Want to know who left a message? Try typing in their phone number into Google. Google Search: 401-942-8000

For full instructions, click on the phone icon next to the company name, which will take you here.

Post to comments at Web Pages that Suck.

As a recent convert from Frontpage to Dreamweaver, I think that Frontpage can be used effectively. But, I think that Frontpage does two things wrong: It doesn't teach or lead people to better pages.

I remember my first Frontpage pages. When I posted to the server, the links didn't work because they were absolute links pointing to my hard drive! From there, I started learning because I realized that Frontpage doesn't do everything right and doesn't warn you it might.

(PS. I rue everyone who uses Word with the paragraph marks turned off so they can't see the true structure of their document.)

Is it Wednesday already? I've got a lot of story to tell and not much time.

My website is up

yea! There were some hitches where links didn't work right or images didn't upload completely. I am still waiting for my ISP to get me my CGI guestbooks done. Take a look: www.espec.com . Then let me know what you think: jungd@student.gvsu.edu.

Tomorrow when I've caught up, I need to tell you about the latest in "what happens with Thomas Register".

Moving servers

As I get ready to upload my new website, I am also switching servers at my ISP from NT/Frontpage to UNIX. Really not a big deal for a site that is strictly HTML (except two guestbook pages, which the ISP will set-up with CGI scripts). Well, it is a big deal because now my root directory file names need to be "index.html", not "default.htm". Why is this a big deal? There are a lot of links to my site (especially from search engines) pointing at what will be a non-existant page.

To keep new visitors, I created a "redirect" page that will automatically link them to the index.html page instead Not a big deal (uses a "meta-refresh" tag to do it). The other strategy would be to make duplicates of the index page, renamed as default. That's not a bad strategy either, except it is harder to kill-off these links to what should be dead pages. Search engines don't like to index pages with "meta-refresh" tags, or so I hear, so eventually these pages should die off.

I am concerned about people hitting my "home" default page. There I may make a duplicate of the index page. There is just too much traffic there. Maybe I should do this for a couple more of my most popular entry pages, just in case.

Think for your customers

I'm posting my new website this week if all goes right. I've spent the last few days cleaning up the many details. One thing that bothered me was that the HTML for the pages was running 25K alone. I assumed that this was due to the extensive Javascript pop-up menu I am using. Why should my customers have to reload the same script every time?

I did a little digging and found that scripts can be called very easily with a "source=" statement. Mind you I know nothing about Java, the script was written by Fireworks, then imported into the pages by Dreamweaver. So I figured out what part was the script and saved it as a separate .js file. Then I modified the script-loading statement (apparently Javascripts are loaded as an active command, ready to run when the page loads) to call the .js file. The trick was in figuring out how to invoke the .js command, so I did some trial and error and peaking at other codes (my page actually has a second external .js for roll-over buttons).

Net result...I cut 7K off of the page size. They will only need to load the extra .js file once, making the rest of my pages faster. The customer may never know, or notice, but I feel I've taken another step in letting them feel that we care about they want and don't want. And no one wants a slow-loading page. (BTW, saw a sister company's new website today. Very slow Flash with little payoff. Groan.)

Instant (b2b) Messaging

I use AOL instant messaging to stay available to my sales guys. To the ones I use it with, it is indespensible. But it is like pulling teeth to get some others to use it. It has to be the easiest, cheapest b2b application that shows immediate benefits.

BTW, my new favorite emoticon is: @@ (eyes rolling). True that only shows I'm using it to gossip sometimes, but isn't that part of b2b communications?

Phone solicitors

One of the downsides of being a marketer at a smaller company is people calling trying to scam money out of you. Since we are one of the few departments in a company with truly discretionary budgets and a fear that we will miss a winning opportunity, they prey upon us. And just in case you are think it, you can't invoke "no call listing" with b2b solicitations, it only includes consumers.

Typical is Hanson Publications who call to "renew" our listing in their directory (usually "national 800 number directory"). Seems we always have had an existing listing to update, even though I have been saying no to these people for over seven years. Nowadays I cut to the chase and tell them that we don't pay for directory listings. Sometimes they call saying they are sending me a copy of the latest directory, which implies that I'll being paying for it. The FTC advises that anything sent without your approval can be considered a gift, since you didn't ask for it.

Where I am going with this is last week I got a new one. Someone offering a free website based on our already free directory listing. Quickly I remembered that my father said he had a similar call. In his case the free website was then charged to his phone bill as a monthly hosting service. The woman on the phone was quite insistant and told me that I would be notified twice before I was billed. Finally I prevailed by restating several times that I would rather make my decision now. Thanks Dad!

Interesting reading for those who care. I, nearing the end of site redesign, am interested. Basically trumpets the value of CSS and using W3C compliant code.
Digital Web Magazine - Features: 99.9% of Websites Are Obsolete

Polite and legal

Got a letter from one of our service contractors today. I thought it was very well executed. Well, he could have supplied an email address to forward files to. Still, very nice.

Dear XXX;
YYY is your authorized service company for XXX products for West Central Florida. We are trying to get our website up and running, and we are requesting permission to include logos for any of the brands your company asks us to service. In addition to these logos, we also would like permission to include some images of equipment from either your web site or from your catalogs. Since we do not sell any product lines, we will be using these images as general background images and no reference or statements will be made to the actual products.
I have included a copy of the preliminary web page in which your logos will appear. The final page will be substantially similar to the copy provided.
…For your convenience, I have included a letter that can be copied onto your company letterhead as well as a self addressed stamped envelope for your reply.
Thank you for your effort in this matter. Sincerely,

For us "one man" marketing departments, it looks like we have finally beaten the Netscape users into submission. Latest data says 3.4% of browsers in use are Netscape.

Nua Internet Surveys Weekly Editorial

The latest stats from my company's website say this:
IE 5.x 52.34%
IE 6.x 31.68%
Navigator 4.x 5.05%
Navigator 3.x 3.11% (who the hell are these people??)
Others 4.59%