Gartner Web Development, LLC

We talk about Open Source and Free Software on this website quite a bit. I’m sure that many are skeptical as to whether or not this really means anything practical for their business. This week, we begin a series of articles that will highlight specific Open Source and Free Software programs that have real world applications for your business. I’m sure, by now, you’ve noticed that there are two terms being used: Open Source and Free Software. There are subtle distinctions between the two, suffice to say, we need not get into software licensing minutiae to help you understand how this all can save your company money. One thing to keep in mind though, when we say “Free Software”, think free as in free speech or liberty - not free as in no cost. Also keep in mind that the vast majority of Free and Open Source Software are in fact available at no cost. You are probably wondering how companies that develop this type of software make a living. Most of their income is derived through consulting and support of their products. It’s a different business model than most of us are familiar with, but it does work - and it works well.

What can free software do for your medical practice? A quick search on Source Forge under the Medical Sciences Applications yields over 500 results, ranging from molecular dynamics simulators and chemistry development tools to full featured hospital Continue Reading »

Topics: Featured, Free Software / Open Source

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Say the word “granite” to most people and they’ll think: hard, beautiful stone used in construction, not a “hard sell.” Granite is a hard, durable rock that withstands the elements so well that it has become the standard in creating cemetery monuments. Most people don’t want to think about funerals, or shopping for headstones. But the inevitable fact for all of us- is that loved ones will pass away and we will most likely find ourselves in the position of preparing for a funeral sometime in the future. Shopping during this difficult time is never easy, but has been made more comfortable and private, thanks to the convenience of the internet.

Sheboygan Monument called Gartner Web Development when they decided that now was the time to put their catalog of beautiful cemetery monuments online for purchase. Visitors to their website, www.sheboyganmonument.com, can now shop for graveside monuments and cemetery products from the privacy and the comfort of their home, without the added pressure of a hovering sales assistant.
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Topics: Featured

Tags: Internet

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Not all web developers are created equal. With that in mind, your business web site is often the first contact between your company and consumers still shopping around for goods and services. These pre-sale consumers will be visiting your company and your competitors online before actually contacting you in person for the resulting sale. Having an attractive, easy to maneuver business website is going to insure they call you and not your competitor.

Shopping for a web developer can be difficult. Many professional web developers are priced well out of range for small businesses with a limited marketing budget. Other so-called bargain priced web designers are hobbyists. Their experience consists of a few vanity sites for friends and family, they know very little actual code and create sites that aren’t necessarily standards compliant. These bargain designers often use wizards and other “canned” website builder kits that are designed for someone with little or no experience in mind. This will result in your site looking amateurish and like half a million other stops on the internet. These designers are not only code illiterate, often creating hard to manage sites with aesthetic problems, difficult navigation, or worse, but they may not have tested your site in multiple browsers. A professional web developer will make sure the same site that looks slick and professional in Internet Explorer, looks just as good in Firefox or AOL. A professional web developer is also going to test your new website in multiple screen resolutions to ensure what looks good on your screen looks good on everyone else’s screen. If any of their sites state what browser and resolution the site looks best at, they may not take the time or have the expertise to make the site usable to a wide range of potential customers.
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Topics: Featured

Tags: Internet

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