what we do
Custom programming and system administration for small businesses, specializing in web sites and browser-based applications.
Our approach to web development is simple: we focus on usability, standards and accessibility.
usability
We build sites that are easy to use, with straightforward navigation and simple, effective search. We can conduct usability tests, so you know what your audience thinks even before you launch.
They're easy for you to live with, too — you can manage your content yourself, even if you don't have technical staff.
standards
Our sites are designed to work for all visitors, whether they have different browsers, operating systems, or physical abilities.
Our clean, standards-based pages are easier for search engines to make sense of too, so they rank well.
accessibility
Making your site usable for people with disabilities:
- May be a requirement, if you work with the federal government.
- Always makes good business sense: one in four adult computer users in the U.S. has a vision or dexterity difficulty. That's over 50 million potential visitors.
- Probably won't add to the cost. Happily, usable designs tend to be accessible designs, and vice versa.
the geeky details
If you have specific technical requirements and need to know what we use, our preferred toolkit consists of:
- Django: a Web development framework written in Python that supports rapid development of high-quality sites.
- PostgreSQL and MySQL: open-source databases that let us build dynamic, reliable, high-performance web sites without the licensing costs of commercial databases.
- jQuery: a JavaScript toolkit that lets us enrich web user interfaces without compromising usability or accessibility.
- Ext JS: another JavaScript library with a rich user interface toolbox.
- Ubuntu Linux: a free, reliable, secure platform for web hosting and small business servers.
- Java: while we think Django is a better fit for most small business web sites, we have Java expertise as well. We like solutions based on Spring, and have experience with much of the JEE platform.
how we do it
We're a small business. We understand the constraints. We deliver robust, open solutions at minimal upfront and ongoing cost.
full service
We have 25 years' combined experience with programming and system administration in financial, distribution, and scientific businesses. We can design, develop and deploy your site, and help you make the decisions necessary to integrate it into your business.
high quality
We've worked on fixed-income trading systems that moved billions of dollars daily. Wholesale distribution software used to run entire businesses. Content management systems used to track new drug projects at Fortune 50 pharmaceutical companies. We know how to build quality software, and we bring that experience to every project.
easy to work with
We're flexible, low-key, and low-overhead. You can give us the big picture over a couple of meetings, then turn us loose. We're good listeners, and excel at turning business requirements into functional sites without taking up tons of your time.
Or, if you want to be more involved, our iterative approach to projects means you'll always be on top of the project scope, timeline and costs.
open
We value honesty and transparency. You'll see that right from our initial conversation. We'll tell you up front whether we're a good fit for your project — we've often helped potential clients find the right solution elsewhere.
We manage projects openly as well. You will always know what's going on, even if there are problems. We've never had a project fail, and make sure that any surprises don't cost you, so you'll never have to put up with radio silence or worse, spin.
Finally, every site we build is based on open software, for which source code is freely available. There's no lock-in, no tricky licensing, no support contracts. You pay only for what you need, and the software running your site is yours forever.