DMXReady Classic ASP Garage Blog

Integrating Facebook Platform to DMXReady CMS Suite Using ASP

Fri, 27 Jan 2012 11:03:38 GMT

Integrating with Facebook into your website � specifically Facebook Platform � is full of advantages. For one, it allows your visitors to log into restricted areas of your website using only their Facebook account � if they are logged in at Facebook, they are logged in on your website, making it easier for them to access your content while you maintain control.

Facebook is also full of user information and personalization tools so you can create a better, more individualized experience for your users (http://developers.facebook.com/docs/guides/web/).

Larry Boeldt at The Code Project has published his own ASP solution http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/94067/Classic-ASP-Integration-with-Facebook-Websites-Fea. This tutorial teaches ASP programmers (do-it-yourselfers and professionals alike � all the scripts are cut and paste�) how to integrate Facebook features like Authentication, Social Plugins, and more into their websites. Of course, that includes websites built with DMXReady CMS and CMS Suite.

It also is interesting in the fact that despite all the naysayers out there, ASP is actually here to stay. As of this writing, Larry�s post had over 130,000 page views and the script was downloaded over 1,500 times! (In other words, reports of ASP�s death have been greatly exaggerated.)

Facebook Authentication vs. Members Only Manager

Of course, DMXReady CMS Suite comes with its own authentication software, namely Members Only Manager. So why would you use the Facebook solution over this one? It�s very possible that you do not. Connecting via Facebook allows you to access personalized information from your visitors (if they allow it) to provide them with a better social experience. But you are also providing Facebook an indirect way to track your website. Since Facebook �follows� its users to your site and registers each authentication, it can do things like estimate the number of users your website has based on the number of Facebook members who visit your site.

So if you do not want to install what is essentially a Facebook tracking cookie on your website, then Members Only Manager is your best bet. For many users though, sharing website user information with Facebook is a small price to pay for a slick interface and integration with Facebook Platform and all its features.

Check out Larry�s post here, and adapt to DMXReady CMS Suite as necessary:
http://www.codeproject.com/Articles/94067/Classic-ASP-Integration-with-Facebook-Websites-Fea

Got Windows? Here�s an ASP CMS Solution for You�

Wed, 18 Jan 2012 13:52:27 GMT

Since Bill Gates wrote his first line of code, the goal of improving software has been simple: make it faster, easier, and better for people to do what they want to do with their computers.

Flash forward 35-odd years, and it almost seems like the software developers of the world are out to do the complete opposite. For example, in this day and age, you shouldn�t need to be a computer science major to build a basic website � or install a Content Management System for that matter!

One major source of frustration for companies on Windows servers who want to move to a Content Management System (CMS) is the fact that most are PHP-based. Joomla, Drupal, and others run on Linux servers, not Windows servers.

DMXReady CMS Suite on the other hand is an ASP CMS, so it runs natively on your Windows server including Windows Server 2003 and Windows Server 2008, guaranteed. (If you don�t have your own server, you can also run DMXReady CMS Suite on popular web hosting services like GoDaddy, 1and1 Hosting, Rackspace, Hostgator, etc.)

Not only that, DMXReady CMS Suite has a whole host of plug-in applications like Members Only Manager and Contact Us Manager pre-loaded. You simply turn them on and off on the pages you want � no more fumbling with applications that don�t quite work together!

Best of all, DMXReady CMS Suite is easy to use. It comes with several design options built in or you can easily skin it as well, using any third-party design template. It also comes with pre-formatted business website templates. That means you don�t have to create pages or worry about mapping out your site from scratch � just fill each pre-built page with your own content and images, and click �Save�!

And like any CMS, updating and adding new content is a snap using any standard web browser. You also have the flexibility of modifying it right down to the code level � this ASP CMS has 100% customizable source code.

In short, you get everything anyone would need to run a modern and professional business automation CMS website.

ASP vs. PHP � What is Better?

You�ll hear many programmers around the Internet going on about how PHP is better than ASP. Usually their arguments run along the lines that because so many more people are using PHP, it is by default better.

This is simply not true. There are several reasons why you would choose ASP over PHP. Many programmers prefer ASP because it is easier to code (and is much less complex than .Net) � in fact if you are a beginner yourself, ASP is often the best choice because you can learn faster. It�s a great choice for website owners who either want to learn how to code themselves, or who want to �set it and forget it� when it comes to building and launching a website.

But as mentioned above, if you�re already on a Windows server, ASP is your best bet in web software. And when it comes to ASP CMS, nobody does it better than DMXReady.

Try the online demo right now and see how easy it is to use DMXReady CMS Suite!

Using DMXReady CMS Suite as Your Landing Page Manager

Tue, 3 Jan 2012 09:39:33 GMT

Landing pages are great things, though they can get a little unwieldy � especially if you already have a big website. It gets even more complicated when you have landing pages for multiple ad campaigns like QR Codes, Google AdWords, banner links, and more. With split testing, different offers for different markets, different price codes, etc., that can easily add up to thousands of pages. If you�re editing straight HTML pages with Dreamweaver and uploading them to the server, managing all those pages can quickly become a logistical nightmare.

But not with DMXReady CMS Suite. First of all, you don�t have to use Dreamweaver at all � everything including the code can be modified in your own Admin pages using any standard web browser. (That being said, you may prefer to do the initial design template using Dreamweaver or some other HTML editor. But the point is, you don�t have to fire it up every time you create a new page.)

Most importantly though, with DMXReady CMS Suite your pages are neatly listed and labeled in one spot so you can easily manage your pages. Editing, adding new pages, deleting old ones, or disabling suspended pages/campaigns becomes much, much easier!

Also, with the built-in Site Builder, you can break down and organize your campaigns any way you want. You can also modify different templates to use with different campaigns or even product types. The possibilities are endless � you can create different variations for each catalog/category/type/product/campaign/etc., all with unique menu navigation, content, and css skin.

For example, if you find that your purple widgets are selling better with the contact information along the side, and the red widgets are selling better with the contact information at the bottom, no problem � you can use a different page layout/template for each. Again, this makes it much easier to manage your landing pages, customizing each page to suit its own individual strengths.

Even though (or perhaps because) it is meant to be a full website CMS, you couldn�t design a better landing page management application. You have full customization control over every aspect of your landing pages, no matter how complex or different each individual landing page is.

Best of all, you can use DMXReady CMS Suite on your current domain* and it won�t interfere with your main website. The Suite will run in the background, making your landing pages easier to manage without affecting your website in any way.

In short, DMXReady CMS Suite gives you:

Ease of use � all pages are listed right in front of you
Flexibility � create as many different templates as you need for your landing pages
Greater organization � break down each campaign by project, department, type, product etc. by creating your own organizational system
Built-in Admin pages � do it all online using any standard web browser � no more firing up Dreamweaver or messing with FTP programs!
A full CMS landing page management solution that runs on your domain, but doesn�t interfere with your current website

Read more about DMXReady CMS Suite here, and check out the free online demo: http://v2suite.dmxready.com/?page=features

Want to Keep It Separate? You Can�

Some people are worried that if you host your landing pages on your current web domain, there is always the chance that your visitors will stumble upon them accidentally. Perhaps an even larger worry for these people is that Google could find duplicate content on your landing pages and might penalize your page ranking for it.

You can address these concerns by moving your landing pages to a separate domain � and still use DMXReady CMS Suite.

Say for example your current website is XYZCompany.com and you have a landing page campaign to generate traffic to your pages advertising a newer, better, purple widget. You can set up a separate website called XYZCompanyPurpleWidget.com and install DMXReady CMS Suite as your landing page manager. Here you can create as many pages as you want � with as much duplicate content as you want � and never get penalized. In fact, you could no-index the whole website, and not lose any link juice or page ranking on your main site.

Then no matter how you direct your website visitors to those pages, you can rest assured they are getting the targeted content you designed just for them without Google � or stray visitors � stumbling upon it accidentally.

This is also a great solution for those with hosting packages that do not support Windows/ASP.

http://v2suite.dmxready.com/?page=features

*DMXReady CMS Suite requires a Windows or cloud server that will support ASP.

DMXReady CMS Suite Launched!

Tue, 20 Dec 2011 12:05:15 GMT

CMS Templates for Business and Non-Profit

More and more business owners are looking for a website solution that they can build themselves, allowing them full control and avoiding huge web designer bills.
With DMXReady CMS Suite (v2), business owners win on both counts.

DMXReady CMS Suite offers a brand new approach to website building: CMS templates. We�re not just talking traditional HTML design templates here, but turnkey CMS website solutions complete with:

dynamically controlled navigation menu, site map and pages
content management tools for super fast content editing using ANY web-enabled device including laptops, iPad/android tablets, smart phones, etc.
built-in business automation, ecommerce, CRM, and SEO apps � all ready to go

No programming required � web owners can simply upload the software to their existing domain and start adding their own content using any standard web browser. Plus DMXReady provides full documentation as well as other resources like an Online Knowledgebase and links to other trusted information. With all the tutorials and support available, do-it-yourself website design has never been easier.

This is a system that brings everything you need for your business into one integrated website solution.

DMXReady CMS Suite comes with 10 pre-built website templates for a variety of businesses and organizations including Software Vendor, Design Company, Charity, and more. All you have to do is choose the template that most closely matches your business, add your own content, and you�re ready to go.

Why Now is a Good Time to Upgrade Your Website to DMXReady CMS Suite

There are many, many different scenarios in which DMXReady CMS Suite can help businesses, non-profits, and individuals get the most from their website.

For example, imagine you own a consultation business. Currently, you might have a typical brochure-type website that gives basic information to the customer, but still relies on you to do most of the work.

But with DMXReady CMS Suite, you can take the CMS template and create a dynamic online experience for your customers, plus cut down on the amount of work you have to do. Your website becomes like your personal assistant!

Automate contacts � Send auto replies, direct emails to different departments/people, and mass email everyone on your customer list about early bird specials, new products/services, or perhaps a monthly newsletter.

Centralize your info � Provide information about the company as well as hard-to-find information for your customers, relevant news, video tutorials, and more.

Use third-party apps to extend functionality � For example, if you do all your bookings using Google Calendar, you can display it on your website with one line of code you cut and paste � great for marking important dates relevant to your business, like launch dates or upcoming information sessions. You can also add other social media apps like Twitter, Facebook, Linkedin, YouTube and others to your CMS website instantly.

Accept money/payments through the website � Instead of handling thousands of dollars of cash, you can automate service contract payments, charge for work and materials, and create other payment systems by connecting directly to your PayPal Merchant account.
Using one of the built-in CMS templates, you can also:

Publish photographs and videos as a portfolio or for tutorials
Write a blog about your area of consultation
Password-protect some or all of your website for subscription-based and/or �customer-only� content
Create a staff directory

Demo DMXReady CMS Suite For Yourself!

Take it for a test drive at: http://v2suite.dmxready.com/?page=cms-templates

Google Supports Classic ASP reCAPTCHAs

Tue, 5 Jul 2011 10:20:29 GMT

In case you didn�t hear, Google bought reCAPTCHA in 2009. This a good fit for one of their current projects (i.e. digitizing the world�s books) but it also aligns with their views on preventing spam and fraud. You can read all about the purchase at the Google blog here: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2009/09/teaching-computers-to-read-google.html

A big plus for Classic ASP programmers is that Google is going out of its way to support us. In its documents, it has provided the code needed to use reCAPTCHA on your own website. http://code.google.com/apis/recaptcha/docs/asp.html How often in this day and age to you see big companies like Google rolling out the red carpet for Classic ASP developers? (Yet another sign that the news of Classic ASP's death have been greatly exaggerated...)

As before, you still have to sign up for reCAPTCHA to get their API keys http://www.google.com/recaptcha/whyrecaptcha (and then enter them in the code), just like you would Google Analytics. But once you do, you can use reCAPTCHAs on all your websites to cut down on any spambot activities plaguing your site.

Happy Anti-Spamming!

The DMXReady Team

Rewrite URLs Into Pretty Links Using the URL Rewrite Module

Fri, 17 Jun 2011 11:58:01 GMT

Ever wonder how WordPress is able to generate friendly URLs in HTML? Ever wish you could pull that off yourself for your own Classic ASP website?

Rewriting your dynamic URLs does have certain advantages. The most obvious is that it makes it easier for your website visitors to understand what page they�re on. For example, �www.yourdomain.com/shirts.html� makes more sense to the average person than �www.yourdomain.com/catalog.asp?item=23�.

However, it is important to note that it doesn�t much matter to Google � its Googlebots will be able to find and index your pages whether they are dynamic or static (although Google does recommend keeping links short and parameters few to avoid Googlebot confusion�) There is some debate as to whether rewriting links will boost your SEO. Generally, most SEO experts recommend rewriting those URLs if for no other reason than to add your keyword and keyword phrases into your links.

The question then becomes, how do you rewrite URLs using Classic ASP?

We�ve come across one way to do it that works quite well � so well in fact, we used the general method for rewriting URLs in our own DMXReady CMS. Note that this method requires you to have IIS 7 and the URL Rewrite Module Go Live release installed. This tutorial is written for ASP.Net, but it is equally effective for Classic ASP.

http://learn.iis.net/page.aspx/461/creating-rewrite-rules-for-the-url-rewrite-module/

Here�s another method that does the same thing by modifying the web.config file. Example #3 details how you can mimic WordPress� Pretty Permalinks, but there are other methods described here too.

http://cloudsites.rackspacecloud.com/index.php/How_do_I_rewrite_URLs_from_ASP/.NET%3F

Happy URL Rewriting!

The DMXReady Team

A Security Tip for MS SQL Databases

Mon, 21 Mar 2011 10:52:53 GMT

No matter what size your website, security is always an issue. Although there is little you can do against a full-on attack -- even top banks and even national defense computers are cracked from time to time -- there is plenty you can do to stop the casual attacker.

Here's an interesting article from Alex Hollyman that helps you do just that:

http://www.albofish.co.uk/2011/02/23/securing-classic-asp-database-interactions/

The DMXReady Team

Evernote - The Web Designer's Versatile Note Taker

Wed, 16 Feb 2011 09:37:02 GMT

Have you tried Evernote yet?

Evernote is gaining popularity as a universal note-taking application � �multi-platform� is how the company describes it. You can do screen captures, save images, voice record a note, write down notes, bookmark web pages � essentially any information you want to capture, you can do it with Evernote.

The multi-platform descriptor is quite apt, because you can literally sync all your notes and access them from any device: your Mac or PC, your BlackBerry, your iPhone/iPod Touch, your netbook, your iPad� so no matter where your working or what device you have handy, you can store an Evernote.

This could be an extremely useful tool for web designers. You can use it to bookmark web designs you like, web tools and applications that are interesting, jotting down notes, or organizing photos and images. If you�re on the road in a client meeting, you can write down your meeting notes and forward it to yourself. One example Evernote gives is taking a picture of a whiteboard you�ve been working on, and saving that as a note!

If you work in a company or with other designers, you can sync your notes together for a nominal charge ($5 per month each, or $45 each per year) so you can all be on the same page � literally.

We�ve found it to be pretty useful. But check it out for yourself at:

http://www.evernote.com/about/home.php

Top Five Features of An Outdated Website

Mon, 24 Jan 2011 15:50:54 GMT

Is your website outdated?

If it is, you could be in serious trouble. Sales will decrease, if you are selling products. Phone calls will decrease if you are selling services. Link juice will decrease, if you�re selling (or giving away) information.

Think about it. How do you feel about visiting an outdated site? Will you be willing to buy their products or services? Probably not. The reason is that we need some level of trust, especially from people we don�t know (and may not even live in our city) before we�re going to plunk down money on something they say they will deliver.

If we don�t have that trust, we won�t do it. And the outdated site is one clue that something might not be quite right�

This isn�t just a slow erosion either � like the �broken windows� theory, you could find your business going south right quick.

It�s easy to see on other people�s websites that they are in desperate need of an upgrade. It�s always more difficult to see it on our own sites, simply because it is hard to be objective about it.

However it can be easier if you break it down into some simple �it is, or it isn�t� features that can help you decide whether or not it�s time to update your website.

Broken Links � If you have links on your website to other sites, periodically go through and make sure they are all working. Some people assume that visitors will let them know when a link is broken. Chances are, however, they will not. Dead links could lead to dead sales for you.

Your Top Selling Products or Services Aren�t Featured � If you are known for your purple widgets, but all you can see on the first page is yesterday�s red widgets, there could be a problem. Worse yet, there are products or services on your website that you no longer offer. Make sure your website reflects your business.

Your Portfolio is Old � Do you have sample projects dating back to the 1990�s on your website? Not only does this show neglect, people might start to wonder what you�ve been doing all these years! Update your website to include your most recent projects, and even feature one or two on prominent pages like your Home page, About page, and blog.

You Are Getting Fewer Visitors (and Conversions) � Check for these signs: a drop in website visitors, a drop in conversions, a drop in time spent on your website, a rise in your bounce rate � these can all point to dated content and/or design. It can also be a sign that Google is dropping you in the page rankings. That�s never a good thing, and you want to stop that from happening now. A redesign and some basic SEO techniques will help keep Google AND your website visitors happy.

Your Website, Well, Just Looks Outdated � You�ve seen those vintage websites, haven�t you? Old designs are easy to spot a mile away... unless it�s your own. Ask some trusted colleagues, friends, and family (yes, in that order) to take a quick peek and offer honest feedback. Better yet, hire a web professional to do a full website review for you to point out where your website is lacking. (DMXReady offers this service here� http://www.dmxready.com/?product=project-scoping.)

How about you? What turns you off from a website and makes click the �Back� button faster than you can say �The X-Files�? Click on the Post Comments link above and let us know!

The DMXReady Team

Practical Guide to Classic ASP

Fri, 7 Jan 2011 16:02:43 GMT

Recently came across this little guide to Classic ASP:

http://manas.tungare.name/articles/asp/

It�s actually a great resource for the beginner, detailing how Classic ASP all works. In fact, it may be too detailed for the average user. But it is so well laid out that you can easily skip the �technical� parts (like setting up the virtual directories if you�re working directly on a server) and get to the programming.

A well-thought out tutorial that�s easy to understand and contains lots of great examples.

The DMXReady Team

More Fearless Predictions for 2011

Fri, 31 Dec 2010 09:21:50 GMT

Previously (http://blog.dmxready.com/index.asp?ItemID=126) we predicted that minimalism would continue to sweep the web design world in 2011. Here are some other fearless predictions for the New Year.

More and Better Use of Typography

Finally, we are getting our hands on some new web-friendly fonts (weren�t they predicting this for 1996�?) so that we can incorporate text and typography into our web designs. Using more diverse fonts will likely explode next year, though expect growth for the next several years.

One little addition: most of the typography use we�ve seen has been in headlines, not surprisingly. Expect to see new typography in body text as well in 2011 (maybe too much�)

Less Content

Most people see the web as a depository for �free� content � because you don�t have to pay for printing costs, storage, postage, etc., the idea is that you can write as much as you want.

But what most web designers don�t realize is that all content comes with a cost: time. And the more time a visitor has to spend on your website to find what they are looking for, the more likely they�ll click that �Back� button.

There are some good cases for putting up lengthy content pages � instruction guides, blog posts, �For More Information� pages and the like. But you�ll see these more on the secondary levels. The primary levels will be tight and concise to attract the most people.

Designers Can (or Will) Stop Caring About IE6

Admit it: you�ve been cursing IE6 for the last several years. If there just wasn�t so many people still using it�! 2011 will be the year you can stop writing those CSS exceptions and special codes.

Mobile Websites Will Finally Get the Attention They Deserve

Take a look at your website on your BlackBerry. Can you read it? Is it easy to get the information?

Even though designing for the mobile web has been around for several years, many websites have yet to create mobile versions of their websites. Are they as pretty? No (which may be why designers are resistant to creating them). Does someone lost in Manhattan trying to find a particular store on their BlackBerry care about pretty? No. They just want legible information that a mobile website can give. More companies will realize this, and oblige.

�Cloud Computing� Will Slowly Replace �Social Media� as the �Place to Be�

There was a gold rush of companies over the last year or two trying to get their businesses front and center on Twitter, Facebook, and YouTube. That will continue, but in 2011, the concern will shift towards what cloud computing means for their businesses.

�Friendly� is In

There are many design trends that affect everything from sidebar use and positioning, colors, nav bar use, Flash use, and more.

One of those trends seems to be the see-saw in themes. About four or five years ago, �corporate� was in � nice clean lines and colors. That led to things like Magazine-style.

In 2011, �friendly� will be in. This will include lots of references to �green� websites and companies. It will also mean cartoony (but slick and professional) icons, bright colors, and interesting text usages (see Typography above), all framed in a minimalistic way. The style will say hip, fresh, yet professional.

There you have it: some bold predictions for 2011. From everyone here at DMXReady, we wish you a Happy and Prosperous New Year!

The DMXReady Team

Add a Star Rating System to Your Website

Fri, 10 Dec 2010 11:54:29 GMT

You�ve seen those star rating systems on places like Amazon.com and even photo galleries giving you the opportunity to provide your own opinion on something. They�re a great interactive tool, and useful for other visitors to see how good that something is.

Well, you can add a Star Rating System to your own website using Classic ASP.

Here's one from Chris Hardy that looks pretty sharp. You can also Google "Classic ASP Star Rating" to find more...

http://www.chrishardy.co.uk/asp/scripts/accessible-star-ratings/

The DMXReady Team

Special HTML Characters and Their Codes

Wed, 24 Nov 2010 11:46:00 GMT

Often you'll add a symbol in your code that makes your whole page go... loopy. Maybe you get the wrong symbol, maybe it disrupts your code altogether.

One way to fix this is to use the actual ASCII code (or friendly code) to make everything line up nicely.

Here's a cheat sheet for you of some common symbols and their codes.

What You Type	What You Get
©	�
®	�

"	"
&	&
<	<
>	>
	�
	�
	�
	�
	�
	�
	�
_	_
	�
	�
	�
	�
	�
#	#
$	$
%	%

Bookmark this page so you can come back any time!

Happy coding,

The DMXReady Team

CSS Positioning � and More!

Wed, 17 Nov 2010 07:28:26 GMT

If you have never been to �A List Apart� it�s worth a gander. It's more like a magazine than a blog with different website experts giving advice on a whole range of related topics like design and content to code and even web culture.

One of the latest entries of particular interest is on using CSS positioning. It gives a complete overview of the process, breaking it down into smaller, more understandable chunks. But then, that�s always been ALA�s style�

Check it out:
http://www.alistapart.com/articles/css-positioning-101/

Web Design Trends for 2011: Minimalism

Mon, 8 Nov 2010 11:57:25 GMT

If there is one thing about web design that is consistent, it�s that it is always changing. We�ve seen quite a few trend shifts over the last decade or so. It used to be things like the introduction of CSS that really influenced change. Now, it�s user experience (UX) and a �back to basics� approach that is taking the main stage.

In fact, if you take a look at design going on over the last year or so � and design predictions � there is a definite undercurrent towards minimalist websites.

Check out this latest prediction, for example. http://blog.websitetemplates.bz/website_templates_news/web-design-trends-2010-2011-in-bright-examples.html

In this list, there are definite examples of �busy� website designs, especially in the retro and hand-drawn sections. But the rest points to a simpler, easier-to-use website. Things like bigger logos, more use of fonts as a design element, and especially the use of white space all underline this minimalist approach.

We think this is certainly a trend that is going to continue through 2011. The goal of many websites is to get the visitor to do something � sign up for a newsletter, contact the company, or buy a product. As we�ve all learned from designing landing pages, the easiest way to do that is to get rid of the clutter and focus the reader on one or two main points.

Is minimalism here to stay as a �design principle� or is this a passing fad?

Like all areas of design, fashions come and go. We�ve been in the game too long to say that minimalism is falling into the realm of �must haves� in design. Besides, there are many instances � magazine-style websites, for example � where minimalism just wouldn�t work.

However, we do believe that the days of �filling the website page� are gone in every instance. Minimalism serves a specific purpose for many web designers, namely keeping website visitors focused, so it will likely be part of every designer�s repertoire for certain websites.

In any case, we do believe the minimalist trend will continue to grow as a purely fashionable design style through 2011.

For more examples, go to:
http://minimalexhibit.com/

The DMXReady Team

Button It! Photoshop Tuts for Great Website Buttons

Fri, 22 Oct 2010 10:23:52 GMT

Buttons can help make or break your website design. You may not realize it, but all other things being equal, the more attractive your button, the more likely it will be pressed. That's important, whether it is a "Buy Me!" button, or a "Click Here to Contact".

However, designing buttons from scratch can be difficult for web designers who aren't necessarily graphic designers. Luckily, you don't have to be the Picasso of Photoshop to follow these tutorials. Peruse and find something that you like!

http://wegraphics.net/blog/tutorials/photoshop/photoshop-for-beginners-creating-buttons-for-web-part-1/

http://www.graphic-design-employment.com/glassy-button-or-enamel-badge.html

http://blulob.com/2009/05/17/create-social-networking-chiclets-photoshop/

http://sixrevisions.com/tutorials/photoshop-tutorials/how-to-create-a-slick-and-clean-button-in-photoshop/

http://naldzgraphics.net/tutorials/how-to-make-glossy-buttons-in-photoshop/

http://boonage.pjss2.net/2007/05/20/orb-button-effect-photoshop-part/

The DMXReady Team

Turn Your Website Into a Google Adwords Keyword Tool with Classic ASP

Fri, 15 Oct 2010 07:18:34 GMT

For all of you into Search Engine Optimization (SEO) � and that should be *all* of you � the classic problem is how to identify the right keywords. If you�re like most DIY�ers, a system you can build yourself is always your best bet.

Well, you�re in luck! Here�s a little script that you can run on your website (or your local Windows server) that will help you use the Google Adwords Keyword Tool.

http://retrowebdev.blogspot.com/2010/03/google-keyword-competition-script.html

Happy SEOing!

The DMXReady Team

Do You Need a "Mega-Menu"?

Mon, 4 Oct 2010 08:46:38 GMT

If you sell a lot of different products, you know how difficult it is to organize everything in one convenient online location. They need to be organized in such a way that your website users can still find you � and there might be too much to fit into a standard nav bar.

This is where a �Mega-Menu� can come in handy.

As the name suggests, a Mega-Menu is a big collection of links to your pages, displaying as one full-screen (or at least large) list of links as opposed to many dropdowns. In fact, it is probably closer in comparison to a site map than an actual menu bar.

However, just because you have more room doesn�t mean you should just throw every link there haphazardly. You should still take care to organize your links well so that the website visitors can still quickly find what they are looking for.

For example, if you are selling menswear, use a bold title for SHIRTS and then underneath list T-Shirts, Dress Shirts, etc. PANTS, Jeans, Dress Pants, etc. etc. The idea here is to ensure that you do not overwhelm the visitor, but organize the menu in such as way that people can find what they are looking for �at a glance� as much as possible.

Mega-Menus will probably help your SEO as well; like a site map, it is an easy way for Google to find and index your pages.

Since a picture is worth a thousand words: Vanderlay Design has a list of some great Mega-Menu samples to peruse. Don�t forget too, if you are creating a new online store, check out DMXReady Catalog Manager to make backend work even easier.

Happy Menuing!

The DMXReady Team

Online Photo Shops

Fri, 17 Sep 2010 14:59:05 GMT

Maybe Photoshop won�t fit on your netbook for those �on the fly� image touch-ups, or maybe you want to offer your do-it-yourself client a couple of options so they don�t have to invest in high-end software.

Here are a number of options for you to check out. Some are solid, useful tools for photo sizing and touchups, while others are more like online �plugins� to give you certain special effects. All are worth looking at though!

Photoshop � Online Version

http://www.photoshop.com/

Picnik

http://www.picnik.com/

Aviary Image Editor

http://www.aviary.com/tools/image-editor

Pixlr

http://www.pixlr.com/

Poladroid

http://www.poladroid.net/

Write On It

http://www.writeonit.org/

Happy Photo Shopping!

The DMXReady Team

Jazz Up Your Apps - Or Let DMXReady Do It For You!

Fri, 10 Sep 2010 09:00:03 GMT

Sometimes our own websites become the cobbler�s children�s shoes � a little run down because we�re looking after everyone else�s feet! But if it�s really time to spruce up the old website and you just can�t get round to it yourself, DMXReady is here to help.

We offer a whole range of tune-up services from design overhauls and application tweaks to database conversion and adding new applications to your website to extend functionality. We�re like a concierge service for your website! (We can even help you with your clients� websites too � just contact us to find out how to subcontract your current jobs�)

Plus, for a limited time, you can save money with DMXReady Pro Service Packs. What a great way to get your website up and running faster!

Find out more at:

http://www.dmxready.com/?page=tune-up-your-apps

Sincerely,

The Team @ DMXReady

http://www.dmxready.com

Testimonial:

"DMXReady pro services... are second to none. They deliver what they promise and more." - David W. - RE/MAX

Are We Using Enough HTML in Our Classic ASP?

Tue, 31 Aug 2010 10:54:36 GMT

Classic ASP is great for providing dynamic content, but HTML and CSS are really the ones responsible for styling that content. Matthew Corner recently noted that maybe we could use HTML a bit more to make things easier for the web designer and the reader.

Matthew has compiled a list of 10 underused HTML tags, explaining what they are and how to use them. He also provides links to further resources.

Check it out at:
http://www.1stwebdesigner.com/development/underused-html-elements/

The DMXReady Team

Get Cooking with DMXReady

Thu, 19 Aug 2010 10:46:56 GMT

Every good chef has a list of ingredients they rely upon and a book of recipes they tinker with, all in the name of cooking up that perfect dish.

You can be a �website chef� yourself, using DMXReady as the basis for your own gourmet creations.

DMXReady applications are much like ingredients � things that don�t make the dish by themselves, but work together with other ingredients to delight senses. For example, you can create a customized website that makes documents available to members only by combining Document Library Manager with Member�s Area Manager. (Actually, we�ve already done this with Secure Document Manager � the proof in the pudding!)

We hear all the time from our members about new and effective applications that they created by combining two or more �off-the-shelf� apps. In fact we created our v2 apps with exactly this in mind, standardizing the databases across all applications to make integration that much easier.

But don�t let a bit of database work discourage you. We�ve put together a number of Online Knowledgebase articles to help you along the way.

For some examples, check out:

Can I combine individual DMXReady app databases into a single database?

and

Creating a DMXReady Re-MX application

Happy Cooking!

The DMXReady Team

Widgetize Your Website!

Wed, 11 Aug 2010 15:01:56 GMT

If you think that cutting and pasting some code into your website is a lot easier than building your own website APIs, then Widgetbox just might be the thing for you.

As the name suggests, Widgetbox lets you �widgetize� your website by creating a universal interface for some of the most popular applications like your Facebook status updates, tweets, new blog posts, and your YouTube videos. You can also embed things like Google Gadgets and your own multimedia files anywhere you want on your website.

And like Google Gadgets, there are many designers developing and sharing their own widgets. Here�s a Super Mario game, just to give you an idea of what is out there:

Super Mario Worldgreat free widgetsWidgetboxMore info

You can also find a tarot card reading widget, countdown timer, and home maintenance tips � just about anything you could want, you can find!

If you don�t find it, you can always build your own fairly easily (depending on your coding experience). Widgetbox provides a basic Developer�s Guide to help you get started. http://docs.widgetbox.com/developing-widgets/getting-started/widget-developer-guide/

Widgetbox offers a fairly easy way to add dynamic, constantly-updating content to your website � the perfect complement to your DMXReady applications.

Find our more at their website:

http://www.widgetbox.com/home/

Creating an Automatic TinyURL Using Classic ASP

Fri, 16 Jul 2010 12:43:23 GMT

Sure enough you�ve seen some of those nifty TinyURLs out there, like: http://tinyurl.com/39tv4tp

This saves you from long, unwieldy URLs that span the length of your web page � or even longer. The only drawback was that you have to hand-code each one, manually creating the TinyURL and then adding it into your web page.

Well, here�s a bit of code that will let you do it all automatically. First, you have to name and assign values to the variables. Cut and paste this code into the head of your page (or, better yet, your header.asp template if it exists):

function asp_tiny_url(strUrl)
Dim UrlCheck,strPageUrl,strTinyVal
strPageUrl = "http://tinyurl.com/api-create.php?url=" & strUrl
set UrlCheck = Server.CreateObject("Msxml2.ServerXMLHTTP.3.0")
UrlCheck.Open "GET", strPageUrl, false
UrlCheck.Send
strTinyVal = UrlCheck.responseText
Set UrlCheck = nothing
asp_tiny_url = strTinyVal
End Function

Line 3 is the main part of this script, calling the TinyURL API and passing the current page URL to the TinyURL engine. It then receives the new URL (Line 7). Then, anywhere on the page, you simply call the variable with this line of code:

Response.Write (asp_short_url("http://www.yourfullpageurlhere.com"))

You can also automate the whole process so that you don�t have to physically enter the current page name (if you so choose). For more information on that, check out:

http://classicasp.aspfaq.com/files/directories-fso/how-do-i-get-the-name-of-the-current-url/page.html

Thanks to http://www.blogcatalog.com/blog/asp-tutorials/132ef0f185328e9e3f455d29451c8d8d for the initial inspiration!

The DMXReady Team

Free Paper Texture Backgrounds

Mon, 5 Jul 2010 07:14:57 GMT

You�d think that �paper� and �website� would be two things that just couldn�t go together. But a lot of designers use paper on purpose to convey a kind of �retro realness� to their website designs.

Vandelay Designs provides a list of 35 free paper backgrounds. (And in case you have never been there, Vandelay also has a whole myriad of tools, tips, and tricks for website design, Photoshop, and more�!)

Check it out:

http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/design/paper-textures/

The DMXReady Team

Save, Sync, and Share Your Files with Dropbox

Sat, 12 Jun 2010 09:29:55 GMT

The average person now has more than one �computer.� A desktop, a laptop, a smart phone, maybe even an iPad, all designed to make it easier to work on the go.

The problem is that your files don�t always go with you. Sure, it�s great to be able to work on that file from your laptop � if you remember to transfer it from your work computer. Flash drives work well, and even emailing the file, but again you have to rely on your own memory. For many of us, that�s the weak link in the chain!

Dropbox has welded that weak link for you. Dropbox acts almost like a virtual drive, allowing you to backup, store, and sync your files with an online file server. Simply move your file to a special folder on your computer and it will automatically save to your private and secure online Dropbox. Then, no matter what you use to edit that file, it will automatically backup to your Dropbox as well so that you are always working with the same file. No remembering to backup to a flash drive, no emailing a file � it�s all done automatically for you!

Dropbox takes this one step further by allowing you to share files with those people you designate. Share Microsoft Word docs, photos, Dreamweaver files � whatever type of file you want. You also have full control so you can �unshare� as well.

Best of all, it has a free 2GB Dropbox option, perfect for light use. Paid versions allow you to store and share up to 100GB of content. Backup your files remotely, sync with your own mobile devices, and share with others.

Check it out at: www.dropbox.com

(Note: DMXReady is in no way affiliated with Dropbox, and receives no compensation from them for this review. We just think it�s a great and handy tool that we wanted to tell our customers about!)

The DMXReady Team

Easy AJAX for Classic ASP

Fri, 4 Jun 2010 13:48:49 GMT

�Do you think ASP is old and not up to date? Hold on...�

That directly from ajaxed, a company that gives you a basic framework for adding AJAX to your Classic ASP pages. By downloading the free ajaxed program and installing on your website, you can create some of your own nifty effects like calling a server-side procedure or using page parts.

Just more proof that there really are people out there still supporting Classic ASP.

Check it out for yourself!

http://www.ajaxed.org/

The DMXReady Team

Classic ASP Top Ten Tips

Fri, 28 May 2010 09:11:28 GMT

From the �oldie but a goodie file� � here�s a Top Ten list of Classic ASP tips. As the article mentions, these tips may not be �top ten� anymore. However we think you�ll find at least a couple of gems here.

Check it out:

http://www.devx.com/asp/Article/16414

The DMXReady Team

Free Fonts Can Help Make Your Website Distinct

Fri, 21 May 2010 08:50:47 GMT

One of the best ways to make your website distinctive � or any aspect of your marketing for that matter � is by using a distinctive font. Places like MyFonts.com can really help out, though sometimes the prices can get into the hundreds of dollars for a font.

However if you poke around enough, you can usually find some decent fonts for cheap or even free. Be careful though � some free fonts are worth exactly what you pay for them. It's always good to test them in the program you are using (especially when converting to PDF) to ensure they work properly.

Here�s a list of free fonts to get you started:

http://www.bestfreewebresources.com/2010/05/35-free-and-creative-fonts-for.html

Happy Fonting!

The DMXReady Team

New eBook Released: Classic ASP Myths Debunked

Tue, 11 May 2010 10:50:51 GMT

Last week DMXReady launched a new ebook � Classic ASP Myths Debunked: The Renaissance of Classic ASP. In it, we�ve identified five myths about Classic ASP, and what the truth behind the myth actually is.

Find out more in our official press release, which you can read on the PRWeb:

http://www.prweb.com/releases/dmxready/asp/prweb3955004.htm

The DMXReady Team

Hybrid Cloud Servers � Classic ASP and PHP Together?

Fri, 30 Apr 2010 12:46:36 GMT

Terms like �hybrid cloud servers� are coming on gangbusters. Cloud computing and cloud servers, although not entirely new, are promising to be the next big thing in terms of the way the Internet works.

Problem is, not many people outside the IT world know quite what they mean. It gets even more complicated when you consider that hybrid cloud servers can actually mean (at least) two different things.

Right now, the most common reference you�ll read describes a �hybrid� of two services � cloud hosting and managed dedicated servers. For larger companies, this provides a scalable solution to their web server needs, allowing them to use � and pay for � server space and resources only when they need them.

�Hybrid cloud computing is a fancy name for the practice of hosting parts of your service in multiple locations,� says Michael Papish, MediaUnbound�s CEO. �MediaUnbound hosts critical components and data for its recommendation service in a private data center we control. That private cloud is used to host sensitive data and most production-level services.� (Read the whole article here: http://www.digitalmediabuzz.com/2009/12/hybrid-clouds-shoestring-solutions-for-google-like-businesses/)

However hybrid cloud servers or hybrid cloud hosting can also mean combining Windows and Linux servers. The advantage, especially when it comes to running DMXReady applications, is obvious: you can effectively create a website that uses both PHP and Classic ASP elements.

That has some pretty cool implications. Say your client has a PHP-based website, but you want to add DMXReady Contact Us Manager. Using old systems, this would be impossible. But it�s no problem if your site is on a hybrid cloud server.

Right now there are several hybrid cloud hosting companies out there, and the number is growing all the time. Here at DMXReady, we see a time when hybrid cloud servers will simply be what�s offered. And why not? It�s easier for the customer, provides greater flexibility, and will ultimately be easier for server companies to manage.

Check out one provider we�ve worked with: RackSpace. http://www.rackspace.com

The DMXReady Team

Are You an Effective Project Manager?

Fri, 23 Apr 2010 12:33:05 GMT

You may not realize this, but if you are a freelance web designer, you are by default a project manager.

Don�t be alarmed � all that means is that it is up to you to plan how the website will be built, what should be included, and what your timeline will be. (Okay, that�s simplified, but you see the point�)

In fact much of it is what you are probably doing for your clients already. But the question is, are you doing it effectively?

There are several things you may not be considering, like whether or not your client needs scalability in the future, what information may be missing, or even how to effectively communicate your plan to your client. The better you brush up on this, the better you�ll be able to serve your clients � and the happier they�ll be.

There is no set map for planning a website, and much of it will come down to your personal preference and the needs of the client. However we have put together a list of some of the best resources we�ve come across on website design project management to help you along.

Check them out:

http://www.forwardleap.com/effective-website-development-project-plan/

http://www.suestudios.com/articles/article1.htm

http://eis.bris.ac.uk/~cckhrb/webdev/plan/plan.htm

http://www.wilsonmar.com/1projweb.htm

http://www.brighthub.com/office/project-management/articles/29370.aspx

http://www.skyrme.com/tools/webplan.htm

Again, this isn�t a comprehensive list, and not every tip here will be useful in every situation. But the point here is that thinking about project management and doing some pre-planning will help make your website project go smoother and be more successful.

Happy Planning!

The DMXReady Team

Re-Think Different: iPad Could Take Us from the �Website� to the �Web App�

Mon, 12 Apr 2010 15:46:58 GMT

It�s almost predictable � the media hypes a new Apple product and then the media gripes about the new Apple product, with commentary swinging from an cyber-equivalent of the second coming to a plague of Biblical proportions. Or worse yet, claims that the new product will be of little consequence.

Of course, we all know by now that the truth is usually somewhere in the middle.

We are now in the griping phase of the new Apple iPad, and media pundits question its usefulness (as they did many other Apple products � let the consumers decide already!), its lack of built-in features like camera and USB ports, and the inevitable glitches that come with the first-generation of any product.

We�ve already talked about how the iPad might influence web design, but it�s worth revisiting. If iPad and similar products really do take off, then what we might be looking at is the end of websites altogether (at least as we know it). Websites might easily just turn into what we might call web applications.

Let�s take a look at what has been given to us as the quintessential iPad app: the New York Times app.

Notice that the application looks very much like a newspaper in its layout. This is not just an attempt to mimic the newspaper � publishers learned a long time ago that the best way to sell newspapers was to have several front-page stories with big headlines and glossy pictures on the cover.

It just so happens that this is a convenient way to get information across in the cyber world too. Attractive pictures, bold titles, and the ability to read a snippet before touching the article to continue is probably the most common-sense approach there is.

So is the New York Time iPad app a website? Sure looks like it, but it�s not really a traditional website, is it?

We see certain web standards creeping into other industries too. No doubt you�ve noticed that websites selling software are tending to look very similar to each other as of late � and quite different from other websites. The same can be true of photographers� websites, web portal pages, and websites in several other industries.

In other words, the move away from the traditional website is already on its way.

The iPad � and the devices that follow � might just be the thing that pushes it all the way over the edge. Not because of its size, or the way it interacts with the Internet, or even indeed the way we interact with it. These will all be part of it of course, but the deciding factor will be that it help change the way we think about websites.

Sound revolutionary? It could be. But then revolutionary is not exactly a stretch for Apple. Let's not forget too that DMXReady has been building web apps for added functionality for many years now!

The point of all this is not �the end is nigh� for websites, but that we as web designers might soon have to re-think how we approach design. Perhaps if we see it as an app more than a website, we�ll be headed in the right direction.

The DMXReady Team

Formatting Numbers and Currency with VBScript

Fri, 2 Apr 2010 16:30:20 GMT

Spreadsheet programs like Microsoft Excel allow you to format cells so that you can display formatted numbers.

For example, you can format the numbers to always show two decimal places. If you enter �20� into that cell and hit enter, it will automatically change it to �20.00�. This is especially helpful when returning numbers from a formula, i.e. =10.25+9.75 or when you want to format numbers in a specific way for currency, etc.

But can you do this on an ASP page? Yes!

This tutorial (http://www.w3schools.com/vbscript/func_formatnumber.asp) shows you exactly how to do it.

Note that this method won�t automatically display a currency symbol like the dollar sign, but you can add this manually before the function, or use the FormatCurrency function, shown here: http://www.w3schools.com/vbscript/func_formatcurrency.asp

Happy formatting!

The DMXReady Team

Have a Question? Try the Classic ASP Forum

Thu, 25 Mar 2010 11:12:32 GMT

Forums might be one of the greatest things the Internet ever gave us. Yes, the web is about being the �Information Highway� � but bits of information moving about in cyberspace is, in itself, useless. That information has to have meaning to someone else. It has to connect with someone who needs that information and who can act on it in order for it to have any purpose.

Forums are about connecting people and giving purpose to its information in the purest form. You can put your question out there and let people you would never meet otherwise give you the right answers. It�s like that computer on Star Trek we�ve all dreamed about that spits out the answer you want � except that the answer isn�t coming from one computer but potentially millions of people around the world.

If you have a Classic ASP question, the place you want to go is the Classic ASP forum hosted at iis.net. This group of Microsoft Internet Information Services (IIS) server software engineers seems to be really passionate about their work, and provide support on any number of topics. It�s a great place to start if you have a problem you can�t finish.

Check it out for yourself:

http://forums.iis.net/1032.aspx

The DMXReady Team

FTP From One Server to Another (and Other Neat Tricks)

Fri, 19 Mar 2010 15:30:34 GMT

Net2FTP is not your father�s FTP application. Besides doing the usual upload/download to and from your server, you can actually move files directly from one server to another without first downloading to your own desktop. This is especially handy for doing things like transferring your website from one server to another.

There are many other great features too, like automatically unzipping files on your server after uploading, automatically installing software, a built-in code editor, and much more.

One of the features we really like is that you can use it directly from the Net2FTP website. That means if you�re on the road and need to upload something to your server using someone else�s computer, you don�t need to install the software � you can do it all through the Net2FTP website.

Check it out!

http://www.net2ftp.com/

The DMXReady Team

A Bajillion Photoshop Tutorials

Fri, 12 Mar 2010 14:20:19 GMT

Sometimes it isn�t just web design help we need, it�s putting together the graphics and the look we want to drape around that design. A couple of weeks back we talked about creating your own website template using Photoshop � well, we�ve found a veritable treasure trove of tips, tricks, and tutorials to help you get your PSD groove on, all conveniently located in one place.

Check it out:

http://www.noupe.com/photoshop/60-most-wanted-photoshop-tutorials-brushes-psds-and-resources.html

Image Management � Do You Get the Picture?

Fri, 5 Mar 2010 12:09:49 GMT

Websites tend to accumulate lots of images, especially after one or two website �renovations�. We�re so happy to get the new images up that often we don�t even take the old ones down. Eventually, we accumulate a whole history of images that the Library of Congress would be proud of.

To make matters worse, it isn�t always easy to tell which images are which. Sure, you may give them meaningful names, but over the months (years!) those names lose their meaning, so that mouse.jpg could be your computer mouse, your resident cheese-stealer, or Mickey himself.

We�ve come across a quick little script that will help you view and erase old images directly from your server. It�s kind of like a lightbox, but in reverse: choose the images you don�t want any more, and delete them forever. (And we do mean forever � be sure you have the right image before you delete, as this has no �Undo� button!)

Take a quick trip over to ASP101 to find out more:
http://www.asp101.com/articles/john/imageviewer/default.asp

Happy lightboxing!

The DMXReady Team

How to Skin DMXReady CMS (or Lite!) in Your Own Template

Thu, 25 Feb 2010 09:19:01 GMT

As we mention in this tutorial there are literally 1000s of templates you can use to skin your website built with DMXReady CMS. By combining the power of this web content management system with a wicked (or nice or corporate or colorful or simple�) third-party template, you can easily put together a great website that is easy to use � and easy on the eyes.

(Click here to see some examples using DMXReady CMS in different skins.)

But what if you still can�t find just the right template? If you have any Photoshop skills at all (or you�re at least willing to learn), you can create your own awesome template to skin your website with.

We�ve come across two web tutorials (well, two parts of one tutorial is probably a better way to describe it) that could be very useful.

The first one on how to create a design for a (fictional) snowboarding website can be found here:
http://line25.com/tutorials/create-a-gnarly-snowboarding-themed-web-design

The second shows how to mark it up. In fact once you�ve converted it to HTML code, you�ll essentially have your own template:
http://line25.com/tutorials/how-to-code-up-a-web-design-from-psd-to-html

Then, just follow the tutorial DMXReady has provided to skin DMXReady CMS with your new template (remember, you can download CMS Lite for free to experiment ):
http://www.dmxready.com/?page=support&product=cms-lite&display=skinning

You can probably find other template-creation tutorials as well � just do a search for �PSD to HTML how-to�. Here�s a list of 20 to get you started.
http://dzineblog.com/2009/04/tutorials-psd-to-html.html

Happy PSDing!

The DMXReady Team

Write in All Your Website Visitors' Languages

Wed, 17 Feb 2010 11:06:09 GMT

It used to be you had to choose one language for your website, unless you were a multi-national company with millions of dollars available for web development. But now Google offers a way for even us SOHO web owners and designers to give some language flexibility to our website.

Google Translate, as the name suggests, allows site visitors to translate your web page into their native language. For example, if your website is written in English, and your site visitor is French, then he/she only needs to select the �French� option in the Google Translate pull-down menu, and the text will be translated into French.

As an added bonus, you can hover over the text to read it in its original language as well.

By all accounts, Google Translate is not the perfect beast, especially when it comes to idioms and other peculiarities of language. However, depending on your website, it could be a useful tool to allow visitors to at least get the gist of what you are saying � and selling.

Plugging into your DMXReady website is easy as well. Simply:

Go to the Google Translate page to get the code (http://translate.google.com/translate_tools?hl=en&layout=1&eotf=1).
Paste it into your app on the page you want it to show up. If you are using v2 apps, you can also plug it into your header, footer, sidebar, or anywhere on your site that you like using the built-in code editor.

Try it here:

Happy Translating!

The DMXReady Team

Will iPad Change Web Design?

Thu, 28 Jan 2010 17:12:23 GMT

It�s official � the iPad will be coming to a store near you sometime this year. Just one day after Steve Jobs introduced it to the world, the design industry was abuzz with one question: how does this affect web design?

Assuming that the iPad or its children will catch on (and based on Apple history, that�s a good assumption), there are some things that immediately jump out. For example, as some have pointed out, the iPad�s lack of mouse means that website buttons will likely grow bigger to accommodate fingers instead of cursors. Others are saying that it is the perfect tool for carrying and presenting your whole portfolio � an iPortfolio, if you like � without bulky leather suitcases. Another big claim is that the iPad will save newspapers, and that iPad-optimized dailies will change the way we read news online.

Some say that designers will be going for a more horizontal-style website to accommodate the iPad, but that�s the trend lately anyway now that more and more people have wide-screen monitors. Besides, as one blogger points out, the iPad will allow for both horizontal and vertical-style viewing so the user � not the designer � can decide which way is up.

What will really split the design community is the fact that iPad won�t likely support flash. If Apple sticks to its guns on this point and the iPad and future devices catch on with consumers, Flash designers will have to think long and hard about their target audience before alienating them with design that won�t work on their computers�

Perhaps the biggest change though will be indirect. The easy, one-button functionality of the iPad�s UX could inspire designers everywhere to simplify their websites and make them easier to navigate. If that turns out to be true, it will be quite a legacy on its own�

Only time will tell how the iPad will change web design. But if you believe that it will change design even a little bit, now�s the time to keep your eye open for iPad-optimized design tips.

Happy iPadding!

The DMXReady Team

Jing, the New Thing for Screen Capture!

Fri, 22 Jan 2010 14:36:45 GMT

Ctrl/Alt/Prnt Scn gives a nice, basic screen capture. But sometimes basic is, well, too basic. Sometimes you need something like Jing.

Jing, made by the same company as Camtasia Studio, is a neat little app that doesn�t just do screen captures, but also video screen captures. That way you can demonstrate certain things on your desktop, record them as you go, and then share them via email, your blog or website, Twitter, or more.

Here are a few things that Jing says you can do:

Collaborate on a design project
Share a snapshot of a document
Narrate your vacation photos
Capture that pesky bug in action
Show Dad how to use iTunes
Comment verbally on students' homework
Post tidbits from your life on Twitter or Facebook

(We especially like the �show Dad how to use iTunes� bit�)

On the screen capture side, you can add comments and upload instantly to your server to share with Twitter, etc. Very nifty!

Jing, which is essentially an SaaS, comes in two versions: free and Pro. However, the Pro version is very reasonably priced at just $14.95 per year (yes, per year � not per month), and includes such features as unbranded videos, instant sharing on YouTube, and recordings from your web cam. At that rate, it�s almost silly not to go Pro right from the start!

Check out at:

http://www.jingproject.com/

Happy Jinging!

The DMXReady Team

(Note: DMXReady does not receive any money or endorsement payments of any kind from Jing. We just think it's a cool little app!)

Building a Better Ecommerce Catalog

Thu, 14 Jan 2010 09:27:02 GMT

Tools like the DMXReady Catalog Manager v2.1 make creating an online store much easier. But it is still a good idea to put some thought into how you want to organize your store, how to categorize your items, and most importantly how to market them.

You�ll find a lot of great resources online if you search for �organizing my ecommerce store� and related terms. But we found an interesting article on what not to do, based on the Coca Cola Store.

Now you�d think that Coke would have it all going on; a multi-national company with the kind of resources Coke has should be able to commission a top-notch ecommerce site.

As it turns out, Chris �Silver� Smith found several usability and SEO problems with the site. What�s really interesting is that even though this article was published almost two and a half years ago, these problems still persist.

(For example, if you search for �clocks� on the Coke site, you still do not get any hits; you have to search for �clock� to find what you are looking for. To see what a difference this makes, go to the DMXReady catalog and search for �photos� � you�ll find Photo Gallery Manager on the first try�)

Chris estimates that if Coke* did it right, they could improve site traffic and sales by 25-50%. Perhaps a drop in the bucket for a corporation like Coke, but quite a difference for the average ecommerce company!

In any case, Chris�s article provides lots of great information that you may not normally find on the topic of catalog management. Check it out for yourself before you start stocking your own cyber-shelves!

http://www.naturalsearchblog.com/archives/2007/07/16/build-it-wrong-they-wont-come-coca-colas-store/

The DMXReady Team

*Coca-Cola doesn�t actually run its store. You�ll notice that it is operated on its behalf by a third-party provider.

Does the Type of Database You Use Affect Your Visitors� User Experience?

Thu, 7 Jan 2010 12:28:26 GMT

When the military commissions a fighter plane, it often puts out a list of specs: must have this range, must travel this fast, must carry this many munitions, etc. As you would expect, that list of specs is often asking for the �best of the best� in technology, and ease of use is not exactly the highest priority.

The same is not true for website design and content management systems (CMS). The whole point of CMS is to make it easy for the non-tech user to update the company website. In fact in many ways, using cutting-edge technology like �the most advanced database system� can actually make a CMS less attractive. With all the setup involved, maintenance, and poking around the server, suddenly CMS is not as easy as it sounds.

That�s a big part of the reason why DMXReady has stayed with ASP and built-in Access databases. You might say that the Access database cannot handle the same load as MS-SQL or MySQL, and you would be right. But for small business and personal websites, traffic is not usually an issue. If you normally have 1-100 users visiting your website at one time, Access can easily manage it.

The best part is that with DMXReady applications, the pre-configured database is built in so that users don�t have to fiddle with backend settings. They simply upload and install the whole app right on their server, and they are ready to go!

As techies, we often get too wrapped up in trying to find out what�s next. As web designers and business people, sometimes what we really need to consider is how the technology will impact our clients � and it�s not always positive. If you are going to build an easy-to-use system, technology is not always the answer.

The DMXReady Team

Create Your Own Live Chat Help Service on Your Website with Olark

Wed, 30 Dec 2009 16:20:02 GMT

You�ve seen them before on bigger websites (including DMXReady): Live Support, Online Help, Live Chat or some similar service that allows you to contact a live person through a chat system right on the web page. Well, now smaller businesses can add them to for a low cost � even free � using Olark.

Olark is a simple live chat that you can add to your website. It connects directly to your own IM system like GoogleTalk, so you don�t have to set up any backend systems. When someone is on your website and wants to ask a question, you get a message through your IM, just as if they were connected directly to you!

One nifty feature is that it can give you information about where the person is contacting you from, and lets you know if the person has contacted you before. You can also integrate Olark with Google Analytics for more in-depth stats tracking.

Best of all, Olark easily integrates with DMXReady CMS v2, Blog Manager v2, or any other DMXReady application. All you need is to add some code to the main page of your application, which you can easily do using the built-in Code Editors (in the case of our v2 apps) or using any HTML editing software like Dreamweaver.

Adding Olark to DMXReady CMS v2

Olark allows you to add its script anywhere within the BODY tags of a web page. These steps will add the script to your Footer area, which is as good a place as any.

Go to your DMXReady CMS v2 Dashboard
Go to Site Setup > Customize
Scroll down to the bottom of the page and click on the �View Source� button.
Get your customized code from Olark* and paste it at the bottom.
Click the �OK� button to save and close the window.
Click the �Save Changes� button at the bottom right.

Done! You now have Olark installed on DMXReady CMS v2!

*After you sign up with Olark, they will give you a string of code, much like Google Analytics does, that you add to your website. The code will look something like:

<script type="text/javascript" src="http://static.olark.com/js/wc.js"></script> <script type="text/javascript"> wc_init("YOUR_HABLA_ID_CODE"); </script>

Find out more at www.olark.com

Happy Chatting (and a Happy New Year)!

The DMXReady Team

Catch The Wave

Wed, 16 Dec 2009 11:42:04 GMT

The way we communicate via the Internet is constantly changing. Email was the only two-way method in the beginning, but then there came guestbooks and bulletin boards, instant messaging, and now Twitter.

Google has added yet another method: Google Wave. Google bills this as �equal parts document and conversation.� What that means is that you can carry on conversations AND attach documents like Word docs, images, maps and more to the Wave. And although the conversation may be linear to a degree, you are actually creating a type of work space for each conversation that you can move through non-linearly.

For example, suppose you are working on a project with one or more people. In a real-world workspace, you would have a table in a meeting room with all your materials laid out: research, photos, data, etc. You could choose to look at any of these items at any time, and talk with other project members about them.

Google Wave lets you do that, but in the cyber-space. All your materials are electronic and attached to the Wave, just as if they were on a table. Conversations are real-time, more like instant messaging than email. Best of all, your conversations are recorded, so you can move through and view past comments easily.

Sounds like a very useful tool, and will definitely have its applications. But we�re not sure that this will be an email killer or Twitter killer quite yet. More likely � at least in its current form � Google Wave will turn into a project-based tool like BaseCamp and other multi-person platform. (Though it would be nice if it could capture tweets and emails into each Wave�)

As with many Google products at launch, roll out is by invitation only. To sign up for your invitation, go to:

https://services.google.com/fb/forms/wavesignup/

The DMXReady Team

A-Musing Design Help

Mon, 7 Dec 2009 12:56:53 GMT

Web design is always an exercise in inspiration. Sometimes though, the muses are not sitting on our shoulders, and try as we might that design just won�t bang into place.

Well, when the going gets tough, the tough get surfin� � web surfing that is.

Here are a few sources of great inspiration to help you get on the right path with your own designs. Some of these, like Minimal Exhibit, are straight galleries and collections of great designs. Others, like Vandelay, are general design blogs that offer helpful tips and as well as galleries.

Check them out the next time you�re in a design funk:

http://minimalexhibit.com/
http://thebestdesigns.com/
http://vandelaydesign.com/blog/
http://www.outlawdesignblog.com/
http://www.smashingmagazine.com/
http://www.csselite.com/
http://adsoftheworld.com/
http://www.ventilate.ca/

Happy Creating!

The DMXReady Team

Web Fonts: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Thu, 19 Nov 2009 08:58:08 GMT

Since the dawn of time � well, at least since 1995 � web designers have been frustrated by lack of font choices. Computers have been getting faster, what-you-see-is-what-you-get (WYSIWYG) display is so common now that it�s kind of like saying �color TV�, and yet we are still stuck with Arial, Times, Georgia, and Verdana to create websites.

But the problem isn�t really about the technology (in fact some browsers have been able to use embedded fonts since the 90s); it�s been about copyrights. Most fonts are treated like software, which is to say they have EULAs and are protected from unauthorized use. Like so many things in the digital age, it is hard to say whether or not that Aviano font on the website is being used by the web designer (who has the license) or the web page visitor (who probably doesn�t�)

The Good

Two things have helped move things forward. First, there is the fact that some fonts are becoming available for font embedding on web pages. A full list can be found here.

Second, there is now a CSS @font-face property, where you can designate fonts outside of system fonts. What happens is that you actually create a set of font files that are called in the CSS so that the font displays correctly in the web browser. This property also allows for a backup default font in case your new font can�t be displayed.

The Bad

That last sentence, �in case your new font can�t be displayed�� should have sent up a red flag. Yes, the truth is that not all web browsers support the @font-face property � at least not easily. Basically, Firefox-type browsers do, IE needs a special format, and Google Chrome has the property, but it is shut off by default due to a security vulnerability.

The Ugly

In other words, you�ll still have to pay careful attention to what your default fonts are to ensure that everything looks relatively pretty, which kind of defeats the whole purpose.

Of course, there are other methods of font embedding that are perhaps bulkier to use, but more stable (like the sIFR method we�ve discussed here). Not the perfect solution, but in certain circumstances reaching at least some of our visitors with non-system fonts will be worth the work. Either way, there will be compromises.

But hey, we�re web designers. We�re used to compromise�

Happy Fonting!

The DMXReady Team

Are You Setting Yourself Up for Web Design Heartache?

Fri, 13 Nov 2009 15:16:18 GMT

Clients are an integral part of the design process. That's obvious, you might say. Without clients, you wouldn't have work.

But that�s not what we mean. Your clients often become partners in your web design business � at least while you are working on their websites. Sometimes it is day-to-day meetings, sometimes it is weekly updates, reviews, and feedback. If you have been a designer for any length of time, you know that every project is different, not least of all because every client is different.

Recently we read a blog post at �A List Apart� about this very subject that we wanted to share with you. It�s about some of the red flags you should keep your eye open for to avoid partnering with �difficult� clients, or at least making sure that partnership will be worth your while.

Some great tips here for all professional web designers. Give it a read, and let us know what you think!

http://www.alistapart.com/articles/getting-to-no/

The DMXReady Team

Get Ready for Flash Mobile!

Wed, 4 Nov 2009 12:36:52 GMT

As websites optimize content for mobile phone users, there has been one area that is noticeably left out: Flash. Of course the biggest reason for this has been that mobile devices traditionally lacked the power needed to do much beyond basic HTML rendering.

That is changing. Smartphones like the iPhone and Blackberries are taking over the market, and soon most consumers will use this as their standard communication device. Well, Adobe is trying to keep ahead of that curve with the introduction of Flash Player 10.1

According to its own desciption:

"Flash Player 10.1 enables uncompromised Web browsing of expressive applications, content and video across devices. With support for a broad range of mobile devices, including smartphones, netbooks, smartbooks and other Internet-connected devices, Flash Player 10.1 allows your content to reach your customers wherever they are."

�which is just a fancy way of saying your website users will be able to see your Flash content on their smartphones.

There is one notable exception: according to an Adobe statement, Apple is not playing nice. �Adobe needs full support from Apple beyond what is available through the SDK to enable Web browsing of Flash-based content on the iPhone,� the company says on its website. It will concentrate on those smartphone platforms who will give their developers the support they need, Adobe said.

Information is a little sketchy about how this will all affect web developers, probably because this new Flash is still in the beta and development stages (Adobe said general release of the player will be available in first half of 2010). However the company states that SWF Object 2.0 will work with Flash Player 10.1, though developers should take care to update their detection scripts.

For more on Flash Player 10.1:

http://labs.adobe.com/technologies/flashplayer10/

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Why Not Classic ASP Indeed?

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 14:08:02 GMT

Not long ago, we read this post called �Why not Classic (Legacy) ASP?� http://stevesmithblog.com/blog/why-not-classic-legacy-asp/ about (basically) the pros and cons of programming in Classic ASP.

To recap the post, Steve was replying to a letter he received from an unnamed programmer asking why Steve no longer thought the Classic ASP framework was worth developing for. In his letter, the programmer said this:

�Here's my thinking: HTTP is stateless. All you need the framework to do is talk to your database and render clean HTML. That's it. All UI interactivity should be handled on the browser in JavaScript, and all design should be handled in CSS. Classic ASP (with the help of jQuery) makes all this SO EASY.�

We agree completely, especially for the small business owner�s website. Despite Steve�s obvious experience and well thought out answers, we think that this is a key area of use that Steve Smith overlooked.

Classic ASP applications are perfect for the do-it-yourselfer and the small business owner who do not need large, enterprise-software-sized solutions. (However, it is important to note that there are many large websites out there that do use Classic ASP, like www.futureshop.ca and http://edsitement.neh.gov/)

In fact these SOHO and SME owners are exactly the people who DMXReady is trying to help.

If you are a small business owner who wants a dynamic website or CMS solution, you don�t need a huge database capable of handling thousands of hits at a time. You are most likely concerned about:

Ease of use
Ease of customization (sometimes)
A solution that is ready-to-go �right out of the box�

That�s what Classic ASP applications offer, and that�s why DMXReady has stuck with Classic ASP-based programming.

With DMXReady, you don�t need to set up a separate database because the built-in Microsoft Access database simply uploads with your application and �installs itself�. Plus, if you need to make some minor tweaks to the open source code, it is generally easier to learn Classic ASP than other �advanced� programming languages (in fact many of our customers say that they learned programming from customizing our apps!)

So it really is an easy solution � purchase the application, upload, and use. For those who want to play under the hood, that option is available to you too.

Here�s the thing in a nutshell: ask programmers what they prefer to program in, and 99% will say something other than Classic ASP-based frameworks. It's almost like it's mandatory for �serious� programmers to pooh-pooh Classic ASP to keep their street cred. (For the record, we don�t believe that�s the case for Steve here � usually the bashing comes from programmers who have never worked with ASP.)

But ask non-programmers what programming language they prefer, and they�ll usually say �What? Who cares? I just want something that is easy to use, and works.�

Classic ASP fulfills both those needs � and we would argue it fulfills them better than other programming languages. That�s why we�ve stuck with it, and that�s why we continue to believe in it.

Be sure to check out the whole discussion on Steve Smith�s website here:

http://stevesmithblog.com/blog/why-not-classic-legacy-asp/

Then let us know what you think by leaving a comment!

Happy Scripting,

The DMXReady Team

Add Twitter Updates to Your Website Using Classic ASP

Mon, 12 Oct 2009 16:41:09 GMT

Want to post your Twitter status on your ASP website? Here are a few of resources for you using Classic ASP�

http://www.strangework.com/2007/08/22/how-to-update-your-twitter-status-with-asp/

http://sitejunction.awardspace.com/vbscript%5Ftweets/

http://asp.web.id/update-twitter-status-with-classic-asp-vbscript.html

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Yes, A Free ASP Content Management System (CMS)

Thu, 8 Oct 2009 12:49:56 GMT

You've heard about the new DMXReady CMS v2. You've tried the online demos. Now you can try your very own lite version right on your own server!

This month, DMXReady introduced CMS (Lite) v2, the free version of our flagship application. This gives you all (well okay, most) of the power of the full version, with certain limitations like number of pages and a lock on some of the advanced features.

However it still has most of the functionality like:

Create Customizable URLs
Skin Using Wordpress Themes & other 3rd Party Website Templates
Plugin DMXReady v2 Apps & Accessories
W3C Valid CSS & XHTML
Add Gadgets and Widgets (Google, Facebook, Youtube etc.)
Built-in SEO so that your website gets found easier
Pre-built database already installed!

In other words, this is a great way to try DMXReady CMS before you buy. And if you are looking for an inexpensive way to get a small CMS website up and running fast, DMXReady CMS v2 is the choice for you!

Download a copy for yourself and check it out!

Until next time,

The DMXReady Team

What's New With V2? A Lot...

Thu, 20 Aug 2009 16:36:06 GMT

It's remarkable -- in almost every industry, technology drives the way people work just as much as vice versa. In the publishing world for example, people went from laying down typeset scrolls of text onto page mockups to designing everything directly on the computer. But it didn't happen overnight. In fact it took about a decade for people "get with the times" and catch up with the technology.

The same is true in website design. Yes, there have been tweaks to the technology but HTML and coding languages like ASP have been with us for over 10 years now, and we are still finding new ways of using it.

So it is too with DMXReady's v2 applications. These apps will do many of the same things our first generation applications did � just faster and better. Our v2 apps give you a whole new level of control and a whole new realm of possibilities.

Most importantly, these v2 applications will make it easier for your clients to own and maintain their websites, taking CMS to another level.

So what's new for DMXReady v2 apps?

Simplified Architecture for Better Plugin Integration
Clean, Compliant, Commented Code - W3C Valid CSS & XHTML
Cross-Browser Compatibility
Efficient Use of AJAX Scripting & JQuery To Enhance Usability
Built-In code editor for CSS, Code, Templates and More - no need for HTML editor
SEO Friendly URL's - Create Custom URLs automatically.

DMXReady v2 applications will improve the way that you design websites, giving you power and ease of use like you've never had before.

Take a look at DMXReady CMS to see how!
http://testserver.dmxready.com/

Then check out our growing list of v2 applications:
http://www.dmxready.com/products.asp

Until next time, happy scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Is Bing the New Thing?

Mon, 6 Jul 2009 13:08:38 GMT

Since the dawn of the new millennium, Google has outranked all other search engines by about 2 to 1 � and that includes Microsoft�s own search engine.

For those who remember those early days of indexing the Wild West Web, true search engines like WebCrawler, AskJeeves, and AltaVista were fighting it out with the Yahoo! web directory to be the destination for finding websites and information. That the search engine should win over the directory is no surprise � keeping a directly current and searchable is fine when there are a few thousand websites on the web, but a nightmare when you reach the millions mark�

Google came on the scene relatively late (1998) but very quickly became the most-used search engine for its PageRank technology. In ten years, nothing else has really come close, including MSN Search and its spin-offs.

But Bing might be different. Microsoft is selling it as a �decision� engine rather than a search engine. The difference might not be just marketing-speak � the company says that it is trying to help people get more relevant results. Yes, Google has been doing this for years as well, but it is somewhat telling that many search results are still not relevant. So clearly the market for this is still wide open.

And Bing has a wide-open chance of filling this niche. As one blogger mentioned, �There�s a lot to like about Bing and really only one thing not to like�it�s owned by Microsoft.� That might be enough to keep it off of many people's radars for now. But like all Microsoft products, if it becomes indispensible, consumers will flock to it anyway...

But why not try it for yourself? There are several �blind taste tests� out there, including this one that compares Bing with Google and Yahoo! See which one offers you the best results.

The DMXReady Team

reCAPTCHA - Protect Your Website, Save a Document

Tue, 19 May 2009 10:04:08 GMT

Adding a CAPTCHA (Completely Automated Turing Test To Tell Computers and Humans Apart) to web forms these days is almost a no-brainer. With the number of bots out there trying to scrape email addresses, find website vulnerabilities, and other web nastiness, why wouldn�t you want to protect yourself?

However there are different ways to do this, and each has its own pros and cons. Here�s one that helps protect your website AND helps digitize books.

reCAPTCHA is a free service that allows you to simply plugin the application into any web form. Unlike some CAPTCHAs, these puzzles are extremely easy for humans to read, but are still effective at keeping bots out. Plus, you get the added benefit of knowing you are helping convert hardcopy text into digital documents that will last the ages.

reCAPTCHA also has a nifty email address protector as well. MailHide allows your visitors to view your email address by solving the puzzle, keeping unwanted bots from viewing it.

Find out more at the reCAPTCHA website: http://recaptcha.net/

Add Twitter To Your Website

Mon, 20 Apr 2009 11:18:55 GMT

Social media is changing the way we commmunicate -- even through our websites. Blogs, videos, IM and other design elements are helping us engage website visitors better, and deliver our information more effectively.

Twitter is another one of those ways we keep in touch with our customers, clients, and others. But did you ever consider adding your tweets directly to your website?

There are many advantages to this. Depending on your target market, it might be important to be seen as "with the times" -- if this is the case, you might actually be hurting your business by not displaying your tweets.

But even if do not need to be perceived as on the cutting edge of technology, posting your tweets can be a sign of community (new buyers like to know that others have successfully done business with you before), and will make you seem, well, more social. Unless you are a bank or some other "silence is golden" organization, appearing to be social is not a bad thing either.

You can add Twitter to your websites many different ways. Here's a blog we found that lists 10 Awesome Ways to Integrate Twitter With Your Website.

The DMXReady Team

Forum Answers Your Classic ASP Questions

Thu, 2 Apr 2009 11:15:52 GMT

Have a specific Classic ASP question or problem? The Internet Information Services (IIS) website has a forum for Classic ASP programmers to post their questions and get feedback from the community. You can also search the forum to see if someone else has already had your problem -- and to find out the answers.

Check out this great resource at:
http://forums.iis.net/1032.aspx

Until next time,

The DMXReady Team

Google Busts Some Myths About Dynamic URLs

Thu, 26 Mar 2009 11:29:59 GMT

The common myth out there is that if you want to search engine optimize (SEO) your website, you have to somehow get rid of dynamic URLs (like �/product.asp ?mid=3&ItemID=342) to a static URL (like �/purplewidget.asp).

Well, Google has officially come out to say that is no longer the case. In fact, Google says that trying to create a static link from a dynamic URL can actually hurt your SEO efforts. According to Google: �If you transform your dynamic URL to make it look static you should be aware that we might not be able to interpret the information correctly in all cases.�

The two specific myths they expose are �spiders can�t crawl dynamic URLs� (they can) and �spiders can crawl dynamic URLs with less than 3 parameters� (spiders can crawl an unlimited number of parameters, Google says).

To learn more about why dynamic URLs are A-OK, read this post on the Google Webmaster Central Blog:
http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2008/09/dynamic-urls-vs-static-urls.html

Animoto-mate Your Website Images!

Mon, 16 Mar 2009 16:54:46 GMT

Here's a cool tool that you can use to animate images on your website. Animoto allows you to upload your own photos and images, choose a music soundtrack (or upload your own), and enter your own text. Animoto takes all those elements and combines them into a video that you can display or embed on your website!

The video above took about 10 minutes to create. But now that we have the hang of it, we could probably assemble it in less than a minute (not including the time it takes for Animoto to render your video, which could be several minutes).

Prices range from free for 30-second videos (with the Animoto logo) to $249 per year, unlimited business videos.

Check it out and create your own free video at www.animoto.com!

The DMXReady Team

New Link Reference Tag Points the Way for Google

Thu, 19 Feb 2009 12:16:44 GMT

Many websites have pages that contain very similar content. This is for various reasons, including:

Multiple landing pages
Affiliate pages
SEO pages
Similar content pages with different designs

...and so on. Unfortunately, the downside is that using multiple pages with similar content can raise several issues including the violation of duplicate content rules that could get your pages de-listed, to the "wrong" pages getting returned in search results.

Last week, Google announced a new canonical link tag to help you declare which page it should consider to be the canonical or "main" reference page for that information. Simply put, it helps you tell Google which page of information you would prefer the Google spiders index. (Note: MSN and Yahoo! have both adopted this link tag as well.)

How It Works
Suppose you were selling widgets on your website. You might have a "main" page on your website for your famous Purple Widget at:

http://www.yourdomain.com/product.asp?item=famous-purple-widget

However, you also have an affiliate link page and a Google AdWords landing page, both with duplicate content, at:

http://www.yourdomain.com/product.asp?item=famous-purple-widget&trackingid=1234
http://www.yourdomain.com/product.asp?item=famous-purple-widget&trackingid=4321

Rather than have Google guess which page it should return, you can designate your main page by adding the following link reference inside the HEAD section of your duplicate content pages:

<link rel="canonical" href="http://www.yourdomain.com/product.asp?item=famous-purple-widget" />

Done! Now Google will know which page you prefer to have indexed.

Note: Google reads this link reference as a hint, not a directive, though Google says that it is a hint they "honor very strongly."

For more information on this link tag and its implications, get it from Google directly:

http://googlewebmastercentral.blogspot.com/2009/02/specify-your-canonical.html

Happy Designing!

The DMXReady Team

Use sIFR for Your Titles

Thu, 5 Feb 2009 11:57:07 GMT

We have all cursed the "standard" web fonts -- why do we have to keep using Arial, Times New Roman, and Verdana when there are thousands of possibilities out there?

Well, now you can with a new technology called Scalable Inman Flash Replacement (sIFR). This technique uses JavaScript, Flash, and CSS to create text from any font.

Although the effect is cool, there are some downsides to the technique. For one, it involves many steps including generating the .swf file, creating the JavaScript files, creating the CSS, including it in your web page, etc. It is not complicated though, and the average website designer should be able to pick up on it quite quickly.

Another downside is that because it is Flash-based and uses JavaScript, it is possible that some browsers won't display it if the visitors have these disabled. But that number is getting fewer and fewer all the time. Those who can't see it will get the standard fonts anyway and will never realize what they are missing.

Lastly, the technique is also a resource hog. You can use it sparingly; for example, with headers and not worry too much about download times. But most people recommend that you stick to the system fonts with body text, or your server will slow right down.

Now for the gray area. We have heard from several sources that sIFR is perfectly fine for SEO because the "text" is still there and readable by search engines -- it's simply converted into Flash. But there has been some concern that Google may see this, or may in the future see this, as a form of hiding the text. We have found nothing from Matt Cutts, generally the source on Google, that confirms or denies this. However most, including sIFR guru Mike Davidson, say that they have not seen any penalization.

This is not a perfect solution, and there will likely be better ways to do this in the future. But for now it is an easy way to spruce up your titles AND keep your header text intact.

There is tons of information on the Internet about sIFR, but you can find out more including a sIFR Generator (saves you from using Flash) here.

Happy sIFR-ing!

The DMXReady Team

Protect Yourself from Hackers

Wed, 21 Jan 2009 07:58:41 GMT

If you build websites long enough, especially database-driven websites, chances are you will be hacked one day. It's not just small businesses either. Banks, utilities, even military websites can be safe. Nothing is 100% guaranteed to keep a hacker out.

Luckily, the majority of hackers are in it just for fun and don't do any real damage. But that's just like a burglar coming into your home and not stealing anything -- it is still not a nice feeling.

Last week, some DMXReady customers were the focus of an apparently worldwide attack. A "public service" hacker decided to let us know about a vulnerability by hacking into the Admin pages (we would have preferred an email, btw...)

The DMXReady Team was on it immediately of course and we have already released a patch for it. Check your Order History on the DMXReady site to download and upgrade patches for your applications.

But this does bring up an interesting issue. It seems that sites that had server-side security and off-root databases were not attacked -- at least not successfully. DMXReady has always recommended that you take advantage of server-side security and move your databases to a separate secure folder on your server, especially if you are dealing with extra-sensitive material.

You can read more about it in our latest Online Knowledgebase article:
http://dmxready.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=news&_a=viewnews&newsid=12

The DMXReady Team

Create a Chart for Your Website

Wed, 7 Jan 2009 09:59:55 GMT

Looking for a fast and easy way to put a chart into your website? Google Chart might be the application for you!

Create pie charts, bar graphs, even what they call a Google-o-meter to create visuals from complex data, and to add color to your website.

Some coding is required, but Google offers in-depth instructions to help you create your own charts in minutes.

Check it out for yourself:
http://code.google.com/apis/chart/

Happy Charting!

The DMXReady Team

Create Your Own Template Pages Using ASP

Fri, 2 Jan 2009 10:41:29 GMT

Back in the early days of graphic HTML editors, designers were blown away when FrontPage introduced templates.You could change one item on the template page, and it would update in every "child" page created from that template.

This is actually quite easy to do using ASP as well. For example, DMXReady Site Engine Manager uses six separate ASP inserts to achieve the exact same effect. Make a change to the footer.asp file, save and upload, and all pages with that footer.asp file will be automatically updated.

Here's a basic overview of the process:

Create your "template" page.
Cut and paste the code from each unchanging section of the page into its own file. For example, you can create a header.asp file, navbar.asp, sidenavbar.asp, footer.asp, etc.
In your template page, use Dreamweaver to include these files (Insert > Server Side Include)

Note that each section file (e.g. footer.asp, etc.) should not have HTML, HEAD, or BODY tags. These will already be present in the template page; adding them to the section pages may confuse the browser and cause unexpected results. Of course, save your template page and all pages created from it with a .asp extension.

To visualize this better, it may help to view the DMXReady Site Engine Manager architecture map. Simply go here, and scroll down to the graphic.

The DMXReady Team

PS - Happy New Year!

How to Not Reinvent the Wheel When It Comes to Creating Website Applications

Fri, 12 Dec 2008 09:13:11 GMT

When DMXReady started building ASP applications, certainly one of the goals was to create a fully-functional, out of the box solution. But ultimately, the idea was to create a stepping stone for web designers, an "application template" for those who wanted to create their own website solutions.

Think about it. Why start coding from scratch if someone could hand you a good head start? All the basic things like database connectivity and functioning script would already be installed. All you need to do is make the changes you need to get your desired results.

As DMXReady added more applications to the library, more possibilities opened up including software "mash ups". For example, you could combine Mailing List Manager, Registration Manager, and Secure Login Manager to create an online members site. This saved even more development time and/or cost.

Today, it is possible to modify all of DMXReady's existing application to create website solutions, or even build your own Private Label line of software. Take Online Notebook Manager, for example. With slight modifications, you could sell it as an Online User Guide, a course syllabus, an employee handbook, and more. Again, by working from the application template, you can reach your end goal faster and easier than building from scratch.

So don't reinvent the wheel. Have an idea for something that could make your website or that of your clients more productive? Check out the DMXReady product line for your head start! And if you're not comfortable making the changes yourself, our Professional Services can help you get the job done.

The DMXReady Team

How to Find Out Information About Your Visitors Using ASP

Tue, 2 Dec 2008 11:17:38 GMT

ASP allows you to find out some useful information about your website's visitors. For example, you could find out their IP address, what browser they are using, and more.

This information can help you tailor your content to certain users. For example, if you find out that the vast majority of people visiting your website use Microsoft Explorer, you can optimize your pages to ensure they look best in that browser.

Try this for yourself. Using Dreamweaver (or any HTML editor), create a new page in your local site, and add the following script to the body of that page:

<%@language="VBScript"%>
<%
Response.Write "My IP Address is: " & Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR")
%>

Save as an .asp file, upload, and view. Your page will have a single line that looks something like:

My IP Address is: 255.255.255.255

How It Works

Using the Request object, you are finding out the remote address ("REMOTE_ADDR") of the visitor accessing your server. In fact, there are many different server variables that you can access, from browser type and security type to cookie settings. For a full list, go to this page at W3C Schools.

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

What Do You Know About ASP?

Wed, 19 Nov 2008 09:51:35 GMT

The fine people at W3C Schools has put together a quiz to test your knowledge about ASP. Although it is a "just for fun" quiz, it can help you identify what you don't know about ASP. And W3C Schools is definitely a good place to find those answers.

Check it out here:
http://www.w3schools.com/asp/asp_quiz.asp

The DMXReady Team

"Upselling" Your Clients

Tue, 11 Nov 2008 12:05:08 GMT

Many of us let clients know that we are always there when they need us. Problem is, they don't always know when they need us. That's where a friendly little reminder about what we can do for them and how we can help can do wonders.

For example, how long has it been since you first installed that application for them? Perhaps they have found out during that time that they'd like an extra field in their DMXReady Contact Us application to include a cell phone number or a website. But, they may think, they will just make do without.

It doesn't have to be that way. You can offer to add that field for them, or make any other tweaks to their website they need. DMXReady makes it easy for you, even if you don't have the programming knowledge.

First, send them a follow-up email asking how they are enjoying their application and if there are any features they would like to add (like a new field). DMXReady is currently adding a number of written templates to the Online Knowledgebase to give you a jump start at this.

Then, once you have identified they need, you have two options. Do the customization yourself, if you have the technically know-how. Or subcontract the work to DMXReady through our Professional Services. We'll give you a quote, and then you add your surcharge and send it to your client. In many cases, you can have their customizations complete within the week!

Find out more about our Professional Services here, or Contact Us for more information. You'll be adding value to your services, giving your clients more of what they want, and boosting your sales all at once.

The DMXReady Team

Is Your Website Mobile Friendly?

Tue, 28 Oct 2008 09:35:30 GMT

With new advances in hardware like the iPhone and other web-enabled phones (aren't they all these days?) it is becoming more and more crucial to offer mobile-friendly versions of your websites. You have pretty much two options here: assume that website visitors will get what they need from their sub-standard mobile browsers if they want it bad enough, or make it easier for them to access your website.

The advantages with this last option are clear. Just like any website, the easier the user can access the information, the better your results will be. In a world where competition is increasing all the time, this is especially vital. You want to make sure they get your message clearly and easily.

There are two things you need to make this happen:

A mobile-friendly web design
A redirect script for mobile users

Mobile-Friendly Design

There are a ton of resources on the Net to help you decide how to create a mobile-friendly design. However, these are the basics:

Use a one-column design -- mobile devices don't use a mouse, so your website should be vertically linear. A great example of this would be the mobile version of Facebook (http://m.facebook.com)
Create your mobile website in another folder/domain -- some companies like to have a separate top-level domain like yourcompany.mobi. Others, like the Facebook example above, prefer to have a sub-domain like m.yourcompany.com or mobile.yourcompany.com. However the easiest method is to simply create a sub-folder like yourcompany.com/mobile.
Use CSS to make your design more lively -- back in the early to mid-90s, one-column web designs were about all you could do. And they were ugly. But today you can spruce up your one-column designs -- even for mobile browsers -- using some basic CSS. A good resource for this can be found here.

Redirect Mobile Users

This is where things get interesting. Using ASP script, you can actually auto detect whether or not the website user is accessing your website with a mobile device, and redirect them to the that site. There are some free options out there for you, like the script found here.

Note though that these scripts are not foolproof. There are so many mobile devices today that some are bound to fall through the cracks. However this should work for most devices, including the most popular ones.

Making Money from the Mobile Market

If you design professionally, there may be some great money-making opportunities here for you. For example, you could go back to old clients and recommend that they upgrade to a mobile-friendly site. Since all the basic building blocks (design, content, etc.) are already there, this could be a relatively easy design project for you. Plus, your clients will likely appreciate the fact that you are still thinking of them, and still trying to help them accomplish their online business goals.

Happy Designing!

The DMXReady Team

Getting Around IE's JavaScript Blocker

Fri, 10 Oct 2008 15:07:24 GMT

Perhaps you've come across this glitch. You're programming in Dreamweaver, and you try to view your results in IE, but you keep getting an annoying blip and a message saying that IE has blocked "potentially harmful scripts" from operating. Yes, you have some JavaScript, but you've adjusted IE to allow scripts.

Haven't you?

Well, yes and no. If you upload the page to your server and look at it live, you'll notice you do not get the warning. So it is occurring only when you are previewing the page. To get around this, go to Internet Options, click on the Advanced tab, and scroll down to Security. There, click on "Allow active content to run in files on My Computer". This will get rid of those annoying blips, and let you get on with programming!

The DMXReady Team

Level Your CSS Playing Field

Tue, 7 Oct 2008 09:59:44 GMT

One of the most frustrating thing about using CSS styles is that it doesn't always work the same way across all browsers. The most obvious differences (and arguably the most distressing) are those between IE and Firefox. The answer has been to include workarounds for specific browsers -- usually IE. But this can be messy, both in terms of trying to get the CSS to work, and in terms of the extra code it leaves in your files.

Well, we've found a way to eliminate at least some of those problems. The Yahoo! Users Interface (YUI) Reset CSS levels the playing field by essentially setting all values to zero. This erases all the presets included with the individual browsers and allows you to "explictly declare your intentions" with the css, as YUI describes it. We think this may mean "be careful what you wish for...!"

We came across this little snippet after Googling a problem we were having displaying the same code in IE and Firefox. All we did is call the file in like you would any other CSS file (the website gives you a line of code to include in your header) and Bingo! the problem was fixed.

We can't claim it will fix every problem -- but what we can say is that it has worked like a charm so far. And all it took was one line of code...

Find out more about the YUI Reset CSS.

The DMXReady Team

One Free Way to Advertise: iGoogle Themes

Mon, 22 Sep 2008 13:11:19 GMT

If you are a graphic designer/web designer and are looking for a way to get your name out there, creating an iGoogle theme might be the ticket.

iGoogle themes are personalized themes for your iGoogle home page. The hallmark of these XML themes is that you can change their appearance throughout the day. This is done by creating a number of banners and rotating them based on the local time. So, for example, you can have a "night" image at night, a "sunrise" image in the morning, etc.

Then you simply submit your theme to Google, and they will decide whether or not to add it to their library. (This is the part that is a little hard to swallow. Google doesn't tell you when or if your design has been accepted, and doesn't tell you why it's been rejected. However, it would be safe to assume that any honest efforts that design for a "Rated G" audience would likely be accepted...)

The most popular themes right now have about 1,000,000 users, though most have considerably less. But even a few thousand people who like your work could lead to some new contracts. You can add your own logo and contact information in the space Google provides so that these potential clients can reach you. A great way to showcase your work and get some free advertising!

More information about designing and submitting your own theme can be found at Google itself:

http://code.google.com/apis/themes/docs/dev_guide.html

Don't forget to let us know how it goes!

The DMXReady Team

Where to Draw the CSS Line

Mon, 15 Sep 2008 09:00:10 GMT

Stefan at KillerSites.com raises some good points about CSS. In his recent post, he talks about the limitations of CSS, and -- perhaps more interestingly -- why those limitations exist.

CSS is very powerful for many reasons. It is great for "standardizing" your websites, especially if you design for a living. Once you have your basic template, you simply tweak those values to give each client a unique palette of colors, fonts, and backgrounds. It also helps keep your pages organized and makes SEO efforts more efficient.

However as Stefan points out, using CSS to completely design a page can be counter-productive. It is not a programming language like VBScript, yet essentially that is how people are using it.

So where do you draw the CSS line?

That's a personal choice. At DMXReady, we feel that if you start having to make "work-arounds" for IE (still the world's most popular browser by far) then you have probably crossed the line. In essence, using tables is still the easiest way to organize page elements and ensure that your page will look the same across all browsers. This is especially true for beginner web designers.

The other method, and one that Stefan mentions, is to start with a CSS template. In most cases, these have already been cross-browser tested, so that you don't have to worry so much about these issues. The work-arounds are all included as well (though we still recommend browser testing before you send your website live!).

It is good to learn the basics of CSS. And it is likely that in the future, it will become a more efficient method of designing web pages -- especially as web browsers continue to accept CSS standards. But for now, draw the line at your comfort level. If you don't want to "de-bug" your website, stick with tables for your design layout, and use CSS for the basics like color and fonts.

The DMXReady Team

Using Color Effectively

Thu, 11 Sep 2008 13:13:08 GMT

We�ve all seen this before: you surf the web for some information and come across a very colorful (and very loud!) website. The designer obviously had fun with this one. The only problem is that it is very difficult to read the white text on the screaming orange background. Not that the flashing symphony of colors in the background would let us read anything anyway�

Yet it is easy enough to fall into the same trap ourselves. We might not create the Herb Tarlek of websites, but we may forget the most important rule of web design: don�t let it get in the way of the content!

Except for the rare occasion where the visuals carry the story, your visitors are there to read information. Reading on a screen is a challenge for most people as it is, and crazy color palettes can just make it worse.

Aim to make the main content area as easy to read as possible. Black lettering on a white background is usually the easiest to read. But even this is flexible � try dark grey for a more soothing effect.

This does not mean, of course, that you need a plain black and white website. Add photos or images throughout your main content area to take away the starkness of the white background. Add color to your headers � these short pieces of text are usually bigger and easier to read anyway, and injecting color here can really keep interest in the main text. And of course, color all around your main content area is definitely encouraged.

A simple rule to remember: the color, design, and layout are what attracts readers but it is the content itself that people are there for.

The DMXReady Team

Avoid Spam - Hide Your Email

Mon, 8 Sep 2008 09:35:04 GMT

Spammers use bots called email harvesters to spider websites all across the Internet and collect email addresses. Most look for the basic "yourname@yourdomain.com" arrangement. You can avoid getting your email (or those of your clients) scraped using a simple encoding method. There are actually several different ways to do this -- just Google "email encoding".

Here is one JavaScript method:

<script language="JavaScript"> <!--
document.write ('<A HREF="mai')
document.write ('lto:yourn')
document.write ('ame')
document.write ('&#64;')
document.write ('yourd')
document.write ('omain.com">contact')
document.write ('yourname')
document.write ('&#64;')
document.write ('yourdo')
document.write ('main.com</A>')
// -->
</script>

Note that no method is perfect -- email harvesters are becoming more sophisticated all the time. But this will at least allow you to confuse the majority of spammers.

The DMXReady Team

Google Chrome - A Glimpse of the Future?

Thu, 4 Sep 2008 10:46:57 GMT

Although it may not be apparent right now, Google Chrome may represent a serious turning point for the Internet, and the way that we interact with websites. Google Chrome is described as a "browser" but the media giant seems to be prepping users for something very different than your standard web brower.

For one thing, it handles web page information more like applications than content. The example Google gives in its descriptive comic book is a JavaScript application. In a standard single-thread browser, the user cannot do anything until the JavaScript stops running and returns control back to the browser. But Google Chrome can handle what it calls "multi-threads" or, to take it one step further, multi-processes.

This is where things start to really get interesting. The most telling quote is this one: "We're applying the same kind of process isolation you find in modern operating systems" (emphasis ours). Yes, Chrome not only represents Google's first browser, but is also the forerunner of its first operating system. In fact, it seems it will be an operating system that will essentially integrate the Internet rather than have it running as a separate process. Our computers will become little more than a workstation on a global network.

In retrospect, this shouldn't be too surprising. Google has been preparing us for a 100% online world for quite a while now with things like Google Docs and Calendar. We were quite sure how that would work, but Chrome may just well be a glimpse of our online future.

So what does this mean for web designers? Will the website as we know it disappear? Perhaps. Websites of today look nothing like they did on Netscape Navigator 1.0. In another 15 years, websites will probably look just as different. But what hasn't (and what won't) change is the need for designers to build and maintain those sites. We may be doing it differently, but we'll still be doing it.

The DMXReady Team

CMS Dress for Success!

Tue, 26 Aug 2008 09:02:05 GMT

Content Management Systems, or CMS, are very easy to use. That being said, your clients still might have a natural fear of the "technology" behind it. Yes, if they know Word and they know how to open a web browser, they will be able to update their content (using DMXReady applications, anyway -- we can't vouch for other systems!). But sometimes there will be a bit of hand-holding on your part to launch the CMS. Here are a few ways to make that easier:

Go Through the CMS With Your Client

Walking your client through the CMS is the best way to get them familiar with the system. If you can do it in their office, all the better, but usually the CMS is user-friendly enough that simply walking through it over the phone will be enough. Make sure too that you point out the Help files. Once they've seen how the CMS works and know where they can get help, they will be much more comfortable going on their own.

Create "Editable" Areas

Sometimes giving your client too much freedom is a bad thing. You want to make editing or even adding new pages as easy as possible. You can do this by making each web page "modular" with editable areas. For example, keep images the same size and at the same spot so your client simply has to replace it with their new image. Text is the same thing -- they can add/remove/change their own text in the same spot without disturbing the overall design.

You can also save generic templates that they can copy so that anytime they want to add a new page, they have something to work from. This way they have the freedom of managing their own content without disturbing the main design.

Train the Eager Staff First

If your client has more than one person who will be using the CMS, go through it with the person who seems most eager to learn it. Not only will it be easier for to teach someone who wants to learn, but that person will most likely pick it up faster and be the person in the office that fields questions from the others -- taking some of this responsibility off your own shoulders.

A CMS system is designed to make things easier for your client. But you have to remember that things that seem "obvious" to you may not be so obvious for a worker who is suspicious of technology. Fear, anxiety, even an unwillingness to learn will make it difficult sometimes. But once you push through that with your client, it will be easier for both of you in the long run.

The DMXReady Team

Has Your Content Expired?

Mon, 18 Aug 2008 11:06:01 GMT

There is an interesting paradox on the Internet. On the one hand, it is absolutely the best medium to handle new content or "breaking news." You can have a volcano erupt somewhere in the South Pacific, and literally within seconds you can let millions of people around the world know about it.

On the other hand, there are websites out there that have not changed their content since 1999, with their FrontPage 1.0 flashing text, moving flames, and psychedelic backgrounds. It's like a cyber time capsule, with little or no relevance to today.

This is an extreme example, but the fact is that many website owners do not keep their content as fresh as it could be. Yes, you can post something that happened a split-second ago. But this usually means getting someone who can upload the images and content. Most web owners do not have the capabilities to do that themselves.

But there is a way to empower website owners: Content Management Systems or CMS allow anyone with basic web skills to create and update their own content. Some systems, like DMXReady applications for example, are easy to install and will have the owner up and running in no time. Then all the website owner has to do is log in through any standard browser, and type new content, upload images and media, even plug in Web 2.0 applications for further functionality.

If you are a web designer, you should consider offering CMS to your clients. Not only does it give them the power to update their own content, but it can bring in more work for you through customizing and installing the software.

Take a look at some of our customizable CMS solutions including the new Online Notebook Manager. And make sure that your website doesn't become a time capsule as well!

The DMXReady Team

Online Notebook Manager - A New Application From DMXReady!

Thu, 14 Aug 2008 12:07:39 GMT

As many of you know, yesterday was the official launch of DMXReady's Online Notebook Manager. This revolutionary product gives all sorts of people a powerful self-publishing tool, using the Internet to communicate to their colleagues, customers, and friends easily and effectively.

We've come up with over a dozen uses for this software, from teaching syllabus to group work "tech notes" to employee manuals and help guides. In fact, the DMXReady team used it as a communication tool at one point during its development.

One of its strongest features is that people can use it to leverage other Web 2.0 applications. Once Online Notebook Manager is installed, you don't need HTML editors or FTP programs to add these Web 2.0 gadgets. All it takes to include your Google Calendar, for example, is to create a new page and embed the line of script that Google gives you. Now every change you make to your Google calendar will be automatically updated on that Notebook page!

Online Notebook Manager is also an important step for DMXReady. This app represents the "2.0" version of our applications. With a stronger architecture, more features like AJAX functionality, and a more streamlined approach, Online Notebook Manager is at the vanguard of the new wave of DMXReady applications.

Try out the demo for yourself, if you haven't already. And don't forget to drop us a note to tell us what you think!

The DMXReady Team

Client Service: Get It In Writing

Thu, 7 Aug 2008 09:32:45 GMT

Too often web designers -- and many freelancers for that matter -- start work based on a verbal description of the project. Perhaps you chat on the phone or even face-to-face, and the client gives you an outline of what he or she wants from the website.

The problem is, two weeks later when you deliver the first review, the client says "No, no, I want it like this." You can argue all you want (actually, not a great idea...) but the fact of the matter is that you have nothing in writing in front of you to prove one way or another what you had verbally "agreed" upon. And it is not uncommon for the client to forget everything you talked about in that first meeting.

This can mean more work for you (unpaid, if you are working for a project fee), and it can lead to bad feelings and perhaps even a lost contract.

Get it in writing. After a meeting, jot down some notes -- almost like the meeting minutes -- and email your client, along with any other project participants. This way, you are all on the same page. And in two weeks when the client says they need something different, you can at least you have proof of the original specs in writing. Either it will jog the client's memory about the original project, or you'll have a solid basis for charging extra hours to make the changes.

The DMXReady Team

What Designers Need to Know About CMS

Mon, 4 Aug 2008 13:07:30 GMT

It is clear that Content Management Systems or CMS is the wave of the future. It is almost inevitable that a system be devised that allows non-tech users to update their own content.

Unfortunately, many web designers are suspicious of CMS, and see it as a threat to their livelihood. Although CMS may change the way we design websites, it will never replace us. Here are three reasons why:

Website Owners Will Still Need Designers to Design the Site

CMS has more to do with Webmastering than web design. This may be obvious when you say it out loud like that, but if more designers focused on this, there would be less stress about CMS systems.

CMS allows content owners to update their own content, but the basic web design still has to be put into place. That includes the site architecture, the graphics, the link structure, and all those other website goodies that only a web designer can provide.

Do You Really Want to Be a Webmaster Anyway?

We have all gotten those calls: "I just need one little change..." Yes, it only takes 10 minutes to fire up Dreamweaver, make the change, and upload to the server. Hardly even worth billing, is it? But those 10-minute jobs add up quickly, leaving web designers frustrated and underpaid.

With a CMS system, your clients can make that own little change themselves. Less hassle for you, and a greater sense of empowerment for your clients. Everyone wins!

You Can Provide the CMS

DMXReady encourages web designers to sell their clients on CMS to cut back on the unpaid Webmastering, as well as the fact that you can increase your income by installing the CMS system.

Let's face it, many of your clients could figure out how to upload an application to their website. But they likely don't want to, and probably don't have the time to do it if they did. They want a "ready-to-go" system that is as easy and painless to use as possible. And they would rather spend the money to get it done professionally than spend the time to figure it out themselves.

The DMXReady Advantage

DMXReady gives you one more crucial advantage -- the flexibility to create your own customized solutions for your clients. Not only are CMS approaches like WordPress and Drupal very specialized, you need a lot of programming experience to make them do what you want to do -- or hope that the right plug-in is out there.

It is much easier to change the HTML and code in ASP, so that you have more control over what you can modify. This leads to a more tailored solution for your clients (not to mention more money in your pockets!)

CMS may certainly be the wave of the future. Embrace that future, and make it yours!

The DMXReady Team

Why You Should Leave Comments in Your Code

Mon, 28 Jul 2008 09:32:42 GMT

Commenting on your coding is almost as old as the computer. Even back in the Commodore PET computer days, you could leave comments in your BASIC code to let other programmers (or remind yourself) the function of each section of code.

This is perhaps even more important today, especially for the beginner ASP programmer.

One of the most difficult parts of programming is the debugging phase. As many programmers know, all it takes is one mistake and your whole page can stop working. You need to be able to go back to the code and logically find out what is not working properly.

By leaving detailed comments to yourself, you will be able to track the additions/changes that you made, and make it much easier to find the problem.

Commenting also helps in the future when it is time to modify the script to make changes or to modify for a different usage. You will quickly forget what parts of the code do what; months later, you will likely forget much of your coding. Comments will help jog your memory and ultimately help you make those changes faster.

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Smash and Grab Photoshop Tips

Wed, 23 Jul 2008 09:49:56 GMT

As web designers, we come across a lot of resources about web design, css, programming, and more. But what about graphic design? Learning how to create those building blocks (i.e. photos and images) is just as important as putting them together.

We've come across some good resources for those looking for some great Photoshop tips.

PhotoshopStar.com - A collection of links and tutorials designed to help you inprove your Photoshop techniques.

Photoshop Roadmap - Links with short descriptions -- some neat info here!

Smashing Magazine - Best Of - Great list -- check out the tutorial on making your images look like a minature model!

Absolute Cross - Some good tips on creating buttons and other graphical images.

Got a favorite of your own? Let us know by leaving us a comment, or dropping us a line!

Happy Photoshopping,

The DMXReady Team

A Great Resource for the ASP Beginner

Fri, 18 Jul 2008 14:16:13 GMT

The great thing about ASP is that anybody can learn it. In fact, compared to PHP, ASP.Net, and other languages, it is almost a breeze.

To prove that point, we've found a great resource for the beginner ASP programmer. ASP Programming for the Absolute Beginner, as the name suggests, gives you all the background you need. It is also good for the ASP programmer who knows how to do it, but has always been curious about the behind-the-scenes mechanics.

Rather than direct you to a link, we've embedded the iPaper here for you:

ASP Programming for the Absolute Beginner - Upload a Document to Scribd

Happy Reading!

The DMXReady Team

Supercharge Your ASP!

Mon, 14 Jul 2008 09:01:21 GMT

One of the great things about ASP is its compatibility with other scripting languages. AJAX, for example, works extremely well in an ASP environment. This blend of JavaScript and XML makes for some nifty web apps.

Miniajax.com is a place where you can download several of these applications for free to supercharge your own website: These pint-size apps can do some amazing things from finding out where visitors are clicking on your web page to creating image reflections, building fisheye nav bars, and more.

Check it out for yourself!

http://miniajax.com

The DMXReady Team

One Way To Clean Up Your Code

Fri, 11 Jul 2008 07:00:35 GMT

One of the hallmarks of good design and programming is nice clean files. And one way to get those nice clean files is to avoid repetitive scripts. You can do this very easily by saving a commonly-used script and calling it into your web page using an include.

For example, you use the same script to connect to the database -- why not add save it as a separate file? All DMXReady apps have a single connection script like this one (from Classified Listings Manager):

Then, in every page that needs to connect to the database, you simply add this line of code:

Note that this file is kept in its own separate folder called Connections. All DMXReady applications use this structure. This one line of code looks much cleaner and it helps you organize your scripts a lot easier. Plus, if you ever need to change your database connection string, all you have to do is change this one file.

You can also use this approach for JavaScript and other types of scripts as well -- it all makes for cleaner, easier to read codes!

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Is Your Website Design Compatible with ALL Browsers?

Wed, 9 Jul 2008 09:17:12 GMT

Most designers realize the importance of testing websites in several different web browsers. Of course, Firefox and IE are the biggies, along with Safari for Mac.

But did you know that there are 36+ web browsers out there?

The folks at All Web Design Blog do. In fact, they've complied a list of them complete with short descriptions, a screen shot, and links to where you can download it.

Now you might not feel the need to test on all three dozen web browsers, but it is still an interesting compliation. And as an extra bonus, they have also put together a comprehensive list of articles about browsers and compatibility issues.

You can check it out here (and we recommend that you do...):
http://www.allwebdesignresources.com/webdesignblogs/graphics/
list-of-web-browsers-a-mega-list-for-web-designers/

The DMXReady Team

Controlling When Visitors Automatically Get Logged Out

Mon, 7 Jul 2008 09:04:06 GMT

Chances are you have been to a secure website that forces you to log back in after a certain period of inactivity. It may be frustrating, but there is actually some very good reasons to do this. Most importantly, it adds another layer of security -- if the user forgets to log out, letting the system log the user out automatically reduces the risk that the next person using the computer can gain unauthorized access. That may not be good for your user, or for you!

This is call a session timeout, and it is very easy to use in ASP. Simply add this line of code to the top of the secure page:

The number "360" represents the number of seconds of inactivity that must pass before the session times out -- in this case six minutes. You can change this value to anything you want.

However, make sure you choose a number that is long enough to allow people to comfortably explore your site (remember: reading content on your site appears like "inactivity" to the system...) but short enough that it provides enough security.

In general, you should go no lower than 300 seconds (five minutes) and 600 seconds (ten minutes) before timing out.

And that's it! Now whenever your visitors forget to log out, you have less risk.

But remember, this only works with secure pages. If you don't have a method of password-protecting your pages, DMXReady offers several solutions including Secure Login Manager -- check it out!

Happy Scripting,

The DMXReady Team

Is It Time To Move to SQL?

Wed, 2 Jul 2008 11:27:32 GMT

DMXReady uses MSAccess as its database for one reason: ease of use. New developers and even do-it-yourselfers can create robust, database-driven functionality without taking four years of college courses.

But ease of use has a price. One major limitation is scalability. If you online business is growing and you are getting a steady rise in hits on your website, you may start running into database overload problems. This is a sure sign that it is time to upgrade your database.

There are two caveats here though:

One: Some people, especially companies that want to do the conversion for you, may tell you that you should never use Access databases. This is simply not true. If your website is a brochure-type website or even doing light e-commerce, using Access is fine. And, as mentioned above, it is easier for you to customize.

Two: Moving from Access does not mean you have to move from ASP. Some programmers may tell you that you should change to PHP. Again, not necessary. Sure, they will make more money from you recreating your whole website, but ASP is just as powerful and functional as any PHP site once you have upgraded database structures.

If you decide that an upgrade is in order, you can probably do this yourself as well. Microsoft has an excellent overview of this, which you can find here.

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Create Your Own Facebook with KickApps

Mon, 30 Jun 2008 08:51:18 GMT

Social media and social networking is all the rage lately. Many see it as a way to engage potential customers by creating killer content -- and a killer website experience.

Of course it used to be that if you wanted to create your own Facebook or MySpace social networking site, you would have to program the whole thing from scratch. But not any more. KickApps, a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS) publishing host, has created a modular system that allows you to build your own social networking community. You can add video, create a forum, and "widgetize" your content allowing others in your community to "steal" your content so that it goes viral.

There are two versions of the service - a free option (with ads) and a CPM option that charges only on the number of impressions you site generates.

But rather than read about it all here, why not just visit the site? (Disclosure: DMXReady is in no way affilated with KickApps, and receives no compensation -- we just think this is a pretty cool app...)

The DMXReady Team

A Case for Absolute Links

Fri, 27 Jun 2008 09:59:31 GMT

By default, many designers use virtual or relative links for their internal pages. Generally this is fine, but often it is better practice to use absolute links.

For example, rather than:

<a href="aboutus.asp">

you should add:

<a href="http://www.yourdomain.com/aboutus.asp">

There are several reasons for this. First, an "absolute" link is just that -- absolute. Relative links are more susceptible to misdirects. With an absolute link though, the only thing that can cause a broken link is if that page is actually deleted or renamed.

Another real concern is scraper sites, which republish your content on other websites. With relative links, these sites all refer back onto themselves -- which the scrapers love! But with absolute links, the website visitor will quickly be redirected back to your own (valid) website.

You should also use absolute links for images, for the same reasons. PDFs especially should have absolute links so that anyone who saves or prints your documents will have the full links listed. For enewsletters, you definitely need to use absolute links so that your images appear correctly.

There is a downside to using absolute links on your website. If you tend to move your pages within your website, you will have to go back and change all the absolute links to include the new folders/locations. However for 99% of the websites out there, this is not really a problem.

Have any nightmare stories about using relative links? Let us know!

The DMXReady Team

FireFox 3 - Is This the Giant Killer?

Wed, 25 Jun 2008 09:44:27 GMT

After one week of its release, the much-anticipated FireFox 3 hit 19.6 million downloads. It's already going into the Guinness Book of World Records for the most downloads in a 24-hour period (8 million+).

And its release has given Mozilla almost a 1% gain on IE7 (up to 19.17% in June, from 18.41% in May, according to the company).

So is this the giant killer? One would think, given FireFox's slick performance and IE7s numerous problems that FireFox 3 should take the world by storm. It has certainly been embraced by first-adopters, especially web and css designers.

But for the average non-techie joe, the familiarity of IE and lack of desire to try new things will keep Microsoft's browser at the top of the heap for the foreseeable future.

What do you think? FireFox 3 or IE7? Let us know!

The DMXReady Team

Free Hosting of Your ASP Scripts!

Mon, 23 Jun 2008 09:09:36 GMT

Yes, there are several free and low-cost hosting options out there for your ASP scripts. We've added several services in our Online Knowledgebase, which you can check out here:
http://dmxready.helpserve.com/index.php?_m=knowledgebase&_a=viewarticle&kbarticleid=129&nav=0,7

Like any service, we highly recommend that you read the fine print before you enter into any hosting agreement. But if you are looking for a low-cost way to get your ASP scripts up and running, one of these companies might have the answer you are looking for!

The DMXReady Team

Want to Force a Download? Just Zip It!

Fri, 20 Jun 2008 09:43:36 GMT

Web browsers by default will automatically display any files they can. This is handy for displaying gifs, jpgs, etc. But sometimes you want visitors to download your files instead of just view them, like Microsoft Word, Excel, and even PDF files.

The easiest way is to contain them in a Zip file, which will automatically download. But if for whatever reason this is not the best solution for you, there are ways of adding ASP code to you pages to force download of the files instead of viewing.

For more information on how to do this, see these resources:

The DMXReady Team

How to Cheat at VBScript

Wed, 18 Jun 2008 09:28:49 GMT

Programmers are generally a cavalier bunch. They pooh-pooh instruction manuals, preferring instead to just get into the code and get their hands dirty.

This is great if you are a "natural born coder." But if you're not, you might want a little bit of a shortcut.

Microsoft provides great documentation on VBScript including what it is and how it works. There are also sections on programming fundamentals and a scripting introduction.

Now hard-core coders may call this cheating, but if it helps you learn faster, we're all for it. We won't tell anyone you have an extra ace in your hand...

Check it out for yourself at:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/sx7b3k7y(VS.85).aspx

The DMXReady Team

Using Server Variables in ASP

Mon, 16 Jun 2008 09:58:12 GMT

Sometimes it is useful to find and display certain server variables on your web page. For example, you might find it necessary to add the user's IP address to your current page. To do this, you will be requesting the Server Variables.

The syntax is actually quite easy:

<% Response.Write "Your IP Address is: " & Request.ServerVariables("REMOTE_ADDR") %>

This will return:

Your IP Address is: 155.155.155.155

You can find a whole list of Server Variables at the W3 Schools site:

http://www.w3schools.com/asp/coll_servervariables.asp

Happy Scripting!

The DMXReady Team

Podcast Your Blog (or Other Content) for Free!

Wed, 11 Jun 2008 10:49:41 GMT

Looking for an easy way to convert your blog or website content into spoken word? AudioFeed Creator may be the answer.

From their website:

ReadSpeaker AudioFeed Creator lets you convert any valid RSS text feed into a Podcast AudioFeed. ReadSpeaker AudioFeed uses the latest technology available to convert the text in the RSS feed to speech on-the-fly.

When you have added your feeds, you can listen to the posts here on the portal, or use any kind of podcatching software including iTunes or Juice. You can also subscribe to the podcasts you have created with on-line services like Netvibes.

The technology is not quite there for "seamless" voice-over work, but you can't beat it at this price (free!)

Test it for yourself -- just click the AudioFeed icon on the top of our blog to see it in action!

The DMXReady Team

Tutorial: Using Two Copies of the Same Application on One Website

Mon, 9 Jun 2008 09:27:53 GMT

Sometimes you want to use two or more instances of the same application on one website. For example, perhaps you want to use one instance News Manager to organize your internal press releases, and another to organize "in the media" mentions of your company.

The best way to do this is to simply duplicate all files and folders so that they do not conflict. The following example uses DMXReady News Manager, but the process will work with any DMXReady application:

1. Create a temp folder on your hard drive, but not within your Local Site (e.g. C:My Documentsdmxtemp)
2. Extract News Manager from its Zip file to the temp folder.
3. In Dreamweaver, create a new site called Temp Site.
4. Point the Local Root Folder to your temp folder. You don't need to worry about adding Remote Info or any other information for this temp site.
5. In Dreamweaver, change the following folder names, and click "Yes" when prompted to update files:

applications/NewsManager/ to applications/NewsManager2
admin/NewsManager to admin/NewsManager2

6. Open "Find and Replace" (Edit > Find and Replace)
7. Change "Find In:" to "Folder..." and select the /applications folder, change "Search for:" to "Source Code" and add /newsmanager in the text box, add /newsmanager2 in the "Replace With:" text box.
8. Check "Match Case".
9. Click on "Replace All" and "Yes" if prompted.
10. Expand the /Connections folder and Rename newsmanager.asp to newsmanager2.asp
11. Expand the /databases folder and Rename NewsManager.mdb to NewsManager2.mdb
12. Open /Connections/newsmanager2.asp and change the NewsManager.mdb to NewsManager2.mdb
13. Using Windows Explorer, transfer the contents of the /admin, /applications, /Connections, and /databases folder to their respective folders in your Local Site. Note: Do Not transfer the actual folders, just the contents, as you run the risk of overwriting existing files. For example, transfer the NewsManager2.mdb to the /databases folder, and not the whole folder.
14. Upload to your server.

The DMXReady Team

Keep Your Copyright Up to Date with This ASP Script

Fri, 6 Jun 2008 10:04:38 GMT

Ever get to a website, notice that the copyright year is 2004, and wonder if anyone is home? Perhaps this is even happening on your own websites!

Well, here's a way that you can keep your copyright statement up to date automatically using a little bit of ASP code. For this example, we assumed that you launched you website in 2007 -- replace this year with your actual launch date:

(Place the following within your HEAD tags)

<%
Function CopyrightStatement(YearWebsiteCreated)
If Year(Now) > YearWebsiteCreated
Then
CopyrightStatement = YearWebsiteCreated & "-" & Year(Now)
Else
CopyrightStatement = YearWebsiteCreated
End If
End Function
%>

(Place the following where you want to display your copyright statement)

This is how it will look on your screen:

You can also modify this code with CSS or other attribute tags to match your website design. Just don't forget to save the file with a .asp extension. Now your website will automatically update its copyright statement no matter what year it is!

Happy Scripting,

The DMXReady Team

Adding Web 2.0 To Your DMXReady Apps

Wed, 4 Jun 2008 09:10:20 GMT

The explosion of "social media" and other Web 2.0 applications has led to some nifty little shortcuts out there. For example, you can create a Google Presentation (similar to PowerPoint) and easily add it to your own website using any DMXReady content application -- no need for Dreamweaver!

To add your add your Google Presentation to your website:

Create your presentation (docs.google.com)
Click "Publish" and copy the script in the text box.
In your DMXReady app, click on the "Edit Page" link (must be logged in).
Scroll to the bottom to the WYSIWYG editor, and place your cursor to the location of the page you want to add your presentation.
Click on the "View/Edit Source" icon on the WYSIWYG editor (looks like this: <>)
Paste the script into the source (Ctrl "V") and click the "OK" button, bottom right
Click the "SAVE" button on the WYSIWYG editor and view the page.

Whenever you update your presentation through Google Docs, your changes will automatically update on your web page!

Now this is also a great tip for you web designers out there that want to give clients an easy CMS solution. It is not too hard to imagine how useful it would be for someone to be able to update a Presentation and have it immediately viewable online -- without the hassles of "inviting" every single person to see it.

Best of all, once you install your DMXReady app of choice, your client can do all the rest using Google Docs and the DMXReady admin pages. A truly extended CMS experience!

What are your tips for improving client workflow? How have you used DMXReady and/or Web 2.0 to help your clients? Let us know by adding a comment!

The DMXReady Team

AddThis - Promote Your Site Around the Internet!

Tue, 3 Jun 2008 09:30:34 GMT

Social bookmarking is a great alternative to the "My Favorites" button on your web browser. Rather than static links within your browser, you can access them from any computer and even share those links with friends, colleagues, and users around the world.

The only problem is, there are dozens of services -- Google, StumbleUpon, Del.ici.ous, and Facebook to name a few -- and everyone has their favorites. Adding every service to your website takes time, and takes up valuable real estate on your web page.

Enter AddThis. With just one button, your web visitors can bookmark or share your website with the world. This makes it easier for your readers, and in turn makes it more likely that your website will be shared and bookmarked. With 7,500 impressions per second a growing, it is quickly becoming the "librarian" of social bookmarking -- and easily recognizable to your readership.

The Classic ASP Garage Blog started using it this weekend. Click on the AddThis button in the top nav bar add us to your favorite social bookmarking service!

And don't forget to add it to your own site. Find out more at: http://www.addthis.com

The DMXReady Team

iStock Offers Deep Discounts!

Fri, 30 May 2008 08:55:11 GMT

Just found out from Danny Outlaw that iStockPhoto is now offering subscription plans. For all of you heavy users out there, this is a great way to save even more money on images.

Plus, their offering 20% off certain packages if you sign up before June 9, 2008.

Even if you don't use that many images per month, check out www.istockphoto.com anyway. It's a great resource for quality stock images at a great price!

The DMXReady Team

Adding Value to Your Service - Offer Hosting!

Wed, 28 May 2008 10:04:45 GMT

If you are a professional web designer looking to expand your list of services, you may want to consider entering the world of web hosting. By registering for a Virtual Managed Server (VMS), you can add another line of income to your business!

This does take a bit of technical knowledge. And you may have to cover the costs of this service yourself for the first few months as you build your clientele. But in the long run, it can provide a lucrative sideline. Plus you can now:

Offer your clients design and hosting services "under one roof"
Make it easier on yourself since you don't have to "learn" how other servers work when clients sign up for different web hosting providers
Provide another value-added service that will keep your name in front of your clients
Almost guarantee that they will continue to use you for all their web work since you are hosting their site
Essentially create free web hosting for yourself and collect your own fees every month

Blue Genesis offers a complete VMS solution, and has more information about how VMS can work for you. Or check with your own web host provider!

The DMXReady Team

�How Do I Place Affiliate Ads In Blog Manager?�

Mon, 26 May 2008 10:06:23 GMT

Dave Glynn from http://www.atomicwebsolutions.com writes:

Hi Guys,

We've been using your apps for a while such as FAQ Manager and Gallery Manager. We are very interested in Blog Manager and wondered how easy it would be to place affiliate ads etc. say to the top and left of the blog page?

Best wishes

Dave

Absolutely Dave! As you have likely noticed from the other DMXReady applications you use, they are fully open source so you can change the HTML, VBScript, and any part of the design.

Blog Manager has several different components like the header, footer, navigation bar, main body content, etc. Each component has its own separate file (e.g. �header.asp�). So all you would have to do to place your affiliate ad is to go into the header file, make your changes to the code, save, and upload. Just hit �Refresh� on your browser to see the results!

If you have a question about DMXReady products or about ASP in general, post it in the comments here, or send us a Private Message and we will do our best to answer it!

The DMXReady Team

Microsoft Gives Ten (Compelling?) Reasons to Upgrade to Windows 2008

Fri, 23 May 2008 09:51:54 GMT

Despite the URL, this seems to be a Microsoft-run website (or at least an "authorized" blog) but there does seem to be some compelling reasons why servers should migrate to Server 2008.

Give it a read and decide for yourself:
http://www.geekzone.co.nz/windowsserver2008/5040

You can also read ComputerWorld's take on it here.

Have any of you out there had any experience with this server? Leave us a comment!

The DMXReady Team

Join Our Blogroll!

Thu, 22 May 2008 09:26:16 GMT

Do you have your own blog? Let us know!

Classic ASP Garage Blog is currently gathering website related blogs to add to our blogroll. If you have a blog on programming, general web design, web content writing, or anything that would be of interest to professional and do-it-yourself web professionals, send us a private message or contact us directly.

The DMXReady Team

Is It Time for a Website Upgrade?

Wed, 21 May 2008 09:53:54 GMT

Website design and technology is always changing. But sadly, many websites are not. Even if the information on your website (or your client's website) doesn't change that much over the years, there are many good reasons to update or upgrade your website.

One good reason is to finally make that move to CMS. Not everyone is handy with Dreamweaver, and a Content Management System can really boost usability among all the non-IT people in the office.

And isn't usability what good web design in all about? We believe that's as true for the backend as it is for your visitors.

DMXReady published a whitepaper on CMS a couple of years ago. You can also read this article from the New York Report:

http://www.nyreport.com/index.cfm?fuseaction=Feature.showFeature&FeatureID=421

The DMXReady Team

Finding "Insider" Help with Dreamweaver

Mon, 19 May 2008 08:06:23 GMT

One of the most common questions we get is where people can find "insider" help on how to use Dreamweaver. The most comprehensive list is within Adobe's own website.

Adobe has its own Developer and Designer Centers to help Dreamweaver users learn more about their software. You can start exploring their whole host of information here.

You can also ask post your HTML and scripting questions at the Dreamweaver forum.

These pages should give you access to all the information you need on how to use Dreamweaver to customize and extend your websites.

The DMXReady Team

Skin Your Own Blog Manager

Tue, 13 May 2008 14:23:45 GMT

When we decided to launch our own blog, we wanted to experiment with CSS templates. Originally, we designed DMXReady applications to be inserted into your own or a third-party HTML template. But how difficult, we wondered, would it be to customize it to take advantage of the wave of CSS-based websites?

As it turned out, it is not that difficult. It does take some time adding in DIV and Class tags to accommodate the CSS, but the results are well worth it.,

Here is an overview of the steps we took:

Download and Extract your Template & Blog Manager files to you local site folder. (We got our template from: http://www.freecsstemplates.org)
Create a duplicate of the main template file (index.html) and rename (index.asp).
Open the index.asp file and replace the placeholder html with the appropriate include files from Blog Manager.
Wrap the Blog Manager html with the appropriate CSS Div and Id classes using the original index.html file as a guide.
Upload all files and you are ready to go!

It doesn�t take much of a leap to figure out that you can do this will all your DMXReady applications � or your complete website for that matter. Skin your old apps for a new look and feel!

The DMXReady Team

Some ASP Resources For You!

Thu, 8 May 2008 17:08:23 GMT

We felt that perhaps the best way to officially launch our blog was to
give you a few ASP resources that are out there and we have found to be
useful. Some offer tutorials, some offer free scripts, but all are
designed to help you understand ASP and VBScript better.

You can find hundreds more by searching for "ASP tutorial", "ASP tips",
and other similar keywords.

http://www.aspin.com/
http://www.w3schools.com/ASP/default.asp
http://www.asptutorial.info/

Got some resources of your own that you'd like to share? Let us know by
leaving a comment!

The DMXReady Team