in black and white » Uncategorized

Inkscape: An Open Source Software Review

Matt Cleveland — Mon, 05 Apr 2010 14:35:17 +0000

Inkscape is an impressive piece of vector graphics creation/editing software. And, like music to my ears, it is distributed for free under the GNU GPL. It is also available on PC, Mac, and -nix platforms.

The good news:

It can import and export most vector file formats, but it plays best with it’s native SVG file format. As of now, Inkscape can import SVG, SVGZ and PDF and export SVG, SVGZ, PDF, PostScript, EPS, EPSi, LaTeX and POVRay. It also has partial support for AI, CDR, and SWF.

I’ve used Inkscape on several projects and the quality of the software is remarkable. It has a significantly smoother learning curve than does Illustrator or CorelDraw. The creation process is actually fun because you aren’t bogged down with gritty controls and such.

The bad news:

The newest version seems to have some stability issues on Vista. I didn’t have these issues when running on Linux or OS X.

Some of the higher end functions are rather technical. So, to be able to use Inkscape to it’s fullest potential, you’ll have to do a bit of learning.

The bottom line:

There may be a few functions and such that Illustrator can do that Inkscape cannot, but they are hardly worth the $300 you’ll have to shell out to get them. Hit up www.inkscape.org and start playing around.

Oh, and did I mention that the maximum page size in Inkscape is 304.8 X 304.8 km. As in over 189 miles. Might not be terribly useful, but that’s really cool. No other program even approaches that size.

SEO Reflections

Josh Fink — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 16:52:48 +0000

Erin Weinger recently published an article in Entrepreneur Magazine’s February issue entitled What You Don’t Know About SEO. As an Search Engine Optimizer I found the article both extremely helpful and somewhat misleading. Below are just a few of my own thoughts as I consider the article in light of working for an SEO company in Greenville, SC (Yeah, I’m totally loading this article with keyword phrases).

Erin quotes Peter Kent, author of Search Engine Optimization for Dummies when he says “The SEO business is 80 percent scam.” He’s RIGHT! I don’t know how many times we talk with new clients who tell us that they’ve been paying one of the other Greenville, SC web design companies for SEO services, only to find that they’ve done “jack-(insert appropriate keyword phrase)!” If you are going to pay for SEO services (which I still recommend) you need to equip yourself with some knowledge before you go into an agreement with a web design company in Greenville, SC or some other place.

1. META Data.

There are 3 basic components to META Data and this is the most absolute basic part of SEO: Title, META Keywords and META Description. If your SEO Consultant in Greenville SC is talking about these a lot, you should hear sirens and see flashing red lights. This is child’s play and anyone could do this stuff. What makes it a helpful piece of your SEO campaign, is the specialized keyword research behind it. When you pay an SEO consultant in Greenville, SC (sorry, my kid needs to eat), you should be paying for loads of research and the trained eye to know how to read the numbers. Anyone can type in “web design company in Greenville, SC” but what if more people are searching for “Greenville, SC web designer?” That might be the market you’re after. An experienced so consultant will be able to tell you that.

2. Link Building

One of the best ways to gain rank in search engines is to have lots of important links linking back to your site. Now, SEO companies in Greenville, SC and other places have tried over the years to be smart with things like “link farms.” This is where they make you pay a 3rd party site to host links back to your site. Google, however, is smarter than that. Link Farms and other web trickery does not work. When you hire an SEO consultant in Greenville, SC or somewhere else, you want someone that will put in the time to get you real links for real results. At WSI Webworks in Greenville, SC, we take real time to find real links for your site. This work is invaluable, but it takes hours, hours you could spend running your business.

3. Design Integration
One point that Weinger’s article misses is the necessary correlation between design and SEO. Usually, web designers and SEO consultants in Greenville, SC and other places are natural born enemies. SEO consultants want to design your site for search engines and web designers want to design your site for users: you want BOTH! So, make sure that you pay for the right combination of services. This is why WSI Webworks is the best web design company in Greenville, SC and the world. As the primary SEO consultant for WSI, I share my office with the best web designer in Greenville, SC: Sam Gerdt. Together we create a team, the likes of which has never been seen! We work hard to provide an integrated approach to web design and search engine optimization.

Corporate Jargon, Corporate Jargon, Corporate Jargon.

The BS-Free Paragraph.

But in all honesty, we work really really hard to be part of that 20% that is not a scam in the SEO world. We have had some amazing results with our clients and we are excited about the work to come. If you are looking for both a great design team and a hard working SEO team, contact us. We’d love to talk with you about what can honestly be done to help your company and offer it to you at a reasonable cost.

Josh Fink

Experiencing the Digital Divide

Julie Arsenault — Mon, 22 Feb 2010 14:37:00 +0000

So, I moved recently, and because of traveling, it took me about a week to make an appointment to get internet service. It didn’t matter much at the time because I’d spent every evening unpacking, cleaning, etc. Then, I found out that the soonest appointment I could get would be a week later.

That meant 2 weeks without internet!

I hadn’t realized how (relatively) useless my computer has become without a connection to the web. I do EVERYTHING online. For example:

I store all my documents and pictures online.
Some of my business meetings are conducted online.
I talk to my friends and family all over the world using VoIP.
I do all my banking online.
Before choosing a laundry service, I read reviews on Google user reviews.
Before going to eat at a restaurant, I look at the menu and make an online reservation.
All of my event invitations and social events are organized online.
I watch all television and movies online.
I listen to music online.
Before grocery shopping, I look up recipes and nutritional information.

Basically, if I need any service or a product, the hours of a business or directions to it, I can find it online in about 20 seconds – and then I can usually send the necessary information to my phone or purchase it right there online.

I found a Yellow Book last week while unpacking. I immediately put it in the recycle bin. I think the only time I’ve looked something up in one was when requested to do so by an 87 year old.

Being on the other side of the digital divide for a couple of weeks (excepting working hours), felt very strange. After a days of sitting around reading real books with pages and calling old friends to catch up with a phone, I realized a little why some people refuse to transition to web-based transactions (personal or otherwise).

Business owners resist new media because:

They don’t understand that most of the population under 35 spends a significant portion of their lives online, like I do.
They don’t want to lose the personal aspect of their businesses.
They don’t want to be intimidated by 20 year old computer nerds.

But it doesn’t have to mean that.

An online presence for you or your business doesn’t mean distancing yourself from people and things that matter. It gains you a wider audience for your message and a large demographic for your products or services. It actually makes it easier for you to connect with your customers. When you’re online with a comprehensive SEO plan, your customers can publicly praise you for your customer service or the quality of your work.

Wouldn’t it be great if the customers that are already loyal to your business could help you in that way?

I know we’ve talked about this before around here, but an online prescence for your business is an essential part of survival in the contemporary economy. If you aren’t joining the online conversation, your competitors are – and they are the ones I find and use.

Doing Our Part

Jenny Peterson — Tue, 09 Feb 2010 18:03:53 +0000

Recently our company was enlisted to build a website for an upcoming charity event called Cargo: The Fight For Freedom Past and Present. Cargo is a musical by veteran songerwriter and producer Paul Field. First presented in 2007, Cargo was written to celebrate the bicentennial of the abolition of the British slave trade and to raise awareness about the continuing and widespread problem of human trafficking today. This presentation combines music, dance, images, and the spoken word to tell the story of human enslavement and the struggle for freedom in a unique and moving way.

Since it’s debut, Cargo has been performed as the centerpiece of anti-slavery and human rights events across the UK and the US, and this spring Cargo is coming to the Upstate. We are in the process of building a website to promote these local performances, and we’ll let you know when the full site launches. For now, you can visit the temporary site for event times, locations, and registration. The full website will give complete event details and more information on how you can get involved in the fight against human trafficking.

Band Posters

Julie Arsenault — Wed, 25 Nov 2009 17:48:03 +0000

I made some posters for a concert that Miroirs performed a couple of weeks ago. Three of my siblings are in the band (I have a big family). I had one evening to do these. I designed two different posters because I wasn’t sure if they would find the black and white one too girly. However, they ended up printing both of them. I wasn’t able to attend since the concert was in Tuscaloosa, AL and I was at a conference in Charlotte, NC.

You can listen to their music on Grooveshark.com or at their website, www.miroirsband.com. It’s melodic, progressive rock with strong vocals. Even though I’m bound to be biased, I highly recommend their music.

If Only…

Josh Fink — Wed, 14 Oct 2009 13:50:08 +0000

Stefan Sagmeister is always doing something new. This is an awesome idea, if only I could afford it.

La Pura Vida

Julie Arsenault — Mon, 28 Sep 2009 15:40:00 +0000

I just finished up this poster for a friend that is sponsoring (I guess that’s what you call it) a study abroad program for USC Upstate. She told me that sometimes they have difficulty convincing students to join or even getting them to notice the program among a sea of posters on the bulletin boards. Hopefully, this will work. If not, I will switch out the frog for pretty ladies on a Costa Rican beach.

The poison dart frog is all Photoshop – does it look it too much? I added some paper texture and then drew in some texture for the background. It’s nice to get to do some illustration periodically. Feel free to offer feedback!

I’ll post some pictures once it’s been printed.