₦airaland Forum

^^^ Here is my suggestion, assuming you aren't doing it already. It has worked for me for the past 10+ years

Code incrementally:
Determine what devices/browsers you want to support. When you code your header, you test across the board. Then you code your navigation...test across the board. Then you code your main content area...test,etc etc. The advantage here is that if you have a problem, it is easier to isolate and fix. If you code everything first then test, you won't know what caused the problem and may end up spending unnecessary hours attending to the wrong issue.

1) Even MSFT has a website devoted to asking you to stop using IE6. So you shouldn't even bother about IE6

2) IE7 is becoming a ghost in and of itself. I probably wouldn't worry about it either

3) IE8 should be your baseline as it is the closest in terms of supporting latest web dev standards

4) You can't force anyone to upgrade. You may suggest but you can't force.

5) Practice incremental coding for peace of mind (code your header, test across the board...code the navigation...)

6) Code semantically. Have a reset.css file for all your projects

7) No be by force say all sites must to look alike on all browsers. Use progress enhancement

OP:

Sorry for missing your response to mine. I didn't mean or say anything about responsiveness. That na GraphicsPlus domain

On a serious note though, your site doesn't necessarily have to be responsive (being responsive is a plus though, given the current trends) but it does need to at least be consistent across all devices. In other words, if I see 10 fields on a contact form on a desktop, I should see the same 10 fields on my mobile...and it doesn't matter if I have to zoom in, zoom out or scroll to see it...I must to see 10 fields.

You grab?

^^^ I prefer OP's

^^^ Not really. As I have said before, I am not a fan of this new NL "redesign". The result is that I now just do a quick scan of all posts and pick those that catch my eye. I know it lends to me overlooking certain posts or even risking ignoring responding to good posts but hey, my eyes get very tired each time I scroll through available posts. Na my health first, biko

Overall, it looks very good, IMHO. Consider the following though:

1) The lady in the background is, IMHO, obscuring the content on top

2) Get rid of "I breathe, I smell,..." Doesn't look or sound professional, IMHO

3) Have you checked out the site on mobile? On the contact form for instance, I can't see beyond the "name" field, courtesy of your faux scroll bars

4) Wow! I can get a pro website implemented for $0.00? Sign me up for a site similar to facebook.com sharp sharp, biko

http://thenationonlineng.net/new/online-special/14-year-old-creates-social-network-site/

Abiodun Alade presents the inspiring story of Terkura Ephraim Unongo,14 year –old student of Hillcrest School Jos, who recently created a social networking website called Imongo for social discovery, entertainment and information.

My Inspiration

I was inspired to create the Imongo website because of my will to make a positive change in the world. I want Imongo to be a place where people from all walks of life can come together in one online community to connect, share, be entertained and stay informed.

The Imongo social network’s targets people are aged between 13-55 in Nigeria, Ghana, South Africa, Algeria, Egypt and other parts of the Middle East, Russia, China, the United States, and the United Kingdom. We target such age grange and a variety of countries in order to serve our major purpose, which is connecting people from various walks of life, in order to really fulfill our goal of creating a social discovery network, where our members come together to mingle and meet new people while staying entertained and informed.

The websiteis mostly content for the youth. We have to keep the site updated with content that interests the majority of members, yet wemake sure, the site is kept clean with content that is appropriate for all of our targeted audience aged.

Why Imongo?

The name, Imongo is derived from the Tiv tribe where I come from- it simply means, ‘Gathering’ in English. I chose this name because I felt it matched my theme of creating an international gathering of people from various walks of life, in order to form asocial discovery network.Imongo and other social media like facebook twitter etc.The Imongo’s major difference from Facebook and other Social Media is the idea of a social discovery network, a social entertainment network, and a social informative network.

For more:
http://thenationonlineng.net/new/online-special/14-year-old-creates-social-network-site/

I keep getting the spinning wheel at my locale.

subdomain not showing up. Root domain, no comment for now

^^^ like+1

To Whom It May Concern:

1) Responsiveness implies simplicity. A website is about its content and not all the kitchen sink, "I wan show dem say I sabi code" things that we do extra. Sure, I want to see an attractive site but if it deters me from my main objective, what's the point?

2) In Nigeria, Coca-cola has been producing soft drinks in the same old bottle since before I was born, while I was growing up and even today. Why don't you complain about how the bottle is similar or how it tastes the same? It's called branding. When was the last time you saw an advert for Coke or Nike? You want to know why you rarely see one? Don't get me wrong, they will advertise now and then but it's not like they are crazy about it. They are ingrained in your mind. You can probably distinguish b/w a coke and a pepsi bottle, based on the unique bottle design. My point? OP has his own style, you have yours and I have mine. Concentrate on the layout, content, colors and features.

manifest:
I beg to differ. Both disciplines will never go away, as long as there is an information superhighway. Will it evolve? Sure...and you better reinvent yourself every step of the way, in order to remain relevant and marketable. This field has been around since the mid-1990s and has undergone a lot of changes but it hasn't faded away. As long as there are those who care about branding themselves in order to be unique, we will still remain.

all:
Pricing is determined by the market. Having said that, I have always lived by a code, wrt web dev:

1) Charge enough such that you have enough to run operating costs, pay for your time, pay your personal bills and have a little left over as savings. If that amount for you is N10K, go for it. If it is N1m, go for it.

2) I deserve to be paid for all the time and suffering I put into being what I am today (and that includes always reading and checking up on the latest, so as to remain relevant and marketable), and no one will make me feel bad for feeling that way. In other words, like a house or piece of land, I appreciate over time...not like a car that depreciates over time. That is the premium you pay. If you like, go to someone less experienced or to someone who charges cheap. I have no problems with that. In fact, I will respect you for telling me so, rather than run around in (obvious) circles.

3) I believe in working smart and not hard. Put in naija lingo: I don't believe in being a penny smart and a pound foolish. I would rather charge more and do only 6 sites a year than charge less but do 100 sites to make it. I have a life outside of coding and I deserve to have a good work/family balance.

Did I miss something? All I see is a CSS-less version of the page (all text, no styles applied)

millions, at a bare minimum

For pictures, visit the actual website via the link below:

http://www.noupe.com/wordpress/at-a-glance-how-to-secure-your-wordpress-site-infographic-77572.html

Securing your self-hosted WordPress site is absolutely essential. That’s the reason for our continuous coverage of this particular topic throughout the years. With WordPress becoming more and more dominant as the motor of today’s web, the topic stays at the top of our advice list. Throughout the last four years, the number of WordPress blogs having been hacked has more than doubled from 81,000 to over 170,000 per year. The fresh infographic by WPTemplate.com aggregates everything you need to know to properly secure your site and gives you a decent hint sheet to always keep your eyes on.

WordPress Hacks: Where, How and What to do Against Them?

Two hands full of basic tips help to keep you out of the biggest trouble. Some are things you could have easily guessed, such as keeping your installation updated or regular backups, so that you’ll not lose your whole content in the worst case. Some tips are less self-evident, such as securing the folder wp-admin or omitting the user-name admin.

The following infographic has all these hints and some more nicely arranged. I like the color-coded presentation, that shows you where the most and most dangerous security threads lurk.

At a glance you’ll notice that weak passwords are a threat, yet they are far from being the most common reason for hackers to succeed – only 8% of all hacks use weak passwords as the entry. Much more relevant as flood gates are plugins and themes. More than 50% of all hacks are possible exploiting security vulnerabilities in common themes and plugins. Themes (29%) are even more relevant than plugins, so be careful what you fall for.

The single biggest security weakness, with 41% of all hacks, is related to questions of hosting. We need to care for problems of database security, encryption, file-permissions, folder-access, securing the network on protocol level and much more. The average WordPress blogger will want to hire an experienced system administrator and is highly advised to actually do so.
WordPress: Almost 70 Million Websites Worldwide

Some information of statistical nature rounds up the infographic. In terms of security you’ll get reminded of the botnet attack on WordPress sites in April 2013. More than 90,000 servers performed brute force attacks and were quite successful in doing so. WordPress is still growing fast and today powers more than 17% of the world’s websites, which adds up to the fantastic value of almost 70 million websites.

The following infographic has been scaled down to fit into our little magazine. If you want to have a larger view or actually do want to print it out for bedside purposes, click on the graphic. We will then transfer you to WPTemplate.com, where they have a larger version for you:

he he, GraphicPlus, dem take responsive swear for you? Every post, na "responsive this", "responsive that"

Based on personal experience, there is no advisable time. If you need an account, go ahead and apply for one.

After I applied for mine, I didn't use it for at least a month. Also, when I finally did use it, because I didn't know how to drive people to my sites, I didn't cash my first check until at least 5 years after my account was opened.

If you need one and meet their requirements, by all means, apply for it as soon as you can.

Greenmouse, I am not a project manager but I am thinking this project may last more than 2 - 3 months, at least if you want it done right:

1) Graphic design and approval: 2 weeks
2) Front end (HTML, CSS, JavaScript) work: 2 weeks
3) Back end (Business logic (PHP, etc)) work: 3 weeks
4) Database design: 2 weeks
5) CMS design for the static pages: 2 weeks
6) Security testing/resolving issues: 2 weeks
7) Load testing: 1 week
8 ) Miscellaneous (people get sick, holidays, servers go down, etc): 2 weeks
9) Dev server testing/resolving issues: 2 weeks
10) Staging server testing/resolving issues: 2 weeks
11) Staff training: 1 week
12) Deployment to production/resolving issues: 1 week

Note: some of these issues could be carried out concurrently, thus reducing time.

@Olarewajub

They will for a while. How do I know? I was one of them

When you are making little money, they don't care but once you start earning a steady stream on a consistent basis, that is when you light up on their radar. When that happens, you go elsewhere. Of course, the ulimate goal is finding actual companies to sponsor ads on your site, as opposed to the google-type ads.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZeZ6-IWcYy0

^^^ Nna, as long as it is bringing in revenue from clickable ads, wetin concern bird with toothbrush?

Given that, generally speaking, blogs are based on the opinion of the blogger, what do you define as, "reputable"?

Okay. I still need more requirements though. Based on the little i know now, N7m minimum. Why? I may need to collaborate with others (web security, etc) and they too need to be paid.

I am thinking a minimum of N10m...based on no requirements. For example:

1) Am I just designing or designing and developing?
2) Am I designing the database or does this exist already?
3) Will they be updating the site regularly or not (as in, do I plan on a CMS, custom or one that already exists)?
4) How soon is the site needed?

Again, I can't give an accurate answer without more details.

Depends on their requirements...Having said that, you are looking at the multi-millions at the very least.

He he, you clicked thinking these are my own personal lessons, right? lol, I don get you but sha, read on. Very salient points here:

http://www.sitepoint.com/10-things-i-wish-id-known-before-starting-a-web-design-business/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=DesignFestival+June+26th&utm_content=DesignFestival+June+26th+Version+B+CID_16c66137cc6487e0a77c1aeded14fccd&utm_source=Newsletter&utm_term=10%20Things%20I%20Wish%20Id%20Known%20before%20Starting%20a%20Design%20Business

Freelancing on the side to earn extra income is all well and good. But if you want to start a business that generates a full-time income, here are some things to know.
1. Web Design is a Commodity

Low barrier to entry and an abundance of do-it-yourself options means clients have too many choices and no basis upon which to make the best decision. The sooner you acknowledge this, the easier it will be to break out of the commoditization trap.
2. Sales is a Skill You Must Acquire

If you’re unable or unwilling to learn how to sell your services, consider partnering with someone who can. Otherwise, don’t quit your day job.
3. Prospecting for Business is not Optional

“Sales” is everything that occurs after a prospect agrees to meet with you. Finding people willing to meet with you requires prospecting. While it’s not impossible to grow quickly through word-of-mouth alone, it’s the exception, not the norm. Just like SEO, word-of-mouth requires time; it doesn’t happen overnight. If you’re just starting out and need clients right away, go out and find them.
Click here to find out more!

4. Cold Calling Works

Despite claims to the contrary by so-called experts, cold-calling is one of the most effective means to obtain new business. Unless clients are beating a path to your door, don’t be too quick to dismiss cold-calling.
5. Prospects Aren’t Buying What You’re Selling

Business owners don’t value your HTML skills or your time. They value vendors who produce results. Business owners are concerned with what puts money in their pocket or what keeps money in their pocket. If your service doesn’t directly impact their bottom line, you’re not selling what they’re buying.
6. Your Biggest Competitor is Not Who You Think

Over the years, I’ve lost more deals to the decision to do nothing than other web firms. Before getting too cozy with that prospect, find out whether this project is mission-critical, or if “doing nothing” is an option. As Seth Godin says: “Are you really worth the hassle, the risk, the time, the money?”
7. Never Offer a Proposal

Writing a proposal is a poor way to close a deal. But when I first started out, I’d offer to write one instead of simply asking for the sale. Once I learned otherwise, I found I could close a deal on a verbal agreement, then write the proposal to finalize the sale. So don’t write a proposal unless your prospect has agreed to sign it.
8. Never Agree to “Final Payment Upon Completion”

Obtaining content from the client is one of the most challenging aspects of web design. You are on dangerous ground when your contract stipulates that the client can make final payment upon completion. Conceivably, a client can delay the project for any number of reasons that are beyond your control and you might never see that “final payment.”
9. Clone Your Best Clients as Soon as Possible

Chances are, you’ll stumble on some good clients by accident. You know the type—the ones who give you plenty of ongoing work, always pay on time, never badger you for a lower price, and send you a gift basket at Christmas. Once you land a few of those, figure out what characteristics they have in common … then go after others like them.
10. Two Are Better than One

Having been in business as a both sole proprietor and a partnership, I can say that I prefer the latter. That said, a bad partnership can be nearly as disastrous as a bad marriage. But considering that partnerships generate more revenue than sole proprietors, I’d say it’s worth the risk.

There is my “Top 10” list of what you need to know before starting your web design business. Did I miss anything? Post yours below.

^^^ I viewed it on my desktop using firefox and in turn, used firefox's responsive layout plug in to view in other "devices".

^^^ It's based on WP now. Reminds me of the last version of goal.com. But for the scrolling which I think is posing a distraction, considering its speed, it looks good though.

Yes I noticed the mega bar. I didn't see any issues there. In my eyes, they do resemble each other...not that there's anything wrong with that. Just like I don't have a problem with people using templates, as long as they give due credit and use it in the right way.

Other than color and concept, it looks familiar to the church site you showcased recently. So for me, same comments apply.

This image might offer some encouragement:
http://1.bp..com/-GvvcYGNebtc/UcdnaBNuppI/AAAAAAABy2c/or1gCoZrhQ0/s1600/MISS+NIG+FINALS.jpg

Note the list of sponsors at the bottom

The same way another person in another profession would feel and should feel - entitled.

It is your choice wether or not to let it go. In the future, make sure you get as an advance, your actual price. That way, if they don't pay, you know you got your "capital". That is what a friend who does business with Nigerians in Nigeria, who has been bitten before, told me.