OKI Printing Solutions - UK Corporate Intranet
OKI Printing Solutions - the multinational electronics manufacturer - approached us to help them develop a UK wide corporate intranet - after a more expensive proprietary system failed to produce the desired results.
Our role was in providing a rapid proof of concept to show that Joomla could meet their needs, lots of consultation and reassurance was required because of previous experiences. We provided training to management who then cascaded that training to end users.
Telepartner relaunched as AirVersenthttp://www.airversent.co.uk/
For some time now we have provided retained services
to Telepartner LTD a provider of electronic data solutions
to companies in the logistics sector.
When Telepartner recently relaunched as AirVersent
recently re-branded and relaunched we were called upon
(at short notice) to create a new template for the new
site which had to match the US company's and which would
have to be ready in time for trade shows to be staged
simultaneously on both sides of the Atlantic.
Trafford Hall
Traffard Hall is
home to the National Communities Resource Centre and
also a conference centre / venue. Trafford Hall developed
their website(s) in-house but realised they didn't have
the competencies internally to take the project to its conclusion.
We were approached to provide guidance and soon
thereafter were asked to take over the implementation
of the project but to keep the design that had initially
been selected.
Together with the client we decided to rationalise
their two sites into one, to re-organise the internal
content structure to accommodate merging the two sites into one. We
advised the removal of an old flash splash screen and built
an unobtrusive javascript implementation to fulfil the same role.
A Medium Sized US Publisher of Niche Magazines
We were contacted after the client saw our 'Hacker Beware!' Joomla
security add-on. They reported that their server seemed
to be hacked 'at will' and that no matter what steps they took to
clean the server, which hosted twelve websites of magazines well
known in their niche industry, the hackers returned within hours to
deface the site.
We took a copy of five of the sites, and built 'mirrors' of these
locally to perform analysis. We analysed log files and devised a
strategy of scanning for known file names and for files with known
hacking commands within them. We then analysed these files and built
a list of other terms to search for and repeated the process. Once we
removed these 'dropped' back doors we upgraded the sites to the latest
versions of Joomla and Mambo as necessary. We then placed these files
on a new server which we bolted down as securely as possible.
Following later security lapses elsewhere within this media groups
operations a security review was carried out by prestigious security
firm Praetorian Security - our work was singled out for praise due to
its thoroughness.
NHS National Workforce Projects
http://www.healthcareworkforce.nhs.uk
We have recently started working with Europe's largest employer,
the NHS, to help improve a number of aspects of the NHS National
Workforce Planning website. Areas under review at the moment
include Search Engine Optimisation, improving search results within
the Joomla powered site, and reviewing the components used on the site.
Million Dollar Pet Pix - Make your pet a star
Make your pet a star
with MillionDollarPetPix is a US site dedicated to honouring pets and pet lovers - pet owners post pictures of their pets in a browsable 'time capsule'. The company behind that project have chosen a major celebrity-supported animal charity called the Genesis Awards.
We offered end to end implementation. We managed the technology,
whilst the client manages the content and their business. This
has been a fascinating - and very challenging - project, integrating
a number of disparate scripts and technologies. The site is just on
the cusp of going live.
Here are the details of some older projects that we worked on.
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Professional Researcher pro-researcher.co.uk
 Professional Researcher Site: Long established site with information for research professionals, featuring encyclopaedia, search engine, search related articles, etc.
Brief: Very very large site that has been struggling with maintenance and updates. Need to implement a system that allows rapid roll out of new and updated articles
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DeanMarshall.co.uk (this site)
 PC and Internet Consultancy Site: This site - promoting my computer products and services - including web services.
Brief: Site has to be clean crisp and professional looking.
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Vale of Lune Rugby Union Football Club
valeoflune.co.uk
 Vale of Lune RUFC
Site: Home page of the Vale of Lune RUFC. Carrying the latest club news including match reports and league tables for a range of teams - including ladies team and junior team practises.
Brief: There is a need for the site to be updated regularly with match reports, league tables and club news. The site is mainained and run by non experts with little or no HTML knowledge and the systems implemented need to accommodate this.
Solution:
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Prestige Gardens prestige-gardens.co.uk
 Prestige Gardens
Site: UK wide building contractors who can design, build and maintain conservatories, gazebos, fountains and water features.
Brief: Clean, crisp attractive site with good use of images to 'sell' the high quality products and services.
Solution:
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The Solver: http://www.thesolver.co.uk/
Site: Online crossword solver and anagram solver using a British English dictionary
Brief: Functional website, utilising custom programming (Perl / CGI) to find words matching the users input. Very clean interface required in contrast to other identified crossword solvers. Additionally an online store was desired to promote products from Amazon's extensive catalogue, to generate a moderate income to contribute towards site running costs.
Solution: We developed a custom script to optimise a dictionary for each required function - Anagram Solver / Crossword Solver. We then developed a script to search the dictionary files in as lean a way as possible. For the interface we 'borrowed' Google's lean and clean look. The online store is a speciality of ours. 'The Boss' Dean Marshall co-operates with 'MrRat' the enigmatic internet phenomenon who develops 'Amazon Products Feed' an Open Source script that enables webmasters to incorporate an online store into their websites. As a moderator on MrRat's support forum, and a developer of mod files (plug-in extensions that change the way the script operates) Dean is one of the most knowledgeable people around when it comes to implementing an APF enabled online store.
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BuyFor Him - Gift ideas for men: http://www.buyforhim.co.uk/
 BuyForHim.co.uk Site:'Buy For Him' is an online store that aims to help ladies select the right product for the special man in their lives. Whether you are looking for that perfect Birthday or Christmas present, Buy For Him will help you find what you are looking for.
Brief:Clean, user-friendly interface, capable of showing recommendations as well as allowing the visitor to browse and search at their own discretion.
Solution: A site based on a highly customised version of MrRat's Amazon Products Feed (APF) incorporating some FREE mod files, some FOR FEE mods, and some custom built mods.
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BuyFor Her - Gift ideas for women: http://www.buyforher.co.uk/
no image available
Site:'Buy For Her' is an online store that aims to help men select the right product for the special woman in their lives. Whether you are looking for that perfect Birthday or Christmas present, Buy For Her will help you find what you are looking for.
Brief:Clean, user-friendly interface, capable of showing recommendations as well as allowing the visitor to browse and search at their own discretion.
Solution: A site based on a highly customised version of MrRat's Amazon Products Feed (APF) incorporating some FREE mod files, some FOR FEE mods, and some custom built mods.
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http://www.soundessences.com/ - SoundEssences.com (No longer under our control or using our design)
SoundEssences.co.uk http://www.soundessences.co.uk/
Site:Sound Essences - unleashing the healing power of sound in the universe. An alternative therapy site, leading the way in the distribution of Essences imbued with the healing power of sounds.
Brief: Start small with a view to potentially rapid growth. The site is to be the main marketing tool in a 'mail order' distribution business. The Sound Essences team want to be able to update their own content with minimal fuss and little html knowledge or experience. The ability to take Paypal / credit card payments also emerged during the process.
Solution: Prior to going fully live the site has already undergone a series of iterative rewrites. The site comprises a high information content with background information and a call to action. Basic Search Engine Optimisation techniques are to be employed, as rapid results from search engine marketing would be beneficial to the client. The Joomla Content Management System is an excellent platform where there is content to be managed and where clients want to update their own content. The Joomla framework also provides a stable base upon which to build web applications. With this in mind I have developed a custom component to integrate the Sound Essences' catalogue and the Paypal payment gateway.
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Morecambe Brass Band http://www.morecambebrassband.co.uk/
Site: Morecambe Brass Band are a very active local brass band performing in concerts and events in the Morecambe and Lancaster area
Brief: Re-invigorate the site which was being maintained by one man, and enable more frequent easier updating by a number of people with little or no specialist knowledge of web design. The band also wanted to investigate the possibilities of some advanced features, newsletters, polls, forums, etc.
Solution: A Content Management System such as Mambo provided the perfect basis for this site. Especially appealing is the ability for multiple people to create and update content - now all we need are the people to do the updates
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Ladies Lounge - http://www.ladieslounge.co.uk/
Site: The Ladies Lounge is to be the UK's only topless waiter bar. Based in Coventry, and launched following a string of successful events hosted around the Midlands, the bar offers male strippers and other entertainments for ladies. If you need a venue for a hen night of just a girls night out try 'The Ladies Lounge'.
Brief: The brief was originally just to put in place a basic holding page and over time to build a basic two or three page website with an updated event list. This grew into a 5 or 6 page site and has been changed a few times. Nothing overly fancy required, no polls, online contact forms and the site is not envisaged to require copious amounts of content to manage.
Solution: I decided on a hand rolled basic html site - standards compliant (xhtml valid), with photos and a nightclub feel. The site needs to be keyword rich whilst mainly graphical. | |
Tough Power Tools - http://www.toughpowertools.com/ 
Site: Tough Power Tools is a site that offers a wide range of powertools, accessories and diy manuals. The site features (or will feature once fully live) buying faqs, interactive forum support and free phone support
Brief: The site's main aim, as with any online store, is to generate sales. The strategy is to develop content and offer the support that will create community and fuel repeat orders.
Solution: This store has been built upon a very very heavily customised version of MrRat's Amazon Products Feed script. This is a script that utilises data feeds from Amazon.com to build an online store fully integrated into your website. I help the developer of this software - the mysterious MrRat - so know the software very well. My files are able to plug-in to this script's framework and extend its functionality.
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