The Buzz - Your Plan B Company

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2010-03-17T15:30:00.001-05:00

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NEW SITE LAUNCH! caregivinghelp.org

2010-03-15T14:33:00.005-05:00

"CJE SeniorLife offers you this website caregivinghelp.org as a tool to support the overall caregiving experience. Our goal is to provide caregivers with educational materials and resources that are applicable to many different caregiving situations. In order to help caregivers maximize the quality of care they can offer while also minimizing the risk of "caregiver burnout," we have shared our expertise in dealing with the older adult population and designed our web pages around the most challenging aspects of caregiving. We anticipate that you and your loved one will benefit from your experience with this website."

What a wonderful working experience with the team at CJE!
Our team enjoyed creating this new version of the caregivinghelp.org website AND we have learned so much! If you or someone you know is a caregiver for a friend or family member, send them this site for more support. Everything from how to lift + transfer someone to remembering to take care of yourself too!

Your Plan B Company is proud to announce the launch of our latest project with the CJE.
And we are so happy to know, that because this is a Drupal website, that the CJE team will be able to grow the site content on their own at their own pace. Which, in the end, will help all of us!

CONGRATS! to Kathleen Ameche (womanroadwarrior.com)!

2010-03-08T14:40:00.002-06:00

Announcing the Local Nation Contest Winners!
The "Local Nation" contest received amazing entries from road trippers who speak their mind, share local knowledge and want to represent you, their fellow traveler, on Women on Their Way's newly formed "Local Nation" sounding board.

Our fabulous client, Kathleen Ameche (womanroadwarrior.com) is one of the 10 winners of the Wyndham Local Nation contest for 2010!
We want to congratulate her! And thank everyone who helped by voting for her online!

Check it out here: womenontheirway.com/local-nation

What is a content management system (CMS)?

2010-03-01T14:35:00.000-06:00

A content management system (CMS) is software that keeps track of every piece of content on your website, much like your local public library keeps track of books and stores them. Content can be simple text, photos, music, video, documents, or just about anything you can think of. A major advantage of using a CMS is that it requires almost no technical skill or knowledge to manage and edit. Since the CMS manages all your content, you don't have to.

It allows for easy, browser based editing to web content. Allowing you to keep your website current faster and from anywhere. No need to open FTP, Dreamweaver etc. Just browse to your site and log in!

Check out some of our CMS sites:
kruzinusa.com (Drupal)
latebarchicago.com (Joomla)
mwalliance.org (Drupal)
spatulatta.com (Joomla)
and there are more in the works but have not launched yet!

Give us a call 773-665-2552 to convert your site over to a CMS so you can manage your content updates easily!

need an awesome and FREE tool to unzip/zip files?

2010-02-22T14:00:00.000-06:00

Try 7-Zip
It is very easy to use and saves us some time with the drag and drop option.

What is 7-Zip?
It is an open source Windows utility for manipulating archives.
Formats 7z, ZIP, GZIP, BZIP2 and TAR are supported fully, other formats can be unpacked.

7-Zip works in Windows 7 / Vista / XP / 2008 / 2003 / 2000 / NT / ME / 98.
There is a port of the command line version to Linux/Unix.

See this comparison chart of other software options: http://www.7zip.com

A little zip history:
Zip was originally developed by Phil Katz for the software utility called PkZip also developed by him. The Zip file type has developed a lot over the years and is different than the one originated in late 90s. Zip has become so popular that practically every archive utility has to support it. It is also supported over multiple operating systems including Windows, Mac OS and Linux.

Zip is the only archive file type that became so popular as to have its uncompress feature included in Windows. Windows machines installed out of the box can open Zip archives and extract files from Zip archives.

Read more....

no more IE 6.0 please!

2010-02-15T13:57:00.002-06:00

For years we web designers have been upset with Internet Explorer, especially version 6. Please, we beg of you, upgrade! It is easy, really! And hey - IE8 is available now! If you can, try Firefox - we bet you will love it even more!

Here are some articles to help nudge you to change your browser (and make your web designers happier):
1. mashable.com/2010/01/18/5-more-reasons-why-ie6-must-die/
2. davidwalsh.name/6-reasons-why-ie6-must-die
3. wisdump.com/web-programming/campaigns-to-kill-the-web-browser-that-just-wont-die-internet-explorer-6/
4. blogs.technet.com/srd/archive/2010/01/15/assessing-risk-of-ie-0day-vulnerability.aspx
5. secunia.com/advisories/product/11/
6. mashable.com/2009/07/16/ie6-must-die/

to quote the Mashable article on 01/18/2010:
"...Last week's series of events drove home just how dangerous and idiotic it is to run the long-broken IE6 browser. It should be a wake-up call to IT departments and users around the world: if you keep running a browser from 2001, you are throwing your online security right out the window."

the cuteness strikes back!

2010-02-08T13:55:00.001-06:00

In April 2009, the Shiba Inu Puppy Cam was nominated for The 13th Annual Webby Awards in the Viral category, and was the People’s Voice Award winner! And we know you were one of the three million viewers had spent 1.2 million hours watching the puppies via the Internet.

Well guess what! New Shiba Inu pups (3 boys and 2 girls) were born on Saturday, January 16th, 2010. This is the second litter by their mom, Kika. And yes, the puppycam is up and ready for you to delay that spreadsheet, email, meeting notes, website edit etc. Welcome to the YPBCo office favorite distraction!

Read more about them if you want to here, or just click and watch now! And if you want to join in the conversation, visit puppycam.yuku.com

And a note to Mr+Mrs SFShiba - thanks for sharing :)

YPBCo MEMBER PROFILE: Jamey Brumfield, President and Creative Director

2010-02-01T15:23:00.003-06:00

(Caption: JameyB with her Dad and racetrack 1978)

JameyB is creative not only with organizing projects and people, but with a pencil (paintbrush, crayon, charcoal) too! Everyday she draws something new. AND she has an ongoing cartoon for employees on their dry erase boards (ask about the adventures of Batpig). There is even a rumor she was enlisted to draw characters for an electronic coloring book coming your way via your iphone in the not-so-far-away future.

"Creativity is a mental and social process involving the generation of new ideas or concepts, or new associations of the creative mind between existing ideas or concepts. (thanks wikipedia)" And JameyB does just that and more! She is in the process of creating an online portfolio of her non-web work at SpookyInc.com.

Your Plan B Company is proud of our team, our artists. Each one of our team members exercises their creativity not only in the office but outside of it as well. We believe it is essential to problem solving, design and development. You can see more of JameyB's creativity through the YPBCo client portfolio, as well as in her sketch books and at her (coming soon!) online art-spot, SpookyInc.com. In addition to art, in her free time JameyB enjoys her post as the President of the Beloit College Alumni Association, bringing creativity to the board room! (Colorful dry erase pens in hand!)

P.S. This February 2 celebrates her 40th birthday!
HAPPY BIRTHDAY JAMEYB :)

HAPPY 13th ANNIVERSARY TO YOUR PLAN B COMPANY

2010-01-25T14:11:00.002-06:00

Another year has whipped by! And wow was it fun!

Thanks to the ALA for giving us the 2009 American Library Associaton | Great Web Sites for Kids (for our work on spatulatta.com)

Our party was definitely another one of the highlights and we promise to have another one soon.

Great new projects!
spatulatta.com conversion to Joomla!
holidayclubchicago.com launch!
otrassn.org remodel to Joomla!
kruzinusa.com launch!
mwalliance.org conversion to Drupal!
latebarchicago.com launch!
And a cool project with CVS/Caremark!

And awesome continued work with GREAT clients :)
WomanRoadWarrior.com, MicciMicci.com, TheChicagoBuzz.com, LakeviewBaseballClub.com, MotorBrains.com, RosensteinPropertyLaw.com, SRosenstein.com, Tresser.com, UIC-CFDC.org, Wielgus.com, Icre-Roosevelt.org, EventatWestEgg.com, FieldofGreens.biz, GreensbyWhite.com, RonaldKnox.org, ChicagoHistory.org and more!

We look forward to what 2010 has in store for us. And are so pleased to say we have been in business 13 years now. Imagine way back in 1997 when the web was only dial up and backgrounds were only grey... to where we are today with open source CMS, CSS, Flash animation, videos, podcasts, social networking and so much more! Not to mention easy to use web stats (thanks google!).

As always, no project is too big or too small thanks to the hardworking peers in our network. If DavidB, Cat and I can't do it, believe me, we know someone who can! Give us a call or send an email with your next web project RFP - 773-665-2552 or jameyb@yourplanb.com

and THANK YOU!

Women on their Way Contest

2010-01-18T14:42:00.000-06:00

Heads up - Your Plan B Company would like to ask you all to support our client, Kathy Ameche (womanroadwarrior.com and miccimicci.com) in this cool contest!

"The "Local Nation" contest received amazing entries from road trippers who speak their mind, share local knowledge and want to represent you, their fellow traveler, on Women on Their Way's newly formed "Local Nation" sounding board. YOU can be the judge! Entries are in and now here's the fun part - voting for your favorite!!"

Vote for Kathy here!
Read more about the contest here!

Thanks so much!

HAPPY NEW YEAR! Time to refresh?

2010-01-11T14:50:00.002-06:00

Remodeling an existing site needs to be approached in a similar way to the initial build out with solid pre-production meetings, research and review your visitor stats to make sure the next gen site meets your goals and can stand on its own for the next 3-5 years. Sometimes the remodel is just a facelift while others scrap everything and start over.

Let's discuss what is the best plan for your current website.

Take a look at some successful remodel projects:
mwalliance.org
ronaldknox.org
otrassn.org

Give us a call 773-665-2552 to discuss your website remodel needs.

2010 Online marketing plan

2010-01-04T14:36:00.000-06:00

Despite what the calendar says, it isn't too early to start detailing your 2010 online marketing plan!

Consider important dates you need your site to be current. Or what about adding new social networking options? Sending out enewsletters - make sure all your communications are coordinated.

Now this online marketing plan doesn't have to be written in stone. We all know these types of due dates should be written in pencil so marketing yourself doesn't interrupt your work for your clients. BUT... it is good to have a plan, even if it is monthly reminders to keep things going. Otherwise you could end up at a prime marketing moment and not have all your ducks in a row.

We use Google Calendar as our marketing reminder tool. You can set up a calendar that just you or your team can see. Set up email reminders a few weeks before you need to finish something to help nudge your task list. You can use the existing major holidays calendar, add in your special events/conference/vacations.

And then add in when you are going to update things like: website, send enewsletter, facebook group postings, linked in profile updates or referrals, tweets, blogs etc. This will help organize your online marketing and keep your information current and moving forward to your prospective clients. Let Google be your trusty assistant. It takes a little time to set up and create the reminders now, but in June 2010 you will be happy you did :)

And let Your Plan B Company help update your website, enewsletters, social networks or print pieces to market your company or organization! We can even create or consult on your online marketing plan. Call 773-665-2552

YPBCO Office is closed for the holidays!

2009-12-21T11:39:00.004-06:00

Holiday Hours at Your Plan B Company!

Wishing you and yours a delightful holiday season!
YPBCo office will be closed Wednesday, December 23, 2008 - Friday, January 1, 2010

However we will be monitoring the voicemail and email once a day, so feel free to call 773-665-2552 and leave a message OR send an email to jameyb@yourplanb.com

HAPPY HOLIDAYS!
See you in 2010 :)

(caption: great minds think alike - we all wore stripes!)

NEW SITE LAUNCH! LATEBARCHICAGO.COM

2009-12-14T14:42:00.001-06:00

Late Bar is located at 3534 W Belmont in Chicago's Avondale neighborhood. Fine wine, beer, and spirits are served until 4am every Tuesday through Friday (5am Saturday). At Late Bar, you can dance to music drawn from a variety of genres while our gracious bartenders pay close attention to the art of the cocktail.

Your Plan B Company is proud to announce our latest project! latebarchicago.com A Joomla CMS, custom logo, design and print rounds out this launch. This has been a fun creative project with a great enthusiastic team - we look forward to working together more!

If you are in the Chicago area, stop by and see the bar - we will be there opening night for sure! Saturday, December 26, 2009 And be sure to sign up for the mailing list (we hear there will be some great specials for you!).

Can't open files? Stuck in an older version of Office?

2009-12-07T14:35:00.003-06:00

Can't open files? Stuck in an older version of Office?
Can't open those files with an x on the end? For example: .xlsx or .docx

If you have old MS Office and cannot open them - now you can!

Just Google the Office 2007 Compatibility Pack and install it, since it has been available for a couple of years. I did, and things are much easier now.

NOTE: Users of the Microsoft Office XP and 2003 programs Word, Excel, or PowerPoint - please install all High-Priority updates from Microsoft Update before downloading the Compatibility Pack.

Send me your tips to share with us and our readers!

NEW SITE LAUNCH MWALLIANCE.ORG

2009-11-30T14:34:00.001-06:00

Midwestern Imperative: Smart and Efficient Energy Usage

Midwestern businesses, consumers and governments are spending tens of billions of dollars each year on energy imported from other states and countries. As our supplies deplete, prices continue to rise. To make an impact, we must extend our dwindling carbon-based energy resources such as oil, coal and natural gas by adopting more efficient technologies. The Midwest Energy Efficiency Alliance (MEEA) is the leading source and champion for advancing sound energy efficiency policies, programs and priorities to stretch these essential resources. MEEA balances the interests of our diverse members, creating a common ground to affect positive change. Through MEEA, utilities, local and state governments, non-profits, manufacturers, retailers, consultants and others all work together toward a shared vision for energy efficiency in the Midwest.

We helped the team at MEEA create a new look and a new CMS using Drupal.
Now everything can be easily updated by different team members, the board has their own password area and soon members will too!

Check it out! We love it, hope you do too! mwalliance.org

Digital Cameras (Hints for Shopping!)

2009-11-23T14:14:00.001-06:00

We are asked quite frequently from clients and friends about which camera is good or for shopping suggestions. So we put our most recent advice here for you because we know that shopping season is in full swing and you are probably hoping to purchase a new camera either for you or someone on your list!

Digital cameras have become a household item but choosing one can be overwhelming. They seem to come out with new models every month with new bells and whistles. Which one to choose depends greatly on what you want to use a camera for, and what is important to you.

Some people like to start by talking to a person by going into a store like Best Buy and telling them what you are looking for. In person you can get a feel for the weight and size you of the camera are interested in.

If you want to further compare cameras before making your purchase, hop online and start doing some more detailed research.

You may want to visit the manufacturer's web site first, to read the advertising of what they are offering in the latest and greatest in cameras. From there, you want to dig into less biased opinions and reviews.

Amazon.com is a very informative place to see what cameras cost, and to read reviews for a good idea of what actual users think of a particular model. Many reviewers will actually recommend a similar camera that they preferred more.

A fantastic resource for more in depth unbiased reviews is DP Review. Not only do they review every camera and lens on the market, as well as older models, they also give you sample photos and let you compare models. DP Review also allows you to search for cameras using a long list of Features (eg: compact or SLR? SLR, aperture priority? etc).

Keep in mind with any online review, there may be biased reviews, company employees posing as consumers, or people who just dislike a certain company for no particular reason. Some reviews may be about a feature that the camera offers but you are not interested in using. It is a good idea to keep a list of what features you find important in a camera (eg: fits in purse, has a long zoom lens, can shoot HD movies, uses XD not SD cards etc) Remember, what someone may find gimmicky, you may find invaluable (eg face detection, red-eye reduction etc)!

Once you have narrowed down your choices to 2-3 cameras, DavidB likes to return to the store in person to see which feels better in your hand. Remember, you may be carrying this camera around all day - is it too heavy? Is it too small or too big in your hand? Do you need to carry it in one hand? Do you need to capture fast action or are you going to just use it for snapshots?

Pocket point-and-shoot cameras have improved a great deal over the last few years, and have become very easy to use. And they offer more and more ways to share photos easily. Personally, I have always had the best luck with Fuji FinePix F-Series in the small pocket cameras, though I hear the Canon point-and-shoots are also very lightweight, versatile and easy to use. The Olympus has a line of durable cameras called the Stylus Tough.

Check out this Fugi!

Or how about this Stylus!

With an SLR, you usually trade the light weight and small size for a much faster reaction time (shutter lag). An SLR also allows you to change lenses if you get more advanced later down the line.

DavidB has used Nikon and Canon and would recommend them both. If you have some old Nikon lenses in the basement, I'd stick with a Nikon body as they will usually work with a new Nikon digital camera - same with Canon or Pentax etc.

For a fast, versatile yet lightweight SLR, DavidB recommends the Canon Rebel series.
They will allow you to control everything manually or choose the many automatic and preset modes.

He found them to have many benefits of the point-and-shoot within the faster and more versatile SLR body.

DavidB suggests taking a look at what's out there, and really taking the time to think about what do want the camera for, and what do you expect it to do. This will help you narrow down what camera is best for you. Choose "The right tool for the job"!

When you do decide, he likes to purchase from small local camera stores, though a larger chain, or even Amazon, can prove to be the best for you and your needs. And don't forget to get the extended warranty as you will hopefully be actually using this camera! Happy hunting!

Guess who will have artwork hanging in the Smithsonian? Catherine Larson!

2009-11-16T13:18:00.003-06:00

Congrats to Cat! We are so proud of you and can't wait for the art show opening :)

Catherine Larson (better know as Cat in our office) has been accepted into the Revealing Culture exhibition that will take place June 8 through September 30, 2010, at the Smithsonian Institution's International Gallery.

There is an opening reception in the planning stages for Wednesday, June 9, 2010, during the 2010 International VSA Arts Festival.

View the list of exhibiting artists that is now posted online at: www.vsarts.org/revealingculture

Looking for a great conference call service.... check out freeconference.com

2009-11-09T14:50:00.000-06:00

With the increasing popularity of portable notebooks and mobile broadband, your project team members that you need to conference with are as or more likely to be out of the office than in it. Welcome to the virtual team and now a great service to connect everyone on it!

Compare their features: freeconference.com/Services.aspx
Check out their FAQ: freeconference.com/FAQ.aspx

Your Plan B Company has been using this service for a few months now and clients seem to like it! Conference calls for businesses, organizations and individuals. Everyone can call in, be announced and if you want have the call recorded. An online admin area makes setting up the calls really easy and sends out the email announcements, instructions and reminders automatically for you to everyone on the team.

What more can you ask for?

Thank you to Atalee for FOUR great years!

2009-11-02T14:40:00.001-06:00

Atalee Judy, our trusty office manager, has decided to move on.

She has accepted a position at Columbia College part time as an instructor for 'Concert Production' class and as a Technical/Teacher Assistant for a 'Media in the Arts' class. This opportunity will provide her work within her field, update her on new technology relevant to her field, and offer the chance to stay connected to the dance community more.

Atalee says "I wanted to truly thank you for all the opportunities & support you have generously offered to me during my part time employment. The past couple of years have been quite a learning experience and I've enjoyed working with YPBCo's successful team dedicated to an easy going atmosphere and friendly services delivered on time."

DavidB, Cat and I all wish Atalee the BEST!
We hope she stops by for lunch (the "Atalee Special" from Roon Petch) as well as keep us current online with her BreakBone.com events. And an additional CONGRATS! on completing the Chicago Marathon this year!
GO Atalee! GO!

More Halloween Fun!

2009-10-26T14:35:00.000-05:00

Today at Your Plan B Company we watched It's the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown!

"I gotta rock!"

Watching this television special is one of my favorite Halloween traditions.
What are some of yours?

Some Halloween tradition and history resources:
history.com/content/halloween
wikipedia.org/wiki/Halloween
halloweenishere.com/history.html
halloweenmagazine.com/history.htm
halloweenhistory.org
jackolanterns.net/traditions.htm
halloween-website.com/customs.htm
everythinghalloween.com/traditions

And in case you need a Charlie Brown fix right this minute, try this from youtube!

HAPPY HALLOWEEN!

Counting Down til Halloween!

2009-10-19T20:00:00.003-05:00

Today at Your Plan B Company we carved pumpkins!

see more photos!

Some Halloween resources:
pumpkin-carving.com
pumpkinmasters.com
familyfun.go.com
kids.nationalgeographic.com
zombiepumpkins.com
bhg.com
marthastewart.com

And if you need to carve a pumpkin right this minute, try one online: carveapumpkin.bhg.com

Happy Halloween!

ASP, JSP, PHP, COLD FUSION, RUBY ON RAILS etc

2009-10-12T13:10:00.001-05:00

What do all these acronyms mean?
And does your site need them?

Here's a quick list to help you communicate with your web team:

ASP = Active Server Pages
Also known as Classic ASP or ASP Classic, was Microsoft's first server-side script engine for dynamically-generated web pages.

CFML = Cold Fusion Mark up Language
The pages in a ColdFusion application include the server-side CFML tags in addition to HTML (XHTML) tags. When a browser requests a page in a ColdFusion application, it is automatically pre-processed by the ColdFusion Application Server.

CSS = Cascading Style Sheets
A style sheet language used to describe the presentation semantics (that is, the look and formatting) of a document written in a markup language.

HTML = Hyper Text Markup Language
the predominant markup language for web pages. It provides a means to create structured documents by denoting structural semantics for text such as headings, paragraphs, lists etc as well as for links, quotes, and other items. It allows images and objects to be embedded and can be used to create interactive forms. It is written in the form of HTML elements consisting of "tags" surrounded by angle brackets within the web page content.

JS or JScript = Javascript
An object-oriented scripting language used to enable programmatic access to objects within both the client application and other applications. It is primarily used in the form of client-side JavaScript, implemented as an integrated component of the web browser, allowing the development of enhanced user interfaces and dynamic websites.

JSP = JavaServer Pages
A server side Java technology that allows software developers to create dynamically generated web pages, with HTML, XML, or other document types, in response to a Web client request to a Java Web Application container (server).

PHP = Hypertext Preprocessor
Is a widely used, general-purpose scripting language that was originally designed for web development, to produce dynamic web pages. It can be embedded into HTML and generally runs on a web server, which needs to be configured to process PHP code and create web page content from it.

Rails or RoR = Ruby on Rails
An open source web application framework for the Ruby programming language. It is intended to be used with an Agile development methodology which is used by web developers for rapid development.

XML = Extensible Markup Language
As of 2009, hundreds of XML-based languages have been developed,[3] including RSS, Atom, SOAP, and XHTML. XML has become the default file format for most office-productivity tools, including Microsoft Office, OpenOffice.org, and Apple's iWork.

There are many more! Google and Wikipedia are great resources for learning what the web terms mean. If you have any questions or want to discuss what might work on your website, please feel free to email me anytime!

Ways to manage all those passwords?

2009-10-05T14:14:00.000-05:00

Looking for a non-electronic way to manage your passwords?
Try an address book and a pencil :) It works great!
Enter the website name alphabetically then include your username, address and date you set up the account. We suggest using a pencil to make your annual password updates easier. Keep the book at your desk and maybe you shouldn't put a label on it saying PASSWORDS ;)

There are many different electronic ways to do this too:
http://keepass.info
http://www.roboform.com
http://www.cp-lab.com
http://www.clipperz.com
http://www.passpack.com/en/home

As always, keep your passwords a good mix of letters and numbers.
Change them often! And DO NOT use your child's names, birthdays or pin numbers. Use different passwords for each online account you access. Keep those passwords difficult for others to guess! For a great resource for safe online activity, visit http://www.staysafeonline.info

Holiday Print pieces? Holiday enewsletters?

2009-09-28T15:00:00.002-05:00

The holidays are sneaking up on us... and we want you to be prepared! Avoid the last minute rush of holiday cards or enewsletters by designing them now!

Need Custom Holiday Cards? DavidB can do almost anything from a standard corporate greeting to something a little offbeat.

Want to update your holiday enewsletter?
Give your Constant Contact or Virtual Response a fresh look now by using a custom layout. JameyB can set this up for you.

Interested in something completely different? Maybe an online Flash game or message that your mailing list can interact with? Let us dream up something for you! Just wait until you see what we are doing for Your Plan B Company :)

Now is the time to get the designs in motion. And to begin cleaning up your mailing lists whether they be online or snail mail.

Give DavidB a call to discuss your upcoming print piece.
Or JameyB a call to talk enewsletters!
Call 773-665-2552