REVIEW: Basecamp - Project Collaboration Made Easy
Posted on July 1, 2008
Filed Under General Tech, Web Programming, Work Flow | Leave a Comment
While I realize that I already promote the product from Basecamp on my blog, I just wanted to post a quick post to re-iterate my absolute love of this online resource. It’s become a key element of my web/graphics design business and is a key part of my business model to keep my clients informed and up-to-date on any and all project management.
I can track timelines, conversations and it even integrates a great Instant Messenger system to further increase my ability to communicate clients.
As a robust system, Basecamp has quickly become the defacto planning system for many freelancers and with their release of their API’s, many auxiliary web tools can seamlessly connect and share key data with Basecamp. For example - I use Cashboard for all my invoices and time tracking. Cashboard has a built-in Basecamp module that allows me to import all my client contact information directly from Basecamp.
As a further application for those who work in non-profit organizations (churches, etc.) - this is a great resource for managing multiple projects all under “one roof”.
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My 5 Minute Rant for the Day
Posted on June 26, 2008
Filed Under General Tech, Work Flow | Leave a Comment
I work in an environment where our media department (church) is all Apple with the exception of one PC that now sits dormant in an empty cubicle. The rest of the office (with the exception of our wonderful new pastor) is PC-based. One issue that keeps rearing it’s ugly head in our design workflow is the issue of image compatibility and I must confess my absolute frustration with the Microsoft Windows inability to work with images. It seems like every time I create a new image that is requested by one of our assistants to put onto a simple Word document, the parameters have to be tweaked ad nauseam to make it even work.
To put it simply, out of the box, Windows machines are horrible at image rendering unless they follow some crazy Windows formatting requirements which seem to be so limited that it renders image usage useless except for those silly Windows clip art files that are dated and should not used at all (in my honest, designer opinion).
Sorry if I stepped on any toes on this rant but when our workflow comes to a screeching halt over silly things that should NOT be a problem, I get frustrated.
Buy Mac - “they work so you can work”.
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Picturesque Releases 2.0 Version
Posted on May 13, 2008
Filed Under General Tech, Web Programming, Work Flow | Leave a Comment
As a web developer, I love cutting as many corners while guaranteeing the best product possible. When it comes to photo editing, however great and fast I may be at Photoshop (and I’ll humbly admit - I’m pretty quick)…it’s great to have a tool that makes the tedious but tasteful work - a snap.
I’ve been using Picturesque for awhile now and it’s been a great and easy way to keep give my web images a little extra “flair” in a short amount of time. It’s also great for a quick resizing…
Now, with the release of the 2.0 version, they’re definitely taking their success to the next level by offering even more photo editing tools while keeping the software itself simple and easy to use - a PLUS with this type of application that is meant to speed things up…not bog things down.
Need a reflection on your photo? Bang! Picturesque does its magic in seconds rather than the “minutes” it would take to do the same thing in Photoshop. Their new feature is entitled “Perspective” and is really nice.
Again - all these photo editing tricks are nothing new. I’ve been doing these in Photoshop for a long time. The beauty of this app is that for QUICK work with low-res images, this is a snap.
Company: Acqualia
Price: $34.95 (worth every cent if you are a web developer)
Check it out at www.acqualia.com
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