Life of a Lexus

A lot has been happening for a while now, and i think the time is right to put you up to speed.

First off - I was talking with one of my mentors. He set up a site where webmasters across Africa can meet and discuss under one umbrella: Webmasters of Africa

My mentor is primarily a seasoned web developer, whose advice over the years has truly changed my life in the web design section for the better. So when i received his last newsletter from his site, It only made sense to offer him a redesign - absolutely free. Sure - I had the free time.

It turns out that what started as a means to sharpen my skills turned out to be much bigger - I mean, if we wanted to set a standard that EVERY web designer/developer wanted to follow across Africa, we really needed to make that the message was unmistakably clear. I became engrossed as the potential of what we were doing was sinking in. 5 days later we relaunched the site - and the feedback was tremendous. It was something everyone would want to be a part - and whenever i think about it, it makes me feel good that i was a driving force towards that.

But the sweetest part of it all is when an idea takes flesh and becomes a reality - beyond your imaginations - and spreads like a wildfire. I not only designed the new logo for the site, but also a Membership logo - a logo that every registered member can download and incorporate into their own designs. More a less, a way of showing that we are all committed excellence across Africa. Bottom line, add a face lift to a site that was already useful for everyone in the first place and you get the idea. My mentor told me everyone he chatted with has a copy of the badge. And that’s not counting my friends as well.

At the end of the day, when you look back at your life, it’s the little things like these that make you realize that you left a mark in history itself - and that’s a noble purpose in living.

More and more webmasters are embracing the logo that started as a small idea somewhere in Nigeria. A testimony that ideas share no boundaries.

NYSC Camp experience was one-of-a-kind. Meeting so many new people and being isolated from the rest of the world for the better part of a month gets to you sooner or later. Thanks to technologies like GSM you loved ones are only a dial away. But what if you’re expecting a mail from promising client? And the nearest cybercafé is a 3hr odyssey?

Whenever one’s on the go, its instinctive to want to keep track of the constants in his/her life. The only thing that seems to step up this increasingly important task is your phone or PDA. Hence, are you “on the go” compliant?

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how you can become a better web traveler - on the go.

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Ok. You’re done. The last piece of code for your web app is complete. You’re ready to launch that website that you’ve spent day and night to materialize. You’ve crossed every “t” and dotted every “i”, but at the end of the day, you draw a blank on where to host it.

Considering it’s usually the last step that people take to consideration, it pays think about this first hand before you even strike that first keystroke in for your website. Below is a checklist you can use to find out which webhost is best for you.

NB: Web Hosts often refer to thier products as “packages” and we’ll use that term from here on.

1. What will your website do?
   Self explanatory, the functions of your website will determine what you would want from your webhost. Simple static pages are okay for the lowest packages from a webhost. Dynamic websites (portals, content management, online stores; etc), are bound to grow and thus it’s a good idea to start with a package that has some space for it to grow. If you don’t already have a website ready by desire one, start by thinking about what kinds of functionality you will need. Will you have a database of any kind running? (Some of the applications that require a database are: guest books, shopping carts, forms and forums). If so, who will be programming and installing it? Most web hosting providers have pre-installed scripts and applications that they will let you use as well, but they may be too simple and not meet your needs.Any application you use is written in a scripting language and often connects to a database. If you are using PHP and a mySQL or PostgreSQL database, then you should look for a UNIX host. Unix type hosts include Unix, FreeBSD, Linux and some others. If you are using ASP and a MSSQL database then you know you will need to locate a Windows hosting provider
2. Price - All that glitters….
   Granted, prices of web hosting services are dropping, and there’s a buzzing market saturated with “killer” deals with words like “unlimited bandwith” and so on. Rule of the thumb: If it sounds too good to be true, it mostly is.
   Check thier package details. A good web host will make its price list very easy to find, especially from the the homepage. This is where the fine print shows up. Limitations appear (like only database at a time, 10 email accounts per domain). In the event one wants more than these, he realizes he has to pay more. Find a package that meets your needs the first time and pay for it.
3. Payment:
   As much as ecommerce has taken giant strides in Nigeria, experience has shown me that somethings are better in black and white (Bank Payment). A good webhost will process your order the same day you pay. Plus, you have a copy of the teller, proof that can be verified at any bank in the event of any misunderstanding. After payment, a reciept is usually emailed to you by the webhost, which serves as proof of payment.
4. Support:
   My personal favourite. If there is anything you don’t understand, ask, ask, ask. Don’t be afraid or uncertain. A good webhost support service will always answer your questions in a professional manner and provide assistance where needed. I’ve personally enjoyed the service of some webhosts assisting me in ways that traditionally were not availible. This aspect, is the defining point of a webhost. If a webhost fails here, it’s simply time to move on.

Sometimes you want something now. It can’t wait. Now. While experience can be gold in a particular field, more importantly is that the resultant time to complete a task should be shorter. An web applications are now exception.

From time to time one might have needed a ready made solution deployed as soon as possible. This is where A CMS comes in. Having a CMS that one is conversant in not only reduces work and deployment time, but saves costs/time in the long run, for both sides. But the question is: Which one? Here are some ideas to help you out Read the rest of this entry »