New Website (Fall 2013 Newsletter)

I've always felt that computers enable mere mortals to do extraordinary things. In large part, that's why for years I used Apple's bundled iWeb software to put together the Visionary Computer web site myself. However when Apple cut iWeb from it's offerings it was clear that a change was needed. I spent some time investigating alternatives, some standalone software and some web based. After much debate I picked the online development environment called Squarespace.

"Squarespace’s mission is to provide creative tools that power the future of the web. From designers creating the next generation of web and mobile experiences, to anyone managing their own online presence for the first time, Squarespace provides elegant solutions that set new standards for online publishing. By focusing our efforts on the fusion of design and engineering, we strive to create long-lasting products that delight and surprise our customers."

And that is exactly how I felt the site performed. I was surprised by how easy it was to create a cohesive and robust web site. There are many page types and site features I've not even implemented yet but it's nice to know they are there for future expansion. Best of all, the cost is very reasonable. There are plans as low as $8 per month, a popular plan for $16 per month or a fully e-commerce enabled plan for just $24 per month. Price aside, the two things which sold me on Squarspace were the easy of use and the unbelievably awesome help and support. I work with Tech companies all day every day and the support people at Squarespace surprised me. They have gone above and beyond to help with any questions or problems. 

In terms of enhancements to our site, some of our new features include a blog section where we post not only our newsletter articles but other items of interest which allow us to communicate with our customers between newsletters - entries to our blog automatically push out to Facebook and Twitter. A calendar page which will highlight any special events happening here at Visionary Computer. And surprisingly to me, we have a contact form on our site which has been very popular. I always thought a simple email link was sufficient but it seems many people browse the site and send us questions and comments using the "Send us a message…" form. Oh, and the site renders perfectly no matter what you use to browse from computers to mobile devices. Squarespace takes care of that so you don't need to design one site for computers and one for phones. It all ads up to a much improved web presence and one I hope you all enjoy