Large background websites

Large backgrounds make a very impressive visual impact on websites. A web designer has the possibility to play with different design variables that are usually used by photographers, such as depth of field or focus.

One problem with using large images as backgorunds is that it uses up more bandwidth than an repeated single colour. This in turn slows the website from loading, which could frustrate the user when accessing your website.

There are several tricks however which we can employ. Reducing images sizes, repeating tiles etc.

Want to learn more? Contact us today for more information.

Choosing the right CMS

A Content Management System (CMS) is a Web application that uses a database to create, edit, and store HTML content in a manageable way. Content is created and edited on the web in an administration portion of the web application (referred to as the Backend). The resulting content is then displayed to the viewers on the regular site (referred to as the Frontend).

There are several possible reasons for using a Content Management System, but the main reason for using a CMS is to make creating and editing of content simple and easy. Often developers forget that this is the main purpose of a CMS and in search of more and more functionality, they cripple themselves (or their customers). Content doesn’t just include text however. Sometimes the content you need on a site is a contact form or user authentication system. The trick is to find the CMS that provides the functionality without sacrificing ease of use for you, the customer.

We find that Wordpress is a powerful and easy to use CMS, and we encourage our clients to have this implemented into their website.

Want to learn more? Contact us today for more information.

Don't let your website grow old

Don't let your website become outdated. Always keep your content up to date, ensure the design doesn't become old fashioned, and technology obsolete. Eventually you will perceive your website to be a liability rather than an asset. If your website requires some TLC, then we, at Ideas-Furnace, can help.

As an owner of a website, you need to regulary invest in your website, whether that is by yourself, through the means on a Content Management System, or through one of our affordable Support Contracts.

This is generally more cost effect than replacing the whole site every few years.

Wnat to learn more? Contact us today for more information.

The Importance of Cross Browser Testing

Web standards usually guarantee a (relatively) high degree of consistency, however no browser is perfect and particularly older browsers have always been quite good at surprising web-developers with their creative understanding of (X)HTML/CSS-code.

• in different browsers (Mozilla family, Internet Explorer, Opera, Safari, mobile Browsers)
• in different screen resolutions (usually 640×480, 800×600, 1024×768, 1200×800)
• and on different operating systems (Mac OS, Linux, Win)

See our cross browser compatible websites...

N1 Golf Open New Venues

N1 Golf are the UK's number one golf tuition company and we are delighted to manage their website. Recently they opened new venues which you can see here.

We provide N1 Golf with a variety of services.

• Content Management
• Hosting
• Search Engine Optimisation

See their new venues...

Our New Logo!

As part of our 2010 mission we wanted to reinvent Ideas Furnace's logo. We went through several revision stages and are happy to unveil our new logo.

There are a few things you need to bear in mind when creating a business logo. They must be designed in a way that makes them suitable enough for the print as well as for web purpose.

At Ideas Furnace we try to follow five cardinal rules.

• Your logo should reflect your company in a unique and honest way.
• Avoid too much detail.
• Your logo should work well in black and white (one-color printing).
• Make sure your logo's scalable.
• Your logo should be artistically balanced.

Contact us today to discuss your logo plans

Our New Site Goes Live!

For too long now we have been putting off redesigning and coding our own site. Finally it has arrived showcasing what we do best.

Below is a definitive checklist we go through before putting a website live.

• Favicon
• Titles and Meta Data
• Cross Browser Checks
• Proofread
• Links
• Functionality Check
• Graceful Degradation
• Validation
• RSS Link
• Analytics
• Sitemap
• Defensive Design
• Optimize
• Back Up
• Print Style Sheet

When launching a website, others often forget a number of things in their eagerness to make it live, so it’s useful to have a checklist to look through as we make our final touches and before you announce your website to the world.

Contact us today to discuss your website plans