NOTE:  Comments aren’t working while the host still restricts access to the cgi scripts… sorry… am working on a whole new migration plan that ought to be best for all of us in the long run.

Erm… it’s been quiet around here (more so than usual) AND it’s been impossible to comment BECAUSE I had a rather impressive  server snafu.

As in my Movable Type installation (apparently) crashed the server – oh, and because it’s a shared server… it wasn’t just my account that was affected…. yeah… Dee got sent to the badlands by her web host as penance/punishment….

I know, you could care less about the technical reasons.  I’m writing this up in case Kangaweb or Sixapart pay any attention to what’s being said about them in the blogoshpere.

Ok, that’s a little unfair, Sixapart clearly do as they’re following me on Twitter and messaging to ask if they can help.  This is very good and one of the reasons I still <3 Movable Type.

Kangaweb? Not so helpful… I’ve been with them a looong time and while I’m not so blind as to think MT couldn’t be causing the problem, their manner of solving the problem has been less than helpful, and truth is, a little defensive.

Furthermore, I have been offered some rather good services over at TPPInternet – you can’t go past having your own personal account manager you can talk to on the phone… one that has a side kick who’s a real live tech guru, right, oh and one that lives in your neighbourhood…

I didn’t think so… and no TPP are not a small fiddly backyard concern… these guys have some big guns… oh, and did I mention they’re fast?  They’re really fast.

So, gradually, I’m making the switch…

Which is going to mean some changes around here… I’ll keep you ‘posted’.

I’ve up and entered a local photo competition which relies primarily on public votes… so I’m sending out a shout to my blog peeps to get some momentum going… will you be my BFF and click the linked image above to go and vote for my pic??

Sorry, it’s not easy to link directly to it… so below is the image you’re looking for… and if you go now then it should still be in the recent uploads category… if you think it worthy… please give it a 10!

You’ll need to register to vote so they can make sure that we’re talking individual votes here… but you’re under no obligation to receive the Manly news updates!!!

Thanks team, I’m pretty pumped about the comp… the prize is some Canon gear (which I can trade up to Nikon, of course!!).  Muah!!!

 

Further to previous discussion…

I replied to the inquirer that WordPress was a very good option for charities and non profits to set up easy clean looking websites very quickly and at their price (as in $0) noting too that I’d be happy to add all supplied content for her at an hourly rate – I’d anticipate such a thing taking a day or so to do so the expected cost would be well under $1000 dollars.  Admittedly, to gauge their commitment to the project I’d inflated my usual hourly rate to what is closer to standard tech rates.  I should quote higher prices as a rule, I’m worth it, but because the business stuff is supplemental to my regular income I don’t usually bother, it gets me a bit of repeat business/word of mouth etc.

Anyway, I wonder if my polite inquirer forgot that they are connected to me on one of my social networks or if the following comment on their page was a passive way of dissing my suggestion – they certainly never replied to  my email.  I wonder if they’ve even checked out wordpress and seen the great stuff on there…

"Polite Inquirer is looking for a website designer to work pro bono for their charity." (tense/gender changed toprovide a bit of anonymity)

I’ve done pro bono before, in fact, one job I did has turned into a great internet friendship (hi Gem!) which is far more valuable than any monetary remuneration would have got me.  But this whole situation has got me wondering once again at the sort of culture that develops in churches in which people seem to think that because you’re a Christian you should cut them some kind of slack. The unfortunate outworking of this, sadly more often than not, is a feeling of being taken advantage of or worse still, actually being taken advantage of…

So, consider this next question research, given that not all my readers are church goers; Do people in your workplaces/clubs/service organisations/wider social circles have expectations on you to offer your skills/professional expertise and experience to do work for them for nothing or for a substantial discount etc?  What are your own expectations on others with skills you don’t have?

Truth is, it’s been so long since I worked in a secular environment I wonder if I haven’t lost a bit of perspective.  And please, don’t think I don’t do friendly discounts or help for actual friends… but for people who I know who I’m more ‘acquainted with’ than ‘friends with’ I do sometimes think such expectations are a bit ‘on the nose’. 

What do you think?