New Hampshire Web Developer Blog

Dumping cache from your browser.
Feb 21, 2012 by: Moser, James

You may be aware that most browsers cache certain files such as images, javascript files, style sheets, etc.  They do this in order to increase performance by decreasing load times. Files that already exist in your cache, do not have to be transmitted over the Internet to your browser. 

There are a number of factors that determine whether a cached file is acceptable for use.  These factors include the age if the file in cache, and the size of the cache ( the amount of space you have allocated on your file system for browser caching ). 

Occasionally your browser will use an existing file from cache when a newer version is available on the server.  This is especially irksome when working with a web developer who makes frequent changes on your web site.  I frequently make a change to a site and have the client say something like "nothing changed!"

Fortunately most browsers employ a short-cut to dump cache and force the browser to reload all the files.  For most browsers, Internet Explorer, Firefox, Chrome and Safari, the short cut is <ctrl> + <del> to dump cache followed by <ctrl>+r to reload the page with all new files.

I hope this helps.

Cairn Applications Sponsrs Ironheart Classic 5k Run in Concord, NH
Feb 7, 2012 by: Moser, James

Cairn Applications is please to sponsoring the Ironheart Classic 5k Run in Concord, NH on May 5th 2012.

Registration for the NH IRONHEART Classic event can be found at http://ironheartevents.com/ironheart-classic/

For more information about IRONHEART visit www.ironheartgroup.com.  Here you will find more information on the IRONHEART Charities, the IRONHEART Foundation, IRONHEART Inspire, and upcoming IRONHEART events all across the country!

A portion of the proceeds from the NH IRONHEART Classic event will benefit the the designated charities the IRONHEART foundation supports and the local Womenade( http://www.womenadeconcord.org/ ) group in the Concord!
About The IRONHEART Group

We are a family of companies dedicated to raising awareness for Congenital Heart Disease (CHD) and healthy heart living.  Along the way, we hope to inspire others, maybe even you! Whether we are competing in endurance races, raising money for charity, providing personal coaching/training, or giving inspirational talks, we strive to live life to its fullest. 

New Client: Action Authorized Parts
Feb 1, 2012 by: Moser, James

The NH Web Developer is pleased to announce that Cairn Applications has just signed Action Authorized Parts of Nashua, NH.  AAP is a stocking distributor of food service OEM replacement parts.  AAP stocks parts from some 30 manufacturers including Beverage-Air, True Manufacturing, and the Perlick Corporation.  AAP ships nation-wide to the DIY repair market.

AAP has hired Cairn Applications to create a professional web presence that both attracts visitors and facilitates their work flow.  Cairn will use Search Engine Optimization (SEO ) techniques to drive traffic and sales.

Many thanks to Steve McHugh and team over at Action Authorized Parts for this opportunity.  We look forward to working with you!

Box Tracker Web ^TM
Jan 15, 2012 by: Moser, James

Box Tracker, for those of you that do not know, is an application that was written by the NH Web Developer in my previous company, LRA Solutions. Box Tracker is a container tracking tool for the waste hauling industry.  It serves the small to mid-sized waste hauler as a container tracking, customer management, automated billing, and dump facility management tool.  The application was built with Visual Basic 6.0 and  a Microsoft Access Back end.  Reporting  and printable output was handled using the COM ( Component Object Model ) interface with MS Excel and MS Word.  

Unfortunately, Windows 7 no longer supports Visual Basic, the underlying technology, for Box Tracker. Microsoft prefers, rather, to force developers to upgrade to their latest framework .Net at substantial cost.  Microsoft's abandonment of Visual Basic is one of the many reasons that the NH Web Developer has abandoned Microsoft. 

But you know what technology is available on all platforms?  That's right, it's the web browser. By building applications that run on the web, the operating system becomes irrelevant.  The only things that matter now are internet connection and the browser.  There has to be an operating system to support the browser, but it doesn't matter if it's Windows or Mac or Linux or anything else. 

So we are rebuilding Box Tracker to run on the web.  This is the cutting edge of Web Applications: custom software for small to mid-sized companies based on the cloud computing model.  This is software that is available from any computer anywhere in the world 24 hours a day.

So the NH Web Developer is pleased to announce that Box Tracker has moved to the cloud.  Call today for a demonstration.

The NH Web Developer signs Cafe Indigo of Concord, NH
Dec 23, 2011 by: Moser, James

We are very excited to announce that we just signed Cafe Indigo of Concord, New Hampshire as a new client!

Operated by Patti Dann, Cafe Indigo is a Concord, NH commercial bakery specializing in high quality vegan desserts and treats. The product line includes cakes, cookies , breads, cinnamon rolls and the very best carrot I have ever had! The firm also sells a cookbook of favorite recipes.

Cairn Applications, LLC will help the firm achieve the following web goals:

• Create a professional looking site with an intuitive interface and clear navigation
• Provide ingredients and nutritional information for their products
  
• Create an secure and professional Ecommerce experience   
  
• Use Search Engine Optimization (SEO) techniques to increase traffic to the site and drive sales
• Monitor and measure the traffic on site
  

Cafe Indigo's products can be purchased locally at 128 H Street in Concord, and nationally in Whole Foods Market.

The new site will launch in January.

The NH Web Developer launches: ATA Martial Arts of Southern New Hampshire
Dec 10, 2011 by: Moser, James

Cairn Applications and the New Hampshire Web Developer are thrilled to announce the launch a new web site for ATA Martials Arts of Southern New Hampshire. 

ATA Martial Arts of Southern New Hampshire, LLC is an ATA affiliated martial arts
studio with locations in Bedford, NH and Derry, NH.

The firm's web objectives include:

• Use Search Engine Optimization techniques to draw new visitors to the site
• Upgrade the firm's image on-line
• Create a web presence for the newly acquired Derry studio
• Create a more organized resource for the existing customers
• Create a site that differentiates this studio from it's competitors
  

The project utilizes several site integrated tools buily by Cairn Applications including myBlog, myBulletin, myPhoto, and myContact. 

Check out our portfolio to explore this and other Cairn Applications projects.

New Client: Delia's Designs Unique Jewelry
Nov 21, 2011 by: Moser, James

The New Hampshire Web Developer is thrilled to announce a new client.  Cairn Applications, LLC has been hired by Delia's Designs Unique Jewellery of MT Vernon, Maine to build out a web presence and e-commerce platform.

Delia's Designs sells one of a kind jewellery: necklaces, bracelets and earrings acquired from all over the world.  In the past, these pieces have been sold largely through craft fairs and private showings, but will now be available on the web.

Many thanks to Delia's Design for your business!

Value of Back Links
Nov 15, 2011 by: Moser, James

It's funny, I must get a dozen comments,and twice that many emails every week telling me that I would have more traffic if I would just let xrumerservice place spam back links on a million other blogs every week.  Let's look at what they are really selling. 

A back link is a link on another site that  points "back" to your site. A back link extends the credibility of one site to another.  If the search engine views a site as an authoritative source on a given subject and your site related to that subject, then a link from the first site to back your site extends their credibility to you. That's a win!

If, for example, you own a business as a web developer in Nashua, NH then it makes good sense to have a back link on all of your clients indicating that you are the web developer for that site.  Additionally it would make good sense to have a link on the Nashua Chamber of Commerce ( if you are a member, which Cairn Applications is ).  The link  on the COC makes sense because you are a business that is associated with that  chamber.

But these are not what xrummer is selling.  What xrummer sells is a link on an enormous number of blog sites that are in no way related to your site.  They have written a program that trolls the internet looking for sites that accept random comments. They are hoping to ( and do ) find sites that accept comments without moderation and dump spam comments on them that include links to your site.   Ask yourself, are the readers of piglust.com ( some cyber-squatter actually owns that - unreal ) really the customers that you are trying to connect with?  Of course not. 

For xrummer, it's simply a numbers game.  Will a certain number of readers on piglust.com click any link they see n their endless pursuit of naughty entertainment?  Of course.  Will this behaviour increase the traffic on your site.  Sure.  Will it increase your sales?  Not a chance. What it will do is burn up your bandwidth and increase your bounce rate. I'll pass on that.

Back links are only valuable if they come from a reputable site that has authority and credibility in a subject area that is related to your site.

So, xrumer ( and colleagues of which there are many ) go ahead and send the emails, they go right to the trash folder.  Keep posting comments, they all get deleted.

Engage your vistors!
Nov 10, 2011 by: Moser, James

Search Engine Optimization is a 2 step process.  First you need to attract the engines who will deliver the visitors.  Once you have the visitor, you have roughly 28 seconds to engage them before they loose interest.  Yeah, we live in a plugged in word and attention spans are short - there it is.

I just read an alarming statistic on ThinkWithGoogle.com:

"Consumers exposed to a YouTube homepage ad are 437% more likely to engage in a key brand activity on the same day than those unexposed."

You can be sure that this will be an upcoming addition to my web site.  How about we do the same for you?

Check out our portfolio at http://www.cairnapps.com/portfolio/ and call us at (603) 966 6851 for a free consultation!

New Client Project: Netlogic Backup
Nov 4, 2011 by: Moser, James

Cairn Applications and the NH Web developer have been hired to build a second web site for Netlogic. 

This project is the marketing face of a new online back up service offered by Netlogic. Future phases will include the intrtion of the CRM/Billing system and integration of the product itself.

Our sincere thanks go to Mr. Craig Packard and the crew over at Netlogic for the opportunity to serve them again!