But you have an opportunity at this point to make a difference for someone. Besides salvaging a customer and preventing a potential outbreak of negativity, it can be a wonderful feeling when you can help someone fix a problem or even simply make the experience positive despite the customer’s bad attitude. So here are some tips to get you through a conversation with an angry or rude customer. And while most customers only get livid behind the safety of a phone call, the following pointers can also help with face-to-face encounters.

1. Be Respectful

This is a critical moment in the conversation: an angry customer has called and he is lashing out due to something you have zero control over. It’s very easy to lose your own temper, especially when the customer is making the issue personal. Or maybe the customer has decided to passive aggressively throw some insults at you because he had trouble finding a product or the product didn’t meet his expectations.

Wait for it. Once they have had a chance to vent, most angry customers will back down and let you help them. That’s why they called, after all. No matter how hard it is, be respectful. They may have been on hold for awhile before finally getting to you and need to get their frustration out.

2. Listen Carefully

Even while the customer is at the most upset point in her monologue, listen carefully to what is being said. This accomplishes several things at once: it helps you focus on the words, you are better able to ignore the tone, and you can avoid making her repeat herself later. Take notes and listen for patterns. Is shesaying the same thing over and over or is she actually referring to several different issues?

3. Parrot the Problem

Once the customer has calmed down, it’s time to let him know you’ve been listening. Explaining what you understand the problem is to him in a calm manner can go a long way to helping him understand that you have been listening and know what his issues are. Repeating back what you understand are the issues also helps you make sure you are dealing with all the issues. Sometimes customers do not initially express the full extent of the problem — only the part that makes them the most angry.

4. Simple Solutions

Often an irate customer’s problem can be solved with a simple solution. She’s probably not the first to have the issue, so often there is a really easy fix available. After she has had a chance to vent, carefully offer an initial solution. Be careful because you do not want to patronize the customer. Avoid the overly simplistic solutions, like "Have you powered the device on" unless the situation is clearly calling for it. Offering simple solutions is often necessary, but approach this carefully and with sincerity so you can avoid insulting a customer who may not have cooled down just yet.

5. Provide Information

If a simple solution is not available, then you may have to work with the customer to explore the problem more fully. By providing him with information about the product or service, you can start to work through at what point the problem occurred. This is an important step and gives you the opportunity to demonstrate that you are an expert and that you care enough to work with the customer.

6. Find Resources

If you cannot solve the problem for the customer, then you are either going to have to send her to someone who can help or take some time to find a solution. If the customer called on the phone, you may have to forward her to a specialist or tell her you will call her back. Unfortunately, this can really irritate an already frustrated customer. The best way to handle this situation is to tell her you are not passing her off onto someone else. Even better, give her your extension so she can call you back directly if no one else helps or if she runs into roadblocks.

7. Follow Up

Finally, follow up with the customer. This is especially helpful if you have had to forward him to someone else for a resolution. Even if you do not actually talk with him directly during the follow-up, shooting him an email or leaving a voicemail letting him know you wanted to make sure his issue was resolved will mean a lot. You may even want to keep some greeting cards on hand with a custom handwritten note for these situations. Sometimes this extra little act can of following up make a customer feel even more attached to a company after the incident because you have made him feel valued and heard.

Fight It Out (Not)

Finally, the one thing to always keep in mind when dealing with a rude or angry customer is to never resort to a word war. Some customers can get very nasty with throwing insults at you, the one who is trying to help. It can be very tempting to begin throwing insults right back at her. No matter what it takes, resist this temptation. If you are an employee, you could lose your job. If you are the owner, you could forever ruin your reputation and more business than your company can handle, especially if the customer has lots of friends and influence. If you feel yourself on the edge, excuse yourself, put the phone on hold or walk into the employee room. Then ask for backup if needed. Sometimes all that may be needed to deflate the situation is a short break and some support.

Editor’s Note:
One recent, and very relevant example of company destroying, awful customer service, can be found at posted at Penny-Arcade.com. The incident involves the owner of a marketing company (Ocean Marketing) who proceeded to fly off the handle at a customer, and ended up losing a major marketing deal, as well as destroying his company’s reputation. You can read about the antics here.

1. Never Ending Pages

One of the most common mistakes in the designing stage includes setting up long web pages. Users do not like to scroll endlessly unless your content is that impressive. It is best to provide different links for each page rather than listing it out on a single ‘never ending’ page. Most users require information pertaining to a specific topic and if your website does not deliver this information in the least time, you could risk losing several readers.

2. New Browser Windows

Several designers tend to make their websites open new browser windows when a link is clicked. This step is taken by designers to ensure that the user returns to their site. This theory is merely a distraction as most users are accustomed to using the ‘back’ button. It is also unwise to take control away from users by automatically opening new windows even when the user does not want it.

This feature is even more distracting on smaller screens as it is difficult to determine whether a new window has been opened. Unnecessary windows that pop up unannounced are truly a hassle that users face on a regular basis. It is best to provide direct links and allow the user to take control of his/her surfing habits.

3. Unnecessary Use of Flash and Music

Using appropriate music or animation can be a fun addition to your website but overdoing it can fail. Users nowadays are looking for direct information without ‘flashy’ additions. It is best to use visually pleasing graphics and minimal animation to convey your message. It is also not advisable to embed music as it is very distracting and unwanted. Additionally, not all computers, laptops and smartphone devices are compatible with flash.

4. Distracting Advertising

One of the biggest enemies of peaceful web surfing is advertising. Users are often bombarded with advertisements, pop up displays and other distractions when they are trying to look for information. Avoid mixing distracting advertising on the web pages that contain useful information. As far as possible, avoid all forms of annoying advertisement on your website owing to the risks of losing readership, and keep it as relevant as possible.

5. Needless Registration

A number of websites ask users to register and log in for every miscellaneous activity on the website. Although it may be advisable as a marketing move, it is important to understand that internet users prefer options that are free. Forcing users to register to see even the smallest details will end up costing you as the user will simply search for the same information on another website. Whether they have to leave comments or check content on your site, it is best not force users to register.

6. Irrelevant Content

Content is king. You may generate enough traffic by using all tricks and trades of SEO but you cannot retain the readership unless you provide quality content. Users are usually looking for specific information and it is upto you to provide the same. Despite using the right keywords, your website will not rank well unless you have provided specific and authentic information. If the website sells a particular product or brand, make sure to include all the details a potential customer will want to know like price, warranty etc.

7. Unnecessary Web Pages

Do not insert additional pages on your website just to make it appear bulky. Including a separate home page to lead you to the main website is a waste of time for many users and might cost you readership in the long run.

Most companies do not have a problem finding web designers these days with graphic and web design becoming one of the more popular college degrees. The trouble arises with finding a web designer who knows their stuff and also who can keep your information secure. Let’s face it — more and more firms are in-sourcing the development of their websites. This has lots of important benefits, with improved security being a big reason more companies are keeping web developers (and source code) in-house. Whether you want a temporary designer or one to add to your list of employees,, there are a few critical questions to be sure to table so you don’t end up with 3 months of wasted time…or worse.

1. Do you have a portfolio?
   Ask to see what the web designer has already done. This will be a huge
   source of insight into the designer’s abilities. If your interview location has a computer, take the time to pull up a few of the sites the designer has worked on to see what they’ve done before. This lets you ask questions on the fly and probe deeper while you’ve got them right there with you.
2. What sizes of projects have you completed?
   Another critical question
   is to know whether the web designer has worked on projects equivalent to the size of your projects. If they’ve only worked on large teams, they may have specialties but could use help with generalist work. On the other hand, if they’ve only worked on small projects, integrating your 100k+ catalog of projects may be outside their capabilities.
3. How’s your AJAX?
   Interactivity is the new norm. As AJAX support becomes universal, you need designers who are at least somewhat familiar with the tools of the trade and standards.
4. Can you handle HTML5?
   New standards mean revising old techniques. Web designers need to be up to speed on HTML5, especially in those areas pertinent to your website. Video and API treatment are just two key areas of HTMTL5 that are important, so see where their knowledge of this technology sits and if any red flags are raised.
5. Can I see your CSS?
   Of course, CSS is an important part of integrating formatting standards throughout a site. With CSS becoming more and more a part of how web-based documents are delivered, it’s always good to cover this up front. Look over some CSS examples, if available, and see if any concerns jump out.
6. What’s your favorite browser and why?
   This is a great question to ask because it opens up the floor for a conversation. This is more about listening to the designer sitting in front of you and getting a feel for their preferences. Mix it up by asking which browsers they hate and why.
7. Do you integrate search engine optimization?
   Search engine optimization is critical for ensuring your website gets the ever-important organic search traffic. Does the designer know the basics and know how to integrate these into the design?
8. How familiar are you with Section 508 requirements?
   The regulatory environment is just one more layer of complexity of our industry, and Section 508 compliance is becoming more important in certain sectors. Does the designer understand and have experience in developing with section 508 in mind?
9. What programming languages can you develop in today?
   Websites are applications. Short of the most basic, static HTML documents hand-coded in Notepad, most websites require basic knowledge of PHP, C languages, and database integration. Make sure you understand where the designer’s capabilities are. Don’t assume they can handle the language you use without asking.
10. How will you keep our site secure?
    Security with any kind of contact information and credit card data is an absolute must for any website today. Even if you integrate Paypal and let them handle the security piece, your designer should understand how to protect data and even catch potential security flaws.
11. Got references?
    Always get references. You may think you have a mild-mannered web coding genius in front of you, but the last employer got to see an epic World of Warcraft melt-down right before a major roll-out. Take the time to check on a few references.

With those questions in mind, what other big questions should be asked? Any single question jump out that tends to reveal major concerns?

Well, fortunately for you, the dear folks at Microsoft have a built in bitmap editor that is absolutely terrible and almost useless. But, there is hope and a couple ‘o tricks are available to you if you find yourself in a pinch.

1. Image Resizer

Need to quickly resize an image? MS Paint can do that, sort of. Actually MS Paint does this really well with the latest version available. Just open, click the Resize button and tweak. This can save you if you need to create a quick thumbnail or need to send one of your 4 gig images to grandma.

2. Precision Editing with Grids

There’s an infinitely UNtweakable grid feature under View -> Gridlines. No, you can’t adjust the scale or size (psh! who needs THAT?!), but it does help when you need to align elements.

3. Clone Tool? In MS Paint?!

Not really. But you CAN copy sections of an image, paste, and move the pasted portion around until committing changes. This can work as a clone tool if you need to clean up portions of an image in a hurry.

4. Detailed Editing

Need to fix a red-eye issue? What about removing the background from an image? No problem. Just zoom in really, really far and use the Pencil Tool in MS Paint to clean up your image. No, it’s not as easy to use as the Photoshop version, but you shouldn’t leave your Mac at home, now, should you?

5. Image Rotation

You know how it goes. You take a shot with your iPhone and it insists your image is 90 degrees off. Just drop it into MS Paint and use the image Rotation Tool. Even better, it now has the ability to flip an image on its vertical or horizontal axis. Not too shabby.

6. Basic Shapes

You ever try to draw a circle in MS Paint? Don’t. It’s a waste of time. Here’s my best effort to date:

You’re welcome. But you don’t have to stress and strain like I did. Just use the new, built in shapes. You have circles, squares, stars, and other basic shapes. Not to get snooty, but most high-end designs only use these basic shapes, so in theory you could pull off some really great work using this set of tools…just saying.

7. Image Reformatting

Find yourself with a GIF and you really need a JPG? No problem. You can throw that GIF into MS Paint and save as any of the common formats, including PNG. This can come in especially handy when you just need a quick switcheroo.

8. Color Replacement

Believe it or not, you can actually use the Eraser Tool as a color replacer. With the Eraser Tool selected, choose the color you want to replace. Then click-and-hold the right mouse button (yes, Mac users, there’s more than one mouse button). This let’s you only erase the color you selected as your primary color (Color 1). Pretty slick…for MS Paint, I mean.

9. Custom Brushes

Well, not really. But you can use the Selection Tool’s advanced feature to make a custom brush-like experience. Draw the shape you want on a blank part of your canvas. Use the Select Tool to select your little drawing. Click the option drop-down menu and select “Transparent selection.” Now just copy and paste the design.

Do I need to remind you that this isn’t Photoshop, but who left what you know where?

10. Better Brush Sizes

MS Paint only has about three brush sizes micro, xxxx-small, and xxx-small. Useless. But you CAN resize the brushes incrementally using the CTRL and +/- symbols. This lets you get the size much closer to what could be considered reasonable.

Conclusion…

While not a fan, I do realize that MS Paint actually has some basic features that can save the day in a pinch. To their credit, MS has to develop software that anybody can use, so they have to strip the features down to their bare-bones. They succeeded! And with a few tricks and use of some advanced features, you can make it work for you when necessary.

Since Google+ has emerged, the Search Engine Optimization (SEO) world has been all amok with speculation about how shares and +1 will impact the search engine results page (SERP) of various URLs. The short answer: Google+ does have an impact, but early indicators show that standard SEO strategies are still the key.

The Google+ Impact

The biggest reason for an impact is that Google+ is being tracked by Google. A simple way to test this is if you have a WordPress blog. Just install any of the many available Google+ plugins, write a new post, click the Google+ button and within hours the url will show up in search results. When we tested on a unique, long-tail keyword, we found our results in approximately three hours and others have had similar results.

The key here is to understand that you can get fast traction on Google by installing a Google+ plugin on WordPress or even a Joomla blog and clicking the Google+ button. This gets your URLs registered very quickly getting you into search results faster than waiting for the Googlebot to find you. Is it faster than submitting your article through feedburner and the like? That has yet to be seen.

Twitter vs. Google+

On July 3rd, 2011 Google lost its realtime access to Twitter feeds. The result is that it now takes hours, not minutes, for Google to discover and rank content that is coursing through the Twitter banks. This means from a speed standpoint that the Google+ feature is on par with Twitter!

But that doesn’t mean that the Google+ vote means more from a weight standpoint than a Twitter vote. Testing indicates that Google+ and Twitter have approximately the same net effect. Currently Twitter tends to get more traction through retweeting than Google+ generates in additional votes, so Twitter is still king.

What does it all mean?

Standard SEO strategies still apply. Google+ will not be a major game-changer but will eventually have an impact as more and more people begin using it, and only time will tell how many will jump on the Google+ train. Will building Google+ campaigns be the next big short-term key to taking over the #1 spot for competitive keywords? Probably not. But SEO experts will have to take this voting tool into consideration and figure out how to get customers to vote for their sites either within search results or through the Google+ Sparks feature.

Tempting, Dirty, Black Hat SEO Tactics, Who’s Gotten Seduced?

Google’s webmaster tools page actually states that some bad dudes (and may I stress usually without any professional SEO background) “…engage in link exchange schemes and build partner pages exclusively for the sake of cross-linking, disregarding the quality of the links, the sources, and the long-term impact it will have on their sites.”

Who would do this sort of thing? This must be some sort of cheap trick by a second hand car dealer-esque, dirty rotten scoundrel type, website owner (no offense to anyone actually in the car trade – which is probably a very noble and honest industry), who is unwilling to put the time and effort into creating a worthwhile website, and craves instant results. Well this assumption couldn’t be further from the truth. This black hat technique has, shockingly, been a tactic by some major corporations! However, Google has, thankfully, now identified and clamped down on the activities.

It would seem Forbes “knows what sells”
The highest profile offender was Forbes.com (a part of Forbes’ Digital – whose websites apparently collectively reach more than 27 million unique visitors each month, according to Wikipedia). Forbes received a wrist-slapping email from Google (about selling links) informing them that they had “artificial or unnatural links” on their site “pointing to other sites that could be intended to manipulate PageRank”.

J.C. Penny and Overstock Are Proven Fans of “Instant Gratification”
There appears to have been a clampdown recently by Google, as further evidenced with major shopping outlet
J. C. Penney and online retailer Overstock.com, which both received the dreaded ‘penalization’ email from the good people at Google. This turn of events has been fantastic news for everyone involved in professional SEO, as the so-called “Black-hat” tactics that have somewhat soiled the name of SEO, are finally flubbing in their attempts to gain an unfair advantage.

White Hat SEO is a Beautiful and Natural Burst of Fresh Air

Now, after all this filthy and vile black hat talk, it is important to highlight the natural white hat link practices that good SEO craves. These principles should always be practiced by any good search engine optimization company.

1. Deep linking. Links that go to all areas of the site and not just the home-page. A good mix of home page and other page links (ensuring that key words are not overused), as well as full http links (rather than keyword links) is good practice.
2. Natural linking is not reciprocal, which means if a website has a link to you, it looks more natural not to always have a link going back to them. Launching quirky competitions to set the blogging world alive with excitement is a good way to get link without the need to link back. If the competition is of interest to their audience, then both bloggers (as well as traditional websites) will be delighted to inform their audience.
3. Relevant text must always be used. For example, if the website is a bike shop, then the link must be surrounded by information about bikes. All good quality websites relating to bike enthusiasts and (more generic) websites from the region need be considered and ideas brainstormed for possible “link bait” and possible articles to include the keywords.
4. Links are gained slowly, so a colossal amount of links gained at the same time is thankfully easy for search engines to spot. Therefore utilizing social media (such as Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn) is a fantastic way to slowly build relationships online, which can eventually lead to links.
5. Variety is the key, as links with websites with varying page ranks (as long as the content is relevant and is not “spammy” or with a poor reputation) should be gained. For example, universities and councils (if your site has something worthwhile to offer them), media, websites used by the target audience, bloggers, should be contacted in a genuine manner that looks appears you are generally offering news that would benefit or interest the readers of their website.

Following these guidelines will help your website to climb up the SERPs naturally and safely, and will avoid any wrist-slapping from Google – but the secret to successful SEO is establishing links with respected websites. Online, as in life, you are judged by the company you keep. If you associate with dubious characters in your private life, then you will be tarred with the same brush! By hanging out with the popular, well respected crowd, you will be looked upon more favourably and enjoy greater opportunities.

Anyway, for those of you that don’t need the lesson and are here for the eye candy, below you’ll find a list of our 7 favorite jQuery scripts and effects that we have used in our new jQuery template category so far:

#7 Portfolio Image Slider

A slider is a good tool for showcasing a variety of images on the homepage of your website. You could use to to show off your design portfolio, provide snapshots of your services, or even give a quick tour of what you offer. The “Easy Slider” from cssglobe.com really is just about the simplest possible method out there for adding a plug-in slider.

Get the Slider jQuery Script

Where We Use It:

This was one of the first jQuery scripts we implemented. It can be found in our Drafting Table portfolio template:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

#6 Style Switcher

The style switcher by Kevin Luck, or style sheet chooser, is a script that lets your visitors change the style of your website with a single click. The premise involves creating multiple style sheets that all contain the same css classes but with different properties. When the user selects a link for a particular style, the site switches from the default style sheet to the new one selected. It’s a really simple way to add new interest to the design of your site.

Get the Style Sheet Chooser jQuery Script

Where We Use It:

We added the style sheer chooser to our Design Star web design portfolio template to switch between wild patterned backgrounds:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

#5 Multi Level Drop Down Menu

Drop down menus are a tidy way to organize your navigation links, especially if you want to give users direct access to a sub page within a main section without having to hop through several pages. The unhiply named “jQuery Multi Level CSS Menu #2” by DynamicDrive.com gives this option, but allows a navigation system that goes 3 levels deep, switching between vertical and horizontal drop down links.

Get the Multi Level Menu jQuery Script

Where We Use It:

The multi level jQuery menu adds a level of depth to the trendy 5 Band music web template:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

#4 Custom Content Slider

Not to be confused with a main image slider, the content slider actually contains all of the content for your entire site. This means than you will not have multiple HTML pages, and all of your site’s content will be contained within a single HTML file. When you click a button that sends a user to a new page, you simply scroll through to the next section of content. It provides an appearance similar to frames, but I assure you, there are no framesets in this code.

Get the Custom Content Slider from Queness

Where We Use It:

Our cutesy Pet Club website design uses this script to scroll through the content without requiring a reload for each page:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

#3 Horizontal Javascript Accordion

This script is 1kb of pure awesomeness. It has a similar purpose as an image slider, but instead of sliding your images, it expands and reduces them, enlarging the selected image to full width on hover, and reducing the others back to tab sized. This cool little script is from leigeber.com.

Get the Horizontal Javascript Accordion

Where We Use It:

You could lose hours (or at least minutes) playing with the accordion menu installed on the Big Wind and Solar clean energy template:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

#2 and #1 Corner Peel & Accordion Content

The final two of our top 7 favorite jQuery template effects are actually contained within the same web design, so I figured why not demonstrate an act of efficiency and group ‘em together?

Corner Page Peel Effect
There’s no better way to add an announcement that will be seen by all of your users on any page of your site. This effect allows you to add some little icon or image to the corner of the page, and then display a full sized promotional message when the user clicks it to peel the corner away.

Get the Page Peel Effect

Accordion Content

Looking to combine the playfulness of an accordion menu with the sleek functionality of the custom content slider? That;s exactly what’s done with the Stemkoski’s “Stupid Simple jQuery Accordion Menu”. It makes navigating your website’s content an absolute blast!

Get the Stupid Simple jQuery Accordion Menu

Where We Use Them:

Both these playful effects have been lovingly applied to the Faber College education template:

• See it in Action
• Get the Template

The above jQuery effects vary in usefulness, admittedly, and I know we have used scripts that have a far more functional benefit. However, these are my favorites, and are often playful and fun. There are dozens of other jQuery scripts used throughout our jQuery template section as well, so feel free to take a browse through all of our current jQuery Templates.

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In this post, you’ll be amazed, astonished, flabbergasted, and drunkened by the accuracy of these technology predictions from Video Review’s David Hadju back in ’82. If by the end of this post you still don’t feel drunkened, don’t worry, I’ve drankened enough for the both of us.

The Original Printed Article

Prediction #1:

What was Predicted?

This is a perfect description of the basic functions of Tivo and other digital video recorders. The author, David Hadju, was 17 years ahead of his time with this prediction.

Prediction #2:

What was Predicted?

Flat screen? Microprocessors? Video walkie talkie? It’s as though Mr. Hadju was in possession of Apple’s stolen iPhone 4 prototype before passing it along to Gizmodo’s Jason Chen. I think Apple may need to send the time police back to offices of Video Review and confiscate their 80286′s and commodore 64′s.

Prediction #3:

What was Predicted?

The wireless media center has been under development by Motorola since 2001. It’s able to broadcast music, dvds, computer content, photos and videos from digital cameras, and much more between a variety of devices over a home network without a single wire (except perhaps for a few dozen power cords; Tesla’s wireless electricity is still a little far fetched at the moment, but we’re not here to talk about Tesla We’ll talk about Tesla next Tuesday on Tequila night.)

Prediction #4:

What was Predicted?

This prediction was not as prophetic as the others; I’d say it was more of a technological inevitability. However David was once again correct, and modern video cameras can double as a virtual editing room without needing additional equipment.

Prediction #5:

What was Predicted?

This is the only prediction that failed. Betamax had all of the success against VHS that Toshiba’s HD-DVD had against Blueray. Beta was finally retired by Sony in 1988, going to show that Japanese technology companies will never achieve success.

While Davey didn’t get all predictions correct, 4 out of 5 is pretty amazing, especially considering the scope of the predictions, and how bad many predictions turn out (old popular science magazine enthusiasts will know what I mean.) In defense of prediction number 5, the concept of a combo player did finally make it to market, in the format of a DVD/VHS combo player, so maybe we’ll give Dave a 4.25 out of 5?

Text Version of Column:

(In case your eyes are bad from too much computer use.)

Ever want to scream right through the TV screen to a movie character who, say, doesn’t know he’s walking into the barn where spacemen have planted their death ray? Well, that’s how I feel this time of year. Every December, Video Review takes a hard look at all the video developments of the past 12 months for our annual review of the Best and the Worst Gear of the Year. Then we turn to video’s leading inventors, engineers, and other insiders for the first peek at what’s in store for the coming year. But after pouring over every video development of the near past and the near future, I look at the year’s files of data and feel like yelling “Hey, why don’t you guys really to this?”

It might be as useful as hollering at a TV set, but here’s a brief look at a few different ways the video-equipment powers that be could have gone in their ’82 plans:

• TV Sets with “Special Effects.” Through an inventive union of frame-storage and time-delay technologies, TV sets ad monitors could incorporate virtually all of the special features now employed only on VCRs and videodisc players. That way, viewers of broadcast and cable-TV programs could use freeze-frame, frame advance, and slow motion on shows while they’re being broadcast.
• Video Walkie-Talkies, Or “walkie-watchies.” With microprocessors and the first flat-display picture tubes, there’s nothing preventing the development of personal, two-way TV transmitters/receivers-except perhaps the FCC.
• Wireless Video Components. A pet idea of VR’s managing editor, Deirdre Condon, wireless components could put an end to the headaches-and the electrical hazards-of interfacing the growing number audio/video/computer components essential to a top-grade modern (or is that “postmodern”?) electronics system.
• Optical-Effects Videocameras. Technically, it’s far simpler to achieve moviemaking optical effects such as “dissolves” and “wipes” with video than with film. Yet, for all their sophistication, no consumer videocameras have ever been built to handle such effects.
• Beta/VHS VCRs. Hardly our idea by and means, the prospect of one video recorder being able to record and play videocassets in both of today’s major (and totally incompatible) VCR formats has probably struck everyone who knows there are different formats, Everybody in video talks about this one-except the folks making Beta and VHS.
]]> http://blog.boxedart.com/nostalgia/eerie-predictions-from-1982/feed/ 4 http://blog.boxedart.com/inspiration/a-template-design-retrospective-2001-%e2%80%93-2010/ http://blog.boxedart.com/inspiration/a-template-design-retrospective-2001-%e2%80%93-2010/#comments Sat, 10 Jul 2010 20:23:57 +0000 Cubert http://blog.boxedart.com/?p=964 Web design styles have been evolving rapidly in recent years, and the design industry has sprouted up like an over watered Chia Pet, incubated in an industrial green house, and crammed full of Miracle Grow laced with crystal meth. I clearly remember the time (circa 1990′s) when the only sites available to help you put up your website were along the lines of cgi-resources.com and htmlgoodies.com. You got a basic script that did mostly what you wanted, hacked away at it, and tried to figure out how to make some sort of basic layout nesting and re-nesting tables until finally a family of birds moved in.

Themes? Templates? Skins? There were a few “free template” sites around back then, but they were fairly obscure, and commercial templates were virtually non-existent. A script came with one look – plain, and if you wanted to change it, you spent a few weeks in Paint Shop Pro or Photoshop pasting together graphics and inserting rotating gifs. If you have no idea what I’m talking about then you haven’t been webmastering until sometime in the 2000′s when starting up a site had become easier and prettier.

Since commercial template design entered the scene in the 2000′s, the styles on the market have been constantly changing, especially over the last few years. Below, we’ve compiled a comparative sampling from 2001 through 2010 showcasing the evolution of designs. You’ll be shocked at where we started with our layouts and just how far we’ve come.


2001: The Year One Experiment

BoxedArt’s Home Page in 2001



BoxedArt was introduced in 2001 with just 4 sections: Templates, Interfaces, Mascots, and Photos. There were not many, if any, other commercial template sites around at the time, and we followed the template trend from our network’s free template site. It was really the first time that website owners could purchase ready to use layouts to apply an instant format to their website’s content. Here’s how it began:

One of BoxedArt’s First Templates



This was one of BoxedArt’s first templates. Heck, it was one of the first commercial templates ever released on the web. No PSD files included, no text prefilled in the content section, and no photos used in the layout. Just a simple table based layout with 16 monochrome gifs.

All templates added during this year were from the same designer and followed a similar trend:

Additional First Edition Templates



Later in the year, we got fancy and added mascots, banner positions, an text indicating where you placed the content, just in case you were unsure where it went:

Style From End of 2001



2002: From Experiment to Establishment

By the end of 2002 we had updated our look several times. There was a lot of trial and error figuring out what worked and what didn’t. The below site design went through several revisions; we removed network sites, altered the content layout, and we also simplified the template access plans. Previously, it was some awkward mix of download credits + access length. We changed to an “all access system” instead, which was much cleaner. Little did I realize at the time, that we had set the model for what would be copied innumerably, down to the site’s welcome text. Looking back, I’ve also noticed how clear the call to action was on this design, long before I’d heard of that phrase.

BoxedArt’s Home Page in 2002



The templates also began to evolve throughout 2002, however, the earlier designs of 2002 mimicked those released throughout 2001. The concepts were very simple, and generally provided no text in the content are. However, the graphic quality improved, as did the use of creativity, and we did advance to the level of including .psd files with our downloads:

Early 2002 Templates



We also had a few that weren’t created by experienced designers, and these were cruder than BP’s oil spill. However at that time, there still weren’t many commercial templates out there, and these were still proved to be somewhat popular for early 2002 releases:

Crude Mid 2002 Amateur Templates



We also introduced flash templates, however the flash effects were extremely underwhelming, and the designers that developed these flash themes were not as adept at website design as the newly hired HTML template designers:

First Flash Template Attempts From 2002



In the later half of 2002, we employed the services of more seasoned web designers, and the template changes were more drastic than than this comedian’s response to a heckler. We finally see content filled in throughout the templates, a variety of layout configurations, a liberal use of stock photos, and creative navigation systems. These are the first true commercially viable templates, and some of these styles remain relevant even today.

Late 2002 Templates







2003: A Glossy New Image

I still look back at the design from 2003 fondly. It was the site’s first layout that wasn’t sort of pieced together. The design was very glossy and candy-like, and we created over a dozen versions and styles for the site, refining the final concept numerous times both pre and post launch. The main category count for product types also ballooned to 12, and the limited edition and custom design sections were added to the site.

BoxedArt’s Home Page in 2003



In addition to the changes to the look of the site, we also further evolved the template packs with contributions by designers that were years ahead of their time. The designs now contained multiple pages (typically 3-5), more detailed graphical work in Photoshop, and a very wide range of styles; many with a glossy sheen. A lot of the templates designed in 2003 are still in use by websites across the web, and still look pretty professional.

A Selection of Templates from 2003





We also learned that we could we could improve our flash layouts by simply animating our HTML designs, and we began producing flash and non flash versions of every template released.

2004: Piling on the Products

There were no major site design revisions in 2004, and instead we focused on rapidly increasing the range and volume of products added. By the end of the year the site reached 24 categories of member products and 6 categories of limited edition downloads.

BoxedArt’s Home Page in 2004



In addition to adding more products and web templates than ever before, BoxedArt also acquired the talents of even more skilled website designers, and the quality of templates continued to flourish. You’ll also notice that the trend of the era was geared towards more graphically intensive designs; 3d graphics were especially popular.

A Selection of Templates from 2004





2005-2009: A Move Toward Sophistication

2005 introduced the longest running design in BoxedArt’s history, which stood for four years. For this style, we took the bright candy colors from the 2003/2004 design and integrated them into a more sophisticated concept. We also placed the latest updates across the top of the page to give a visual of the best of the updates, rather than just the update section at the bottom of the page. Additionally, with this layout, we started playing with the “box” theme from the BoxedArt domain name, and integrated it into the logo and the welcome section. As with every major relaunch, additional product categories were also added, and the site swelled to 36 member sections.

BoxedArt’s Home Page from 2005-2009



During this period we had more designers creating templates than ever before. The designers pretty much had free reign over the creative process, and the concepts ranged from odd and conceptual, to fairly simple and practical. There was still a fair bit of the heavier graphic styles, and a few were more unusual than when the Great Gazoo joined the cast of the Flintstones in Season 6 . We also first began using table free CSS code and validating templates during this time as well.

Chronologically Displayed Templates form 2005 – 2009

















2009-2010: Going Postal

Finally, we’ve reached BoxedArt in it’s present state. The current design was implemented in October 2009, however, the design process for this layout actually began in early 2008. After a year and a half of dull concepts, we decided go with a play on words and make the entire look like a big brown box that had been sent through the mail with stamps, a mailing label, tape, and lots of other related effects. The design was incredibly well received, and a tutorial was also published on the design process, which itself was listed as a tutorial of the year on many popular blog design sites. In addition to the new look, a slew of new categories were once again added (including social media templates such as twitter, ebay, myspace, etc.), as well as a developer document section http://www.boxedart.com/developers.php, which featured custom written and creatively formatted contracts, spread sheets, legal documents, checklists, and many other related items that web developers could use while working with their clients. Further to this, the licensing terms of BoxedArt were also simplified with the introduction of developer plans, allowing website developers to design websites for an unlimited number of clients without requiring a lot of vague alterations to the templates.

BoxedArt’s Home Page from 2009-2010



The most recent template trend has been to provide the most simply usable layouts possible, while still maintaining a creative spark. We introduced jQuery effects, increased resolutions drastically, added multiple level navigation, and much more. This revolution in template style required documentation to be developed for template designers, providing specific style examples, design trends, jQuery script examples, and sought after themes.







Moving Forward

We’re already in the early stages of a new plan for BoxedArt’s design and identity. While there are many great elements with the current layout, there were also a number of missed opportunities that we plan on revising and filling in. We’re also working hard to poll our users to find out how we can improve our template designs and other product sections.

In conclusion, the web design industry has been through dramatic changes throughout the years, and nowhere is this more evident then on BoxedArt. It’s template section is a virtual time machine of design styles, trends, and breakthroughs over the course of an entire decade. I leave you with a side by side comparison with one of our first ever added templates and one of our latest. The evolution is simply extraordinary.

Template from 2001 vs Template from 2010


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