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Bit of a Rant...But there is a question.

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asonda

asonda

Free Member
Jan 28, 2007
3,653
301
Cornwall
Hi,

I've had enough of designing websites. I've had my share of happy customers, and those customers that like messing about, you all know the kind of people, who want something, but don't want to pay for it, then hassle you about to add that extra bit etc etc.

I don't want to do it any more, it takes too long to design one from scratch to get it to a point you dare show your customer. I hate the coding side of it, although pretty good with HTML and CSS...I've just lost interest.

Now everybody wants to use PHP, Content Management Systems, Likes of Joomla, Drupal and varients of the Idea, like Word Press.

I Hate Coding! This does sound like a rant but it does have a point...

I'm finally going to kick the bucket, and say no more, to designing websites. I'm trying to streamline what happens so that I can concentrate on one area. Building Computers, Looking after Computer Networks on top of Designing Websites, Just won't work for me..it's too much.

I'm only going to look after the websites I've done for my Network Clients....


Which brings me onto my next question....

Is it ok, to buy a Joomla Template - From a reputable company (so that I don't have to go through the whole start from scratch procedure, plus their designs are W3C and fully validated code)....?

I didn't use templates for my customers, as it's cheating from that perspective because they were paying me to do the work...

but I have a problem, where I hate everything I produce...so if I was to find a template I liked, and saw potential in it....is it OK for me to do so?

Jamie

Sorry it's been a bit of a rant, one of those days.
 
IMO there's no problem with providing skinned/templated apps.

I've no idea about design but have provided a number of OSCommerce, SMF/phpBB, Coppermine, etc. sites for local small business's at a very fair price.

I do make it very clear up front what they are paying for and the cons associated with this approach.

I'm carefull to stick with apps I know, for example the 1st OSCommerce store I did took me about 5 nights coding and DB changes sorting out localisation, the tortuous ordering system, etc. Once cracked the time to deploy the next was a couple of hours.

Most of my customers seem happy when provided with a skinned OSCommerce store with a relevant payment provider module tested and setup in 2 hours for a couple of hundred quid.
 
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Jamie whats the matter mate, is the game getting you down, me too up until today, was all set to chuck it all in and get a job as a bus driver.

But getting a angry with myself and the world at large today, coming out of a blues period fighting, gonna work hard make money and spend it frivolously.

Get crazy mood swings sometimes been in the dumps for weeks, then get angry and focus that anger into organising, doing and spending.


Hang in there mate, don't be so hard on yourself.
 
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Lol, Thanks RedEvo...I'll PM you with something, sometime...


Keith, I don't want to completely shut shop so to speak, I just don't want to do web designing. There's too much stuff involved with it now, for me alone to do. On top of ungrateful swines who no matter how hard you work, are just to pigheaded to give two craps about you.

I started off building computers, I want to go back, building computers, and only computers. then I get to play with all the cool stuff, and not sit here doing mind numbing, dull work, for sods who don't deserve it!

I appreciate your kind words!
 
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Keith's right, it's too easy to chuck it all in after a bad period. I did something similar although I had had enough of IT - when my main programmer got poached and that lead to loads of hassles, I just upped and walked away. Which was a really stupid move, I could have sold the company on for much more than just breaking things up...

You need to network and get people/companies with complimentary skills on board and allow them to help you do what you want to do.
 
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Do what makes you most happy is a very boring and over-used imperative.

I suggest that you do not do what makes you unhappy :D

ps I love some of the pimped or made-up desktops I've seen around on websites, in fact I think I was stalking someone's website on here and found some really cool looking stuff...I'd love to have that all glowy and magnificent in the dark but I'd always be too scared to get one because I have no way of knowing whether it's been made properly, whether the components are as good or better than ahem Dell and whether it's going to be at least as reliable as ahem Dell. :o
 
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The computers I build, are of very high quality. I use top quality, Known performance and stability brands.

UV Reactive Water Cooling Systems are amazing! I love creating something like that, I also know a lot more about that too.

I've been thinking about dropping the website stuff for sometime. I think it's what I need to do, in order to stay happy, and move my business forward.

Companies like Vadim, offer High Spec computers too. However, have a look at their prices, they play on their name for higher pricing....
 
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You would say that ;) ;)

Have you thought about approaching independent computer shops or chains like The Tech Guys to ask if they would stick one of you computers in their metaphorical window?
 
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No, not that, nice idea but...Most of the people, who buy this calibre of machine, generally know not to buy stuff from PC World, and know not to trust the Tech Guys!

Those Tech Guys are ridiculous. I had a laptop in last week, that when playing a CD or DVD, would continually skip. The Tech Guys, said it was down to the DVD/RW drive being faulty, and he needed a new one...Luckily he saw stories on the net, and in the newspaper about the Tech Guys ethical stance....and decided to get in touch with me. I had it fixed within 20minutes, the DVD drive, had set itself to PIO mode, and not DMA mode....all I had to do, was uninstall the drive, reboot, let it reinstall, then that was it...fixed! in less than half an hour!

But the point is, if you want a machine to play games on, you could easily get one from the proverbial PC World.

Those that want that 'extra' something, know they must source professional, independent companies, providing such a service. That I can assure you'll get from Asonda.

Plus the profit margins would be squeezed even more...
 
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asonda said:
Companies like Vadim, offer High Spec computers too. However, have a look at their prices, they play on their name for higher pricing....
Click to expand...


I am thinking about getting a vadim or alienware workstation. Just waiting for the new AMD Opteron or Intel Xeon processors to surface on the market.
 
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Firstly, I'd like to suggest that you should PM me when the new processors come out, I'd love to do a fellow UKBF'r a nice deal on a very nice machine.

Do you have any preference? AMD or Intel? just asking because many people (who look for computers like these) seem to have a bias against one brand or the other....

Personally, I like AMD, seem to a run a little hotter than the Intel equivalents but they do over-clock nicely with adequate cooling! the New AMD-ATi chipsets are, to easily put it, Awesome!

I've always been an AMD and Ati fan, imagine how happy I was when AMD bought Ati!!

Jamie
 
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I'm not an AMD fan, and never have been - though I will happily specify them on my 'entry-level' machines.

The only problem with just building PC's Jamie is that it takes quite a few orders in a week to keep the business ticking over. You have to have a range of complimentary services.

What about outsouorcing the websites, and taking a small margin organising them & liaising with customer, etc?

Providing you don't drop too many of your services, it will be ok - but I think it would be difficult to manage on PC sales alone - the margins are tight nowadays.

Keep at it man :)

Mark
 
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You have a business which seems to be doing well in that you win customers. There's nothing in the rule book which states that YOU have to design the sites.

Find a decent web designer and have them design the sites and make a commission for your administration, finders fee that sort of thing. Then charge on and pursue your mod boxes, but don't drop the web design totally.

While it's not necessary to eat them all, do keep your hand in all the pies.

Chinazor
 
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The problem you will have with building PC's is that the market is already flooded with other companies who do the same thing. Ideally, you will want to come up with something special that seperates you from the rest.

Word of mouth is your best ally here - you ned to get people talking about your machines. Having marketed in this area in the past, I found the best results were gained from receiving a good review in a related magazine. One exmaple I can give you of this, is the company I was working for at the time received a "Best Buy" award for a £499 machine. From this alone, we generated 91 orders for that system in the first 30 days of the review being released.

Personally, I would contact every PC related magazine you can and ask them to send you information for what they will be reviewing in the forthcoming months. You will find a lot of companies are willing to send you products on a trial period that you can put into the machines, which will save you having to buy the components. Connect 3D for instance, provided us with 2 X1950XT's on a 30 day loan period.

If you can manage this, and consistently get solid reviews, you should find the knock on effect on sales to be to your satisfaction. Send me a PM if you would like any further info on the work I did in this area.
 
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All of you people here, are stars! No doubt about it, thank you! After a good sleep last night and a bit of thinking this morning, I've come to a bit of a decision.

I'm going to find somebody to outsource work to, I've got a particular person in mind, who currently works at Woolworths (he was a friend from college) He'd love the extra cash, and actually enjoys the coding and I know he's S*** hot at it aswell.

The Mod Boxes, I want to try and go after. My main revenue will still be from the Network Clients. These HOT computers though, I want to go after because that's how I started...building computers. I built my first computer when I was 12/13 after I'd saved up money and bought the bits myself! The satisfaction of building a working machine, was just....sweet!

Still today, whever I get an order in for a machine, I love it....I spec it up, make sure I choose compatible and decent performing components and then I get to build it :D, When doing that...I feel like I'm pretty lucky that I'm doing something I like.....Where as with the web stuff, just felt like a chore.

I've got to sort out a problem web customer, then I'm going to get this out sourcing in place...

Keep the ideas flowing, appreciated!

Jamie
 
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Jamie - be VERY careful outsourcing to your mate from Woolies.

I'm sure he's very good but we have used part time people in the past and it can be a huge pain. Remember, you will be getting the stick from the clients even if you are not building the stuff. Hobbyists rarely have the skills and insights of full time pros and your whole business reputation could suffer.

None of this is intended as a pitch - we are simply out the door with work. But we do outsource and are very experienced with it. I would only ever outsource to someone who does the thing I'm buying from them full time.

d
 
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I understand, This chap has done the same courses, has near enough the same qualifications as me, doesn't have the business "quality" though, and doesn't have experience in providing "Live" sights. He's scared of becoming self employed, and wants to do this, if he ever did become self employed...

In effect, it'd help him on his path, as well as helping me...He is a trooper, in that he'll make sure he puts the effort in and all the time needed, no matter what.

That said, I'd need a proper talk with him, and make sure he fits into a few rules, and get a few good quality designs from him, to make sure all that training hasn't gone to waste!

BUT...at the same time, I can't afford to let my reputation down, which is what's niggling me at the moment...
 
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One example of a problem with part timers is when your client needs something doing NOW. The freelancer is at work and you can't find the bit of code you need to change. Very frustrating and rep ruining ;)

But it could work if the guy is a trooper. Troopers get my vote all day long!

d
 
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One example of a problem with part timers is when your client needs something doing NOW. The freelancer is at work and you can't find the bit of code you need to change. Very frustrating and rep ruining
Click to expand...

This is certainly true and a very good point. Try and get a freelancer or somebody who is a professional. Try and forge a relationship with another small business person who will take the work very seriously and you can setup an SLA with them (even if it doesn't stick fast).

Using people who have other work committments outside of their own control can be worse than having nobody at all

Chinazor
 
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RedEvo said:
One example of a problem with part timers is when your client needs something doing NOW. The freelancer is at work and you can't find the bit of code you need to change. Very frustrating and rep ruining ;)

But it could work if the guy is a trooper. Troopers get my vote all day long!

d
Click to expand...

I've got a bit more thinking to do methinks...
 
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