The hazards of being a designer.

So I was using a new scalpel to cut out some artwork. The knife jumped off the ruler (as usual), but caught a little too much skin this time! Need to start charging danger money.

Do you really need content management for your website?

When it comes to picking a content management system (CMS) there is a seemingly endless choice on offer - but getting your planning right can make the decision easier.

There are several open source options available for integration into a website, and they all do pretty much the same thing - enable you to administer the content of your site - with CMS the important consideration is what they don't do.

At Toast, we offer four different approaches to CMS systems and suggest the best options to our clients.

1. Do you really need a CMS?

Sounds daft, but from experience, we've installed many a CMS system for a client that never gets looked at - they come back to us to administer the site as they don't have the time. The initial costs of setting up a CMS can be saved and updates can be completed by us as-and-when required. Quick changes to web pages take minutes, and are charged as such. If the frequency of updates increases, we can always bolt-on the CMS at a later date.

Great for: Smaller businesses and people that are unsure of their CMS requirement
Not so good for: Larger companies where they will be more than one person wishing to alter the site.

2. Really simple CMS

We use a few systems that allow the text content and images on a website page to be edited and updated. That's it. Simple to set up, quick to use and no-nonsense.

Great for: People that need a limited amount of control of their content. Non-techy types.
Not so good for: Larger websites, people who need to manage site sections/pages

3. Advanced CMS

There are a few applications out there (Wordpress, Text Pattern, Drupal et al) that give you more control over the content of your site. They're more complex to set up and use, but have far more features than the previous apps. If you need to update multiple sections of your site on a regular basis, with multiple users and other functional requirements, this is probably the best option for you.

Great for: Larger sites with higher functional requirements, multiple users, more technically minded folk
Not so good for: People that need specific functionality

4. Bespoke CMS

As the name suggests, this is where we build something for you, that does everything you need and nothing you don't. This is the most expensive of the four solutions, but it's the most future-proof. A bespoke site can grow with your requirements and removes the possibilities of needing to 'start again' 2 years down the line.

Great for: Bigger budgets, specific requirements, long term development
Not so good for: Smaller companies and brochure-style sites

Many agencies have their 'own' CMS systems that are branded versions of open source applications - these are free for commercial use, so be wary you're not paying for something that was free. What you should be paying for is the installing and customisation of these existing apps to meet you needs (as well as the design and build of the site).

If you'd like to discuss your site with Toast, give us a call on 01295 266644. We make a point of not trying to 'sell in' our own system - we'll listen to your requirements and suggest the best option from what is available to meet your needs and budget.

Decorating the office.

Office Move

We've recently moved office to a nice old town house in the centre of Banbury - three floors and our own garden for the summer.

Good Stuff

This place is pretty cool. It's a busy site, but worth a look!

http://www.spraygraphic.com/

New Illustration

If you can't say it, draw it.

Get your tights off!

I have just heard about this fantastic way tight loving girlies can help a very worth while charity.

Come on girls get ur tights off!

The Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital in Ethiopia treats woman who have suffered a fistula injury due to complications in child birth. This is a problem that we no longer have in the developed world.You can help the wonderful work done by the Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital by sending them your old, clean tights. Ladders and holes are not a problem.Following their operations the women use the panty parts of the tights to hold their bandages in place. Nothing goes to waste as the legs are woven into rugs. Thanks to everyone for sending in tights, we have had an amazing response. We have just sent off our last batch, but if you would like to contribute to the charity then please feel free to send the tights directly to Ethiopia.
Addis Ababa Fistula Hospital,
PO Box 3609Behind Swiss Embassy,
Jimma Road,
Addis Ababa,
Ethiopia

This was set up by http://www.tightsplease.co.uk, well worth a look for some fab looking winter legs!

More Late Night Doodles.

They just keep coming!

New Stuff.

Some late night doodles...

Does anyone know how to get Indian Ink out of untreated wood?

Food for thought

Bit of an unusual post but I wanted to ask if anyone else thinks that some elements of the food industry (unhealthy) have lost the plot?

Over the last few years there has been a creeping change to make obviously unhealthy food healthier - WHY? sweets, chocolate, crisps, fizzy drinks, fried foods basically all convenience food.

Let me explain: Pot noodle - now less fat, less salt and more vegetables - result they are foul. Smarties used to be be likes E's but now all the colours are natural - result they look like someone's already sucked them and put them back in the tube! Yuck. And coke - now has no sugar, no caffeine but does have added vitamins and omega oils - what the F.........!

There used to be a honesty - a spade's a spade mentality. You didnt eat them thinking they were anything but JUNK and that was part of the pleasure. Dont make everything the same, variety is good even when its bad. Now they aren't junk and they aren't real food.

Honesty. Its being lost from more an more industries -   just a thought...