generally recommend a technology upgrade at least every two years, and more frequently if you want to make sure your site stays on the cutting-edge and compatible with the latest generation browsers.

Yes. Please contact me and I'll recommend a Web Host for you. All web sites must be "hosted" on a Web Hosting Company's "Server". If you already have Internet Access (DSL/Cable/Dial-up) it could be that this provider also offers Web Hosting - you will need to check. If yes, you will also need to verify that the hosting service will meet your needs in terms of disk space, bandwidth, and other services like e-mail. Presently, a company called 1and1.com is offering the best value I have ever seen! It is ideal if you (or I) obtain a Server under your own name.

For those of you with advanced needs such as Data-Base or Custom Web Applications, you will need to contact me to verify that your Hosting Service is adequate. In these cases, your Host must also provide the ASP.Net server-side programming platform (ASP = Active Server Pages).

Yes, I recommend you get one as soon as possible before it's taken by someone else. Most business owners select their business name as their domain name and this is usually a good idea. Avoid "tongue-twisting" abbreviations, it's better to have a longer name instead! Companies like 1and1.com offer Domain Name Registration Services in addition to Web Hosting - making them an ideal "all in one" solution. It is ideal if you (or I) obtain the Domain Name under your own name.

Yes but I cannot make any guarantees for non-paid inclusion. There are many techniques available that I will apply to your site to make sure it is "search engine friendly". These techniques include the use of strategic meta tags, meaningful titles and the use of relevant wording on the various page(s).

Maybe and maybe not - but it depends on the nature of your business and the search phrase used. There are all kinds of unscrupulous characters in the SEO (Search Engines) business and they know this is exactly what YOU and EVERYONE else wants. They tell you what you want to hear just to get your business - so don't take the bait! There are legitimate methods that I will use to help you get you good placement but I will not make false promises like this. In the "SEO non-paid inclusion" game (organic search), there is no way to guarantee top placement.

You should know, that the more competitive your business, the more difficult it will be to gain top placement. This is simply due to the fact that you will have many competitors, who have come before you, and who have made and continue to make great efforts to get good placement (often at great financial expense). You will be competing directly with them!

These claims about "top placement" are misleading because of the many variables involved. When someone claims they have top placement it needs to be analyzed thoroughly, "what is the search phrase used", "what is the nature of the business". An example: Say you own and operate the only Vacation Home in Podunk, Arkansas, population 50. In this case you can rightly expect to have top placement for search phrases like "Vacation Rental Podunk Arkansas". On the other hand, say you own a Vacation Condo in a popular resort destination like Maui, Hawaii. This is a HIGHLY competitive market with LOTS of competition. Therefore, it will be far more difficult to get top placement with a search phrase like "Maui Vacation Condo".

I only perform search engine optimization for the clients who hire me to design their web sites. I do not take on "search engine optimization" jobs for outside clients.

I have been quite unimpressed with the Search Engine Specialist I've worked with over the years. I consider this to be a dying profession & deservedly so! Let me explain - imagine that you own and rent a vacation condo on Maui...

Here's how you might naturally write a description on your site:

Make your honeymoon or vacation in Hawaii complete in a luxurious and spacious resort condominium in beautiful Maui. Set in the heart of Kaanapali, the Maui Eldorado has long been known as a premiere vacation destination. The only property to have its own private beach cabana, the Maui Eldorado stretches out along the Royal Kaanapali Golf Course at Black Rock.

Here's how your Search Engine Specialist might alter your description:

Make your Hawaii Honeymoon or Maui Vacation on Maui Hawaii complete in a luxurious maui condo and spacious Kaanapali Resort condominium in beautiful Kaanapali Maui. Set in the heart of Maui Kaanapali, the Maui Eldorado has long been known as a premiere Maui vacation destination. The only Kaanapali property to have its own private beach cabana, the Maui Eldorado at stretches out along the Royal Kaanapali Golf Course at Black Rock Kaanapali.

You can see that your Search Engine Specialist has jammed your naturally reading sentence full of key phrases with the hopes of making Google and the Gang rank this page higher. It no longer reads like normal english, but who cares? Some of them even go so far as to bold your phrases with the hopes that the Search Engines will give even higher weight to these bolded phases. This is typically only the beginning of what they will do. They will also jam pack other less visible parts of your site full of key words, things like the Title, Alt tags for images and even create bogus style sheet classes using key phrases. This approach is abusing the spirit in which this technology was meant to be used!

Bear in mind that Google, Yahoo & MSN have HUGE budgets and hire sharp intelligent programmers who continue to fine-tune their search algorithms. They are fed up with this kind of nonsense (particularly Google) and have made great strides in detecting it and then penalizing sites that employ it. Don't think for a second that your Search Engine Specialist can fool these companies with a silly smoke & mirrors game. You can bet that Google & Gang has a pretty good idea of what natural english is and can "smell a rat" when it sees one. If you employ these techniques, it could actually work against you and you may find yourself being penalized - are you prepared for that?

The moral of the story here is to just be yourself, write in natural english, and resist the urge to try and fool these Search Engines with spam! You will be rewarded if you focus on keeping your content relevant, plentiful, meaningful, accurate & current. If you do feel the urge to hire a Search Engine Specialist, hire one who is humble, and will not compromise your content or design! Search engine optimization should never compete with user experience or usability.

A Meta Tag is a hidden HTML tag in your web page that contains "hidden" words typically chosen by the web developer and/or web site owner that are readable only by the various search engines. Meta Tags provide information that assist the search engine in indexing and describing the web site. There are two types of meta tags that are commonly used:

1. A meta description tag allows you to influence the description of your page which will appear on the search results page immediately following the click-able link to your web site. Most, but not all search engines use this tag. For instance, Google ignores the meta description tag and instead will automatically generate its own description for the page based on the wording within your page.
2. A meta keyword Tag is a hidden HTML tag in your web page that contains key search words typically chosen by the web developer and/or web site owner. It consists of relevant key words that are readable only by the various search engines, or more accurately, those that choose to read this information ("cooperating" search engines). Typically one tries to use words or combination of words that would match the words a prospective client might enter into a search engine. For instance, if I owned a vacation condo in Kaanapali, I might use word combinations like "maui vacation condo", "kaanapali condo", etc. etc. A "cooperating" search engine would then store this "meta" information in it's data base and help make your site found for these key words.
   NOW THE BAD NEWS: The meta keyword tag been abused by savvy web developers who often place their competitor's name and other misleading information in them in an attempt to increase search-ability. As a result, most search engines now ignore this information altogether.

No. How well (or poorly) your site ranks on the search engines is independent of where and who is hosting it provided that your hosting service is close to 99%+ up-time.

There are hundreds of search engines, but just 3 are used most of the time - they are:

1. Google: Popular Search Engine but has recently become very difficult for new sites to get listed on. New sites are now sandboxed (suppressed) for a year or longer, here's an article on the subject.
2. Yahoo: Popular, well known and been around since the beginning of Internet Time!
3. Bing: It's Microsoft so it is popular! This is the default search engine in Internet Explorer which ensures heavy usage.

Google and Overture allow you to pay for their links on a pay per click basis. Google refers to these links as "AdWords" or "Ads" while Overture calls them "Sponsor Links" - they are identical in concept. You create your own ad (aka sponsor link), choose keywords that determine when to show your ad, and pay only when someone clicks on it. You have total control over every aspect of your ad campaign including your daily budget. Sponsor links typically show up on the first search page along the top right side and are often highlighted for greater prominence.

More and more small businesses are turning to these paid links as it can dramatically increase your web site's visibility. As more web sites go on-line, it is getting increasingly difficult to "stand out in the crowd" - paid sponsor links solve this problem.

Here's some links to some excellent sites that contain detailed information on search engines, how to submit, and how to optimize your site.

1. SearchEngineWatch.com is an excellent site with TONS of current information.
2. At Google Watch you can learn how the most popular search engine really works.
3. Here's an article on Google's Deadly Sandbox Effect

A Web Application is a broad term generally used to describe a web page that performs a specific function or task. The function can be querying a data-base (Google), or obtaining a real-time Cost Estimate like I provide for my prospective clients on this site. An e-commerce shopping cart system is another very common example of a Web Application. ALL Web Applications by necessity must be powered by an Internet Programming Language (C#, JavaScript, VBS, AJAX, D-HTML, etc.) as HTML alone is not capable of providing this level of sophistication.

You may have heard statements like "it runs on the client" or "it runs on the server". Technically, it means, where does the web application (app) execute, on the web browser running on the client's machine or on the server BEFORE it loads into the client's machine. The differences are drastic:

• Client Side Execution:
  1. Client side web apps are usually written in JavaScript, AJAX & D-HTML since these technologies are supported by all modern browsers.
  2. The actual execution of the web app takes place in the web browser on the client's machine in real time. This architecture provides for very high performance because it eliminates the undesirable overhead of server requests for each interaction.
  3. Client side web apps feel very "software like" because their response to user interaction is immediate.
• Server Side Execution:
  1. Server side web apps must be written in a language that is native to the server. Therefore, the language used must be supported by your particular server. Typical server side languages include C#, Perl, PHP, Java & VBS among others.
  2. The actual execution of the web app takes place on the server when it receives a request by the web browser.
  3. Servers side programming is commonly used for data-base driven web sites, email-form processing, chat rooms, user log-ins, etc. etc.

Most sophisticated web applications use a combination of both server and client side technology.

Whether or not you need a Web Application depends on your goals, desires, budget and the nature of your business. Web Applications are all about "functionality" so it depends on what kind of functionality you want your web site to offer. Do you want it to do math, like an e-commerce site (adding up the total in a shopping cart order)? Do you want to display a booking calendar that is easily up-datable and/or can be searched by date? Do you want to provide real-time quotes? If so, you are a candidate for a Web Application because HTML alone is not capable of providing this level of interactivity.

Yes, I specialize in writing custom automation software that will:

1. Automatically open your e-mail program.
2. Identify and isolate those e-mails received from your inquiry/ checkout form.
3. Retrieve the data from these e-mails.
4. Open your data-base program.
5. Insert the data into it.

NOTE: This entire operation runs as a hidden process - that means you will not see your e-mail and data-base programs being opened or closed and they will not be visible on your screen. The automation can be initiated automatically, at certain time(s) of the day, or upon your clicking a desktop icon. Note that both your e-mail program and your data base programs must provide an "automation interface" which provides for internal access by outside software - most major applications provide such an automation interface. The following popular e-mail/data-base programs (among others) support automation:

1. Microsoft Outook - Email/Calendar/Contacts
2. Eudora - Email
3. Microsoft Access - Data Base
4. File Maker Pro - Data Base

A data-base driven web site or page is a specific and common type of Web Application. It is a site that receives it's content (as displayed on the page) from an external data source. Unlike ordinary HTML pages, the content (data), is completely separated from the HTML based web page. The data is "retrieved on the fly" and is "fed into" the page at run time (at that moment when the person actually views the page). As a result, data-base driven pages, by necessity, contain advanced code enabling them to interface (communicate) with the data-base. A data-base driven web page typically takes the following steps:

1. The user enters search criteria into a form indicating the desired records OR this information is "pre-programmed" into a link itself. User may also indicate how these records should be sorted.
2. A program (data-base interface software) receives the user's search criteria (whether user entered it into a text field or it was pre-programmed into a link) and passes it to the Data-Base.
3. The Data-Base returns it's results (records) to the data-base interface software which is responsible for inserting HTML tags into the returned records to create "HTML formatted text".
4. Finally, the data-base interface software writes a web page (on the fly) with this HTML formatted data so that it may be displayed in a Web Browser.

Smaller data-base driven web sites can be implemented entirely with client-side technology like JavaScript. However, when the data set itself is large, server side technology must be used in conjunction with traditional "back end" data-stores like XML, Access or SQL-Server.

You are probably familiar with typical data-base programs (Access, File-Maker Pro) and may have used them in your business. Generally, you create a data-base as a way to store large amounts of information that can be searched and retrieved. They can be used on the web in the same way. Data-bases are often used for large sites where the content changes on a regular basis. The site developer programs each page to retrieve it's data (the viewable content) from an external data source, which completely separates the content from the underlying workings of the web page and allows the site developer to easily turn over the web site maintenance to the permanent web site administrator (owner, employee, etc.). The web site administrator does not have to know HMTL, or how any of the pages work - he simply has to know how to update the data-base! As a result, data-base driven sites are commonly used when the content is expected to change on a regular basis. They are mandatory for sites that offer traditional data-bases capabilities like "sorting" and "searching".