Technical Tidbits™

As you may have noticed, our blog posts have been a bit spotty lately.  So, I’d like to update you on what’s going on.

We are updating and upgrading again.

If you had noticed the Google Chat that was on the right and notice that it’s gone now, that’s because I’ve replaced it with the Meebo chat. You don’t need to login in to anything, you can chat right from here and it’s accurate as to whether I’m available or not.

The Google Chat or Google Talk box was annoying because it said I was always online – even when I wasn’t – and people would click the box which would then send up a notice to me that someone wanted to talk, and when I tried to find out who was there, they had abandoned the chat window. This will be far more accurate and enable me to chat with our users, or you can chat amongst yourselves while you’re here visiting!

So, as you can see by this simple change, we are adding new, and interactive content to make our site better and ourselves more accessible.

Now, for the site itself…..

I’ve mentioned before that we are like the shoemaker’s children who have no shoes in that we design websites for our clients and have not been able to update our own because we’ve been so busy!

It has been said that the mark of a good Manager (or Teacher for that matter) is when their staff (or students) go on to exceed them. I can confidently say that I’m a good Teacher (and Manager) because the reason I’m lacking help is that others have gone on to excel on their own.  (Or, it could be that I’m an evil taskmaster and they all left to do anything but work with me! SMILE)

Our former Director of Marketing and Emerging Technologies has moved on. He is now a contractor with a tech staffing agency doing what he loves with Excel and Metrics Reporting, along with pursuing his own teaching on his metaphysical/spiritual website: http://haumanadao.com/

One of our previous graphic designer/web developer, Brad Shirley, has gone on to opening a brick and mortar candle shop along with his online presence at: http://www.riversidescents.com. If you’re in the Wellsville, Ohio area, stop by Brad’s shop and tell him MICE sent you!

Another one of our previous graphic designers and former web design student, Doug Foss, has gone back to a 9-5 job and is working on building his passion in photography.  I found a reference to him on the web and apparently he’s working not only with his passion of photography, but doing the website for the Lake County Art League!  I actually found him in the PDF Newsletter!

However, one previous PC security student who has come back to help in co-instructing and handling our clients web security issues, is Anthony Valente.  He not only heads his own company, Network Defence Solutions, but he went on to obtain his CEH (Certified Ethical Hacker) certification.  So, thanks to Anthony, I’m not totally abandoned! (GRIN)

Now that brings me to a few minor items I need to cover before I close.

1. We will be taking down the website itself – not this blog – but the main website to install Joomla Content Management System (CMS).

I’ve come to realize that I’ve made this site difficult to manage by having to make a new web page every time I need to post something. After conferring with Anthony on how to better manage this problem, he’s suggested I go with Joomla and I’m taking his advice.

This should, according to what I’ve read and he tells me, allow me to update and post content quickly which will allow me to finally populate the site with what needs to be here – INFORMATION!

I do not know how long it will take to finally migrate the information that’s already here to Joomla, but I’ve got a project plan mapped out. So, I have high hopes!

2.  If you are an independent or small company that does sub-contracting, please contact us by going to this page: Contact MICE and submitting info on your company or you using the form.  We will need the following:

a.  How you charge. Per hour or per project quote.

b.  Your availability.  As in, how much notice you require to do a project.

c.  Your skill set.

d.  You must be willing to complete the required W9 Form from the U.S. I.R.S.  (Not my requirement – the governments!)

e.  What method of payment you prefer and how you do your billing.

What we are looking for:  graphic designer, html coder, general virtual assistance type work (without a contract or commitment on a per use basis), and other programming assistance.

This is not an offer for employment. This is for sub-contracted, work-for-hire.

You will not be required to sign a non-compete because they cannot be enforced, I’m not a victim, and I believe in Karma. (Isn’t that simple?)  Plus, if you saw my other website (metaphysical-musings.com), you know I believe that there is enough of everything to go around. There is no recession in my economy!

That being said, I need to get busy and set up some more websites for everyone else but me! (Laughing)