The Chrome Review

Remember the 80's?  There was a trend of using the word "bad" to imply "good."  A statement you might hear would be, "Man, those shoes are BAD!"  That person didn't really mean the shoes were inferior in any way;  it was a compliment.  The word took on an opposite meaning from its original intent.

Google has followed a similar concept with the naming of their new browser, Chrome.  In the world of web browsers, "chrome" is a reference to the screen real estate that exists outside of the page you are viewing.  Things like the address bar, scrollbars, bookmark bar, add-ons, tabs, etc. are all considered chrome.  The irony of this is that this browser contains the least amount of chrome of any browser I've ever used.

The Chrome browser is the definition of a simple web experience.  As stated, it has minimal visible features: forward/back navigation, an address box, and a few buttons.  It allows for tabbed viewing, and the tabs themselves are located at the very top of the application.  The status bar at the bottom of the application is only viewable when pages are loading.  Chrome leaves a ton of room to display the page, thus putting the emphasis on the web experience as opposed to the software itself.

My first impression upon using Chrome is that I like it.  It will not replace FireFox for me, simply because I use a lot of the add-ons specific to web developers that FF offers, but I will probably recommend Chrome for Internet Explorer users.  There are so few settings in Chrome, it almost seems impossible to mess up the web experience by accidentally turning on a feature you didn't really need. 

There is also a useful "incognito" mode for browsing without leaving a history.  I'll be using that the next time I'm buying birthday presents for my wife online.  This seems like a useful option.

I really love the single text box for search, bookmarks, history, and address lookup.  Bookmarking is incredibly easy too.  There is a star next to the search box that instantly bookmarks the page and allows you to quickly choose a location for it. 

The idea of putting the tabs at the top is a nice touch as well.  Arranging those tabs is easily done by dragging them in the order you prefer.

File downloads are really simple, and the browser actually places links to the files at the bottom of the page once they are complete.  Forget those annoying pop-ups common in IE and FireFox.

One really useful feature is the browser's ability to keep track of the sites you visit the most, and then displaying thumbnails/links to those pages on the browser's "home" page.  I've used that feature a lot already. 

Aside from all the bells and whistles (or lack thereof), Chrome seems fast.  I don't know if that's because it breaks everything running behind the scenes into separate processes, or if it just has less going on.  Either way, it does seem to load sites faster than IE and FireFox.

The only problem I've noticed so far involves sites with plugins, such as sites that require Windows Media Player.  When I try to run these pages, I click the link to install the plugin and am not sure which browser option to choose because Chrome is not one of those options.  I assume this is a problem with Chrome being all of 1-day old and I expect this problem to be solved shortly.

I highly recommend Chrome for every day browsing and web applications.  Go ahead, close your Internet Explorer browser and start using Chrome.  It's simple, puts the emphasis on the web itself, and works great.  Nice work, Google.

Visit the Google Chrome homepage for more information.

Here comes Google Chrome

As if I don't already have enough web browsers to target with various design and functionality quirks, tomorrow Google will be releasing the beta version of their new web browser known as Google Chrome.  I'm sure I'll download it and take it for a spin, and once I do I'll be sure to post a review.  It will be interesting to see how integrated it is with Google's other services (my big 3 are Gmail, Reader, and Google Documents).  I have heard that it is a lot more "application friendly" than any other web browser currently out there. 

The amazing thing is that I had not heard about this until today, and it seems to be the buzz of the web.  In other words, Google did a great job keeping a major release undercover for a few months.

Here's a link for more information on the release: http://googleblog.blogspot.com/2008/09/fresh-take-on-browser.html

Buzzwords: And a 1.0, 2.0, 3.0...

Depending on how involved you are with the web, you may or may not have heard the terms given to the various web "movements."  We are currently living in the Web 2.0 movement and rapidly approaching Web 3.0.  Speaking of which, I am wondering what happened to 2.1, 2.2, etc.  But I will save that research for another time.

So what do these numbers mean?  I'll try to give you a short description and examples of each, and you can figure out where your existing online presence falls.

Web 1.0 is the static web.  A Web 1.0 site exists on it's own, with no interaction from users or other sites.  It might look good, contain relevant information, but it really doesn't do anything that involves the user.  A plain brochure site would be considered Web 1.0.

Web 2.0 is a move towards a more interactive, user-driven web.  Sites now have a social element and often base some or all of their information on user-provided content.  YouTube is a great example of Web 2.0 because it is entirely driven by user content.  Facebook is another example with it's social networking aspect.  Even Amazon.com is very Web 2.0 with it's dependence on customer reviews and ratings.  The interfaces of Web 2.0 are also much more interactive and AJAX-driven.  AJAX allows for things like drag-n-drop functionality and smoother interaction with the site.

The new kid on the block is Web 3.0.  To me, Web 3.0 involves a push towards a limitless, machine-independent web.  Basically, the web is your computing interface.  All your software, data, etc becomes web-based.  Web 3.0 has also been called the "semantic web."  It's a movement where your online presence is really defined by a variety of sites and sources.  For example, have several Blogger sites, a LinkedIn account, a Facebook page, a GoodReads account, and more.  Factoring all these sources together becomes my online presence.  A site like Plaxo that integrates all these profiles could probably be viewed as touching on Web 3.0.

So how would you classify your current online presence?  If you're still in 1.0-land, it's probably time to re-think your strategy. 

New client agreement

Just wanted to give everyone a heads up that I have created a new page/document called "The Flight Plan." It's my fancy way of titling the new client agreement. It's got all sorts of fun clarifications on what Lift Development does and does not do, how we invoice, what we bill for, how projects are organized, handling of late payments, and more!

Click here to view the agreement, and I'll also include a link on upcoming invoice notifications for ease of reference.

I hope everyone is enjoying this final month of summer. It goes way too fast!

Okay, Twitter, you win

For the longest time I have been avoiding Twitter.  I set up an account about a year ago and simply never saw the point.  Those of you who are unfamiliar with Twitter should just know that it's a micro-blogging platform (140 chars or less in a post) where you simply answer the question, "What are you doing?"  I know...it sounds really really stupid.

But now that I've taken the time to set up my profile and actually "follow" some other people, I absolutely love it.  How did I live without this?  Let me explain further.

I did a few searches for other development firms or companies whose applications I use frequently (FreshBooks, 37Signals, FreelanceSwitch, etc) and added them to my "Follow" list.  In turn, a few people have started following me as well.  Now when I log in to my Twitter account I can see the recent "Tweets" for each of people I am following.  I can even send them reply Tweets if they are asking questions or talking about something I'm interested in.

Still sounds stupid doesn't it?

It's not!  Trust me!  Because here is the thing that's great:  By following individuals in the same general profession as myself, I am able to keep up with the latest and greatest talk in the "biz."  I can now keep up with the newest Web 2.0 apps, programming platforms, design standards, etc without even putting much effort into it.

What has made it SUPER easy is the TwitterFox plugin I set up in my Firefox browser.  Now as I'm in front of my PC during the day, I can update my status easily, and other people's Tweets come across the bottom of my screen as they are posted.  It's incredible: I feel well-informed without even really thinking.  And that's what we all strive for, right?!  :-)

So if you are looking into Twitter, be sure to follow me at http://twitter.com/daveyank  I apologize in advance if following me is a complete bore, but try to find people with similar interests or professions as you and you'll love it.  It's a great way to publicize your company and stay informed with the concerns of your client-base.

Client Experience Contest

One of the sites that I really enjoy as a freelance web entrepreneur is FreelanceSwitch. I actually referenced that site quite a bit when I was considering branching off on my own full-time. (Great decision!) Recently they ran a contest where readers submitted suggestions on "creating a word-of-mouth worthy experience for clients." I sometimes submit ideas in these contests, and this time I was a winner!

Here was my tip titled Brand The Experience:

There are a ton of talented freelancers out there who are as skilled as you, if not better. But you are unique and the experience of working with you is part of your brand. When you sit down to create your website, look, branding, etc. include (in writing) the unique ways that you communicate, resolve conflict, offer support, encourage clients, etc. as part of that brand.

One example is rewarding clients for meeting their OWN deadlines. You are expected to meet deadlines set ahead of time because you are getting paid the big bucks. But how often are you waiting on deliverables from your client like feedback and content? Set some deadlines for them and offer rewards for meeting them. Maybe something like a discount, free eNewsletter blast, book related to their industry, or a gift certificate would do the trick.

If you can do the special “extra” things, you will become the freelance version of George from “It’s a Wonderful Life” and your clients will never want to wonder what business might be like without you.

So there it is. I guess I'd better start taking my own advice and brand the experience for my clients!

Achieve Your Dreams

Okay the only reason I chose the title "Achieve Your Dreams" is because everybody is talking about the Olympics today and I wanted to fit in.  This post has absolutely nothing to do with the Olympics, while it does have a great deal to do with your dreams.

And by dreams I don't mean what you want to be when you grow up, or the mountain you hope to one day summit.  I mean the dreams for your business: the times during your workday when you start your sentences with "I wish there was a way to {fill in the blank}."  These are the dreams that I like to make come true.

Whenever you think there's a better way to do things, chances are there is.  Whether you want to improve communication amongst your staff, better inform your customers, handle support requests more efficiently, or plan out your projects better, more often than not you can use the web to greatly improve your life (in business that is...I can't fix your personal life, unfortunately).

There are a number of existing solutions out there for just about every possible situation.  I've talked before about the ProWorkflow project management web application.  It allows project teams to collaborate, track time, plan schedules, and more, whether they are working in the same building or scattered througout the world.  This is just one example of how someone's professional life can improve through a web-based solution.  In this case, the life of a project manager or team member.

But what if you have a very specific need and can't find an existing solution that meets it?  That's where a custom web application built by Lift Development can make your life great (again, your professional life).

Let's say you own a distribution company and you want to find a way to keep your sales people updated on product quantities, pricing, etc, without having them call in all the time.  Put this info on the web.  We could develop a custom inventory application where the rep can simply log in from their computer and check.  Better yet: we could develop a mobile web application where they can simply check directly from their web-enabled phone.

So what are your dreams?  Do you want to put your scheduling functions online?  Would a web-based knowledgebase application free up the time of your customer service representatives who are bombarded with the same questions every day?  Could a powerful content management system help your company keep its website relevant, useful, and fresh?

One of the goals of Lift Development is to be your "Michael Phelps" of web-based solutions.  I specialize in developing custom web applications that solve everyday business needs.  If you've got a "dream" for something big or small, let me know and I can work with you to achieve it.