The Early Apple

Collaborating with his geek friend, Steve Wozniak (Woz); Apple became an incorporated company on April 1, 1976 after the two friends had bought out their other partner, Ron Wayne. The name Apple was chosen simply because the pair couldn’t come up with anything else. Who knew it would later be synonymous with awe-inspiring technology and ground-breaking products?

The Apple 1 was the start of this great company; with the Apple 2 following hot on its heels and carrying with it the breakthrough in technology for that time. The Apple 2 is regarded as “…both the start and the symbol of the personal computer revolution of the early 1980s” (allaboutstevejobs.com). This was the introduction of the following incredible computing features that would soon change the way that humans conducted business:

• Ability to display color graphics
• Built-in BASIC interpreter that made it easier for the writing of compatible software
• This included games as well as
• The first floppy disk drive, known as Disk II
• The ability to run compatible software also allowed for the introduction of the first spreadsheet to be run on Apple

Steve Jobs was a millionaire by 1979 at the age of 24.

The early 1980s saw the Macintosh becoming the main point of focus for Steve Jobs. It was a separate project that Steve’s partner Woz hadn’t been a part of. It soon found him on the cover of Time magazine and became an instant success, but its notoriety was short-lived.

The first Mac seemed to have a few flaws:

• It was extremely slow due to the graphical interface that needed to be processed
• It was a lot more pricey than the IBM-PC that sold for $1000 less
• It wasn’t compatible with other software

The Years Leading Up To The iPod

Steve Jobs was widely criticized for the apparent “failure” of his Mac. He resigned from Apple and founded a company called NeXT that was bought by Apple 11 years later in 1996. Steve Jobs claimed the role of CEO and brought the technology of NeXT back into the company, later defining it as Mac OS X. They simplified their offerings to only the Desktop and Macbook, one of each for consumer and for professional use.

With Steve Jobs back on the team, Apple started to thrive and was soon to bear the seamless beauty of the iMac in 1998. In 2000, his focus became the “Digital Hub”, which was to be a revolutionary expression that would incorporate a range of digital devices with the desktop.

• The first item was iMovie, which didn’t prove as successful as he’d anticipated, iDVD followed
• Then came the iTunes Store, changing the face of music distribution after gaining some insight from the popularity of “Napster”
• iPhoto, iCal, GarageBand and iWeb were next on the menu as part of a spate of iApp releases that took place

These releases were all brought to life by Mac OS X, which also made it possible for one of the most revolutionary Apple products to be produced: the iPod. Inspired by iTunes, this portable music device transformed the world of consumerism, speaking endlessly to Steve Jobs’ digital movement. It was sleek, compatible with Mac, directly linked to iTunes and the cause of many users’ departure from PC to becoming Mac clients. The company made it compatible with Windows to broaden the reach of the iPod, but it still attracted a vast number of digital aficionados who transformed into followers of the Mac Empire.

iPhone Makes History

In 2007, the iPhone did for the telecommunications market what the iPod did for music. Using multi-touch display functionality and the inclusion of the iPod and a browser, the iPhone was a benchmark for what would soon be a flooded market of touch-screen innovation. But somehow, none were or are ever as advanced or as intelligent as the iPhone. Just when a competitor had caught up with Steve Jobs’ advanced ideas, Apple would release a new version with even more intelligent functionality.

The project began in 2003 and picked up huge amounts of pace the year before its release. The touch-screen technology was initially intended for the iPad or a tablet PC, but its use for the iPhone allowed this product to be one of the most innovative digital items to ever be released.

Steve Jobs on the iPhone’s technology in January 2007: “iPhone is five years ahead of what everybody else has got. If we didn’t do one more thing, we’d be set for five years!”

The highly anticipated release of the iPad took place in January of 2010 after many years of working on the project. His “magical device” was initially criticized as being nothing more than an oversized iPod Touch, but the proof is clearly in the pudding, as by September, 7.5 million iPads had been sold to the public; a wordless claim that proves Apple ingenuity is extremely sought after in all regions of the world.

The End Of An Era

Steve Jobs’ health problems with pancreatic cancer were uncovered in October 2003 and eventually took his life in October 2011. While he may have had his life cut extremely short in years, one can only wonder what else he would have come up with if he were to have lived to a ripe old age. Such ingenious ideas were so advanced that perhaps they also pressed the fast forward button on his existence? We all pay homage to this great man; a revolutionary, a visionary and a digital genius. RIP Steve Jobs.

Blogging Benefits For SEO

The digital realm has become consumed with the science of search engine optimization (SEO) and in doing so has shed light on the benefits of blogging. This isn’t something that has only recently popped onto the scene, but rather a journey that has been developing and escalating for over a decade. One of the primary advantages of a blog is the fact that you can increase your site traffic using blog posts that are written in accordance with your SEO strategy.

Having blog posts that talk about your product offerings in an informal tone are a great way to encourage people to learn about your services. You can use your blog as the primary point of contact and have links directing back to your main website for more information and conversions. Having these links anchored using your targeted SEO key phrases can only boost your site traffic from those people who are specifically searching for your product or business.

By reaching out to the public through your blog , you’re able to establish yourself as a leader in your market; a pioneer of thought and direction as well as a trusted resource for valuable information. That is, essentially, why people use the web at the end of the day; to absorb information. If you can be the company that provides them with that power, they’ll keep coming back for more… elevating your brand in the process.

 Building Brand Awareness Through Blogs

Your brand is the voice that speaks for you when you’re not available, so it’s important to create a solid brand awareness that’s visible to the public eye. One of the easiest ways to accomplish this is through your own corporate or company blog. Blogs naturally attract more readership from your clients because they come across as personal and easier to read that standard site content. The benefits of blogging extend towards the fact that you can still subtly promote your brand, products or services, while maintaining that casual, individual appeal that is so prevalent with blog posts.

 Advantages of A Blog

Our blog for Debug Magazine is not only an avenue for us to inform you of the latest in development and web design, but it’s also our way of connecting with you; our audience, in an informal, no-strings-attached environment. Through introducing you to our online world, you have access to our thoughts and ideas on certain matters and you’ll hopefully be gaining some insight into our expertise.

What are your opinions on the Debug Magazine blog and what would you like to read about in this space?

This costed our business a couple days worth of work getting it sorted out and fixing the damage that was caused. We contacted WooTheme support but they never replied. The theme was up to date and everything!

But we upgrade WordPress and are now using the TwentyEleven theme which is actually nice

Looking better then ever with WooThemes!

I am experimenting with WooTheme’s WordPress themes. So far it is awesome. There themes come absolulely jam packed with feature sets utilizing some of WordPress’ most recent features such as Custom Post Types. The theme we are trying out is called “The Morning After” and it is free! There is a lot of really cool stuff that comes with it. I am going to be working on re developing a custom theme or working on customizing this sweet theme but whatever happens I just wnat you to know that this site will be continually expirementing with the latest in web trends staying on the cutting edge.

New and better content.

I will be posting new and awesome content as often as possible. I spend my days scouring the internet for the best of the best. Looking at all the new and hot tech toys and all the new and upcoming web apps and startups, staying on top of tech news and I will be bringing this all to you.

I also am an extremely active Web Developer, Marketer and Programmer so we will be keeping you in the loop with new techniques and plugins to great applications like WordPress, ModX, etc.

Please stick around as things are just starting to heat up.

Any kind of a template can be called a cheat sheet, and the beauty of them is that you only have to create them once.  You might have a template for press releases or grants, for a website design, or for CSS style sheets to help get you started. There’s no point in rewriting the same code a hundred times for a hundred different projects, so use a cheat sheet template as your basis then make the necessary changes.  Just be sure you use your template only as a starting point to avoid having to redo the basics.  Then make each project unique.

Cheat sheets for infrequent tasks can be a life saver, too. You won’t have to struggle with trying to remember how to do something, make false starts that waste your time, and in a worst case scenario can cause you to mess up your work.  If you have a cheat sheet on how to do something, you’ll only spend the time it takes to glance at the instructions and you’re ready to go.

You can find cheat sheets online for a variety of projects, from email templates to bits of handy code, and even ready-to-print instructions for certain pieces of software and certain tools within them, so take advantage of these web freebies.  Also, making your own cheat sheets is a great idea.  When you come across a task that you’re unfamiliar with, as soon as you’ve successfully used a software tool or found that shorthand you needed, write it down.  Write down the step by step tasks and store it in a “cheat sheet” folder or print it out for easy access, so next time you need to do the same thing, you’ll only need to glance at your cheat sheet instead of figuring the process out all over again.

Start on projects early.  If you know it’ll take you 5 days, don’t want until T-minus 5 days to start the project.  You don’t know what unexpected interruptions could slow you down, and you’re risking finishing the project late if you only give yourself enough time to finish it under ordinary circumstances.  If it’ll take you 5 days and it’s due in 2 weeks, start now.  You might have it done in 5 days, but you’ve gotten an early start and will probably finish it early.  And you’ve got a built-in cushion if something should go wrong.

If you start the project earlier, you won’t have to rush, which can cause problems.  You’ll be done early enough to be able to revise a little more before turning it in, too. While you might take a certain sense of pride in starting a project at zero hour and getting it done on time, how much better would it be if you’d had a day between writing and revising? 

A freelancer who delivers not just on time, but before the scheduled deadline, will stick out in a client’s mind.  You might benefit by getting more assignments or getting special rush assignments, for more pay, because you’re so reliable. You also might get some referrals from this client, because you started earlier and turned in great work ahead of schedule.

Don’t underestimate the opposite effect, what happens when you turn work in late or in less-than-stellar condition, even if you’ve always been reliable before.  That project that’s a week overdue might be a crucial one with other decisions and their own clients hinging on its completion.  No matter how much great work you’ve given them before, certain circumstances could make that one mistake the last you’ll ever make for that client.

Organizing your freelance life might seem daunting and will take a little time in the beginning, but once you get a system in place, every day will go much more smoothly and you’ll get more done in less time. The more organized you are when it comes to time and money, the more you’re freed up to do the creative work within that frame, and the more successful you’ll be.

Make a schedule and stick to it.  Look at your projects, and block out hours of your work day for certain tasks.  A common freelancing mistake is underestimating the time a project will take, so in the beginning, make a guess and add a few hours of extra time to your estimate just in case.  At worst, you’ll allot too much time and have that left over to do more prospecting or get a head start on another project.

Another common mistake when scheduling freelance work time is to only consider the actual work.  If you’re scheduling your writing or design time, and it’s going to take you 14 hours to do a project, it might be tempting to schedule two days to complete it at 7 hours each, and call those your work days.  But you have many other tasks to complete in a day like dealing with emails or phone calls, prospecting for new clients, billing completed projects and hey, don’t forget those breaks! Schedule all these things at specific times within your day so you have an accurate picture of what you need to do, and it will be easier to stay on track, be more efficient, and avoid squandering away your valuable time.

All freelancers have a few easy clients who assign a project, disappear into the background while you do your work, pay promptly and cause few problems. And then there are clients with their peculiar quirks, who are great in one way and more difficult in others, and of course, the downright picky and difficult clients. Chances are good you won’t know which category a client falls into until you’ve already accepted the job.  You’ll get some who seem to want to make every decision for you, some who give no direction but then complain that what you’ve done isn’t what they had in mind, some who just don’t understand the technical side of things and make suggestions that would basically undermine everything you do. 

When a client insists on backseat driving while you maneuver your way through the project, you can let them—to an extent.  Make it clear that you appreciate knowing exactly what they want, but that you’re happy to do the work without quite so much involvement.  Sometimes a client can be so specific about their needs, it almost seems that they would have been better off simply doing it themselves.  When you come across a client like this, weigh your frustration against your income from the job and decide if it’s worth it to do projects for this client in the future.

Clients who take an opposite approach can be frustrating, too.  When you first start working with a client, you might not know if one who gives little direction will be one who leaves the creative and technical concerns to you and will be happy with your judgement, or they’ll end up upset because you can’t read minds and didn’t deliver quite what expected.  When a client gives little direction, ask pointed questions in the beginning to get as much input as possible, and make sure they’re aware that  changes caused because you weren’t given enough information won’t be included in your original price quote.

The problem with these freebies is that so many people trying to break into freelancing are so willing to do them, that it tends to undermine their entire field.  If a client has 20 freelancers willing to do a project for free or for unbelievably low rates because someone wants the experience, and your rates are $50 an hour, your rate is going to look extremely bloated comparatively.  Even $20 an hour might seem high if almost everyone else is offering to do the same work for $5.  The more freelancers who are willing to do work for slave wages, the less everyone makes as a whole. 

If you worked an hourly or salaried job, no boss would come to you and ask you to to spend a couple hours out of your day working for free.  And the clients that you’re considering doing free or cheap work for, they get paid for their time, too.  While you might not consider it working for nothing because you are getting a reference for your resume, consider how hard it might be to bet a decent rate out of that client once you’ve done work for a pittance.

If you’re not convinced, then only do a very small project this way when you have the promise of more work at regular rates if the client is happy.  Better yet, contact a charitable organization and rather than working for nothing, consider your portfolio-building work with them as a donation.  Many charities actively look for writers, graphic designers, project managers and website designers to volunteer their services.  Choose a charity for your freebie work and you’re helping them and yourself.

First, take immediate action.  If you know your client is upset about something, anything, face it immediately.  You’ll look proactive and concerned about your client’s needs.  You might be tempted to wait to contact the client after a cooling-down period.  But don’t assume that everyone feels anger the same way.  The longer you wait to deal with the situation might end up being just a longer amount of time for your client’s blood pressure to rise.  Wait too long, and you might find you’ve lost the client completely.

Second, listen to the problem and acknowledge it.  The worst thing you can do when the client is trying to tell you what’s wrong is to interrupt or even try to explain that the client’s anger is unjustified. 

Third, start discussing solutions.  Explain that you’ve heard what they’ve said, you understand their frustration, and you’ll do whatever you can to make it right.   The client should be able to point out specific things that made them angry or dissatisfied.  If the client is very vague about just what the problem is, you’ll have a hard time fixing it, and chances are they’re just being unreasonable. Explain that you can’t fix a problem if you’re not sure exactly what the problem is.

Finally, be realistic about the solutions you offer.  If the client wants the project revised in 3 days, and that’s what would make them the happiest, don’t agree to that just to appease them if you know there’s no way you can make that timetable.  It won’t be worth the 3 days of peace you’ll have with your relieved client to have them twice as angry on day 4 when you don’t deliver.