Category Archives: Uncategorized

IE6 delenda est

By The Maestro | Published: August 4, 2009
Dwight Silverman, tech writer/blogger at the Houston Chronicle, explains it best: Now, IE6 wasn’t a particularly great browser when it launched in 2001, and at this point it’s a positively awful one. It doesn’t fully support many of the best ways Web designers build sites and browser-based applications, and it’s prone to security issues. It doesn’t, [...]
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Black hat SEO vs. white hat SEO

By The Maestro | Published: July 23, 2009
When talking to a prospective client some months ago, he indicated to me that another SEO firm had promised him #1 Google rankings within something around 30 days. Of course, I did what I could to strongly discourage him from believing that outrageous claim, informing him that nobody could legitimately make such a guarantee.  Over time, [...]
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Why every website needs analytics

By The Maestro | Published: July 22, 2009
I think I’ve finally hit upon the perfect analogy for those that fail to use analytics programs on their websites. I have a really snazzy car for sale.  It has a massive engine, four wheels, brakes, a steering wheel…but no instrument panel (i.e. no speedometer, tachometer, odometer or other gauges).  How much would you pay for [...]
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The (not really) definitive answer on table-based layouts vs. CSS

By The Maestro | Published: July 22, 2009
No, this post will definitely not be the final word on the CSS-versus-table debate.  But having just burned through a couple of billable hours futzing with a client’s site that was built heavily (and I do mean heavily) with tables, I think I’m in a position to answer this. Does a site have to be built [...]
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What is your website about? And who is it for?

By The Maestro | Published: July 1, 2009
In my work with clients in various capacities, one thing that has always struck me is that the organization in question doesn’t seem to think about the site’s end goals until the very end of the project. Considering the user experience–which to my mind is the single justification for the site’s very existence–doesn’t seem [...]
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Bing could be getting traction

By The Maestro | Published: June 25, 2009
So says Comscore: Microsoft Sites saw its average daily searcher penetration and share of search result pages in the U.S. continue to climb during the second week of Bing’s introduction. Microsoft Sites’ average daily penetration among U.S. searchers reached 16.7 percent during the work week of June 8-12, up 3 percentage points from the May 25-29 [...]
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Late to the web party? You’re not alone

By The Maestro | Published: June 22, 2009
With the economic downturn in full swing, some traditional brick-and-mortar retailers are finally getting religion: Retailers who scoffed at the web during the flush days of consumer spending are now diving head first into online initiatives, lured by that channel’s resilience in the downturn. More resources are pouring into retailers’ Web operations, and brands from Juicy Couture [...]
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Because there’s no time like an economic downturn to start your own company

By The Maestro | Published: June 18, 2009
Finally: the true welcome/intro post I’ve been trying to write for some time now.  And I honestly can’t think of a better title. That isn’t blog snark, either–I sincerely mean to say that an economic downturn can be a great time to start your own business.  A few reasons why: There’s a chance you’ll face less competition.  [...]
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Good evening to all

By The Maestro | Published: June 2, 2009
Well, this isn’t quite what we had planned.  We had been working on the site as a side venture, really taking some time with it, when the Stansels approached us for assistance with their website.  How could anybody look at Amanda and say “no”? So, yes, the site is now live.  A bit ahead of schedule.  [...]
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