Lea Phillips on tue 25 jan 05
Hi Michael,
Did you find out what had changed the download speed on your Front Page
designed website? Have you managed to resolve it, and if so, how?
I'm curious because I have just designed two websites using Front Page and
am just about to launch them; one for myself (sculpture) and one for Lea
Phillips (potter). All this is new to me and although the theoretical
download speed is fairly fast, I'm alarmed that they could slow down later!
Why do they do that? Was it some clash between certain servers and Front
Page? I hear that not all servers like Front Page; but I don't want to have
to learn HTML to make my own website either........Anyone had any experience
of this?
I'm also very appreciative of the comments so far on using Paypal and other
credit card payment methods. I think I'll stick to asking folk to post me a
bank cheque in UK sterling, (I don't have credit card facilities here, the
banks charge way too much for the amount I'm likely to use it, well
presently anyway), but I suspect that this method may not be very welcome
among U.S. customers....?
Any comments and experiences very welcome.
Ama Menec, Totnes, Devon.
----- Original Message -----
From: "Michael Wendt"
To:
Sent: 20 December 2004 14:36
Subject: Re: web page
> Sheryl,
> I used Microsoft Front Page 2000. It took only a few days to build.
> I started with sketches on paper, had the general plan worked out first
and
> then created a page master with place holders.
> Once built, I altered, renamed and saved pages in small steps... make a
> change, preview it and either leave it or rework it.
> As I did, I wrote down the link and installed it on the button in the
index
> page.
> At first, it was scary but it quickly became fun and easy.
> As to credit cards, we now ask the customer to phone, fax or email their
> information directly to avoid third party payments and the danger
associated
> with shopping carts.
> I also found that the automatic shopping cart I had before often charged
the
> wrong shipping prices (surcharge delivery areas... etc.).
> 2000 has features like estimated download times at 28.8 modem speed so I
> could try to keep my entry pages as fast loading as possible. Now people
are
> reporting slow speeds and difficulties accessing my site so I am going to
do
> a rework in January after Mendocino
> Good Luck,
> Michael Wendt
> Wendt Pottery
> 2729 Clearwater Ave
> Lewiston, Idaho 83501
> USA
> wendtpot@lewiston.com
> www.wendtpottery.com
>
>
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Michael Wendt on tue 25 jan 05
Lea,
The next generation of browser from Microsoft uses Java
to allow more capabilities I guess. On my old, slow Win 98 se machine, this
results in much slower download times and endless waits for buttons and
other features to appear. I added DSL to try to beat this but it is a
machine problem.
Speaking without any certainty I am right, I think newer, faster machines
would not hang up and delay like mine.
We just got a new Dell after working on the old Compaq for nearly 5 years. I
haven't switched over to it yet.
Regards,
Michael Wendt
Wendt Pottery
2729 Clearwater Ave
Lewiston, Idaho 83501
USA
wendtpot@lewiston.com
www.wendtpottery.com
Janet Kaiser on wed 26 jan 05
Hi Ama
I am afraid that you are caught between the devil
and the deep on payment. Yes, the amount taken on
credit/debit card services is excessive in the UK
(probably the highest in the world because the
card companies and your bank charge separately
for every transaction made, so you are paying
multiple amounts each time) unless your turnover
exceeds =A32 million sterling and even then you
have to be good at wrangling with banks &
companies with hearts of stone!
This is on top of the amount you will pay for a
pdq machine, now with that silly pin code
gizmo... A landline phone connection is also
necessary 24/7. At The CoA the costs of taking
credit/debit cards exceeded any other cost,
including heating and electricity!
Another bone of contention... in the UK we do
not, indeed cannot take Eurochecks because the
banks simply decided they were not going to! Now
we are also outside the Eurozone, but it actually
started a long time before the introduction of
the Euro elsewhere.
US clients pay exclusively with cards in US$ and
if there is a problem, you end up having to talk
to a call centre in the USA. Wave goodbye to any
profit for the week, because 0800 "toll free"
numbers do not work internationally, so you end
up paying premium rates for every second...
Tedious listening to all the polite stuff in such
situations and infuriating when the person at the
other end seems to think you may be holding a
client hostage or some thing equally horrifying
to extract money off them!!! I had one laid back
client go into detail about their trip when
talking to their bank back home as if they had
all the time in the world. Of course they did...
We paid for a 20 minute transnational call to
sort out a transaction which was less than =A320!
So no dollars and no Euros... Certainly nothing
fancy like yen or rubles! The banks have simply
got you by the short and curlies when it comes to
international commerce. You COULD look into
opening a foreign currency bank account with a
bank... Ask them all for details.
International money transfer is something serious
buyers may consider, but it is tedious. Again,
ask the banks for a few forms and just look at
what has to be filled in triplicate... No, I
think that may be more. Anyway, it is certainly
off putting because you have to take the form to
your bank to process. With currency fluctuations
you can end up with a different amount to what
you / your client thought. US$ 100 may be =A360
today, but by the time your client files their
form, their bank transfers the money and your
bank puts it into your account (may take up to
three weeks), it could be up or down by up to 10%
Yes, it is very aggravating for you and your
client.
Remember US citizens can only pay in US$ on their
cheque accounts if sent by snail mail... They
would be unable to send cheques in sterling. You
can only pay US$ cheques into your bank, if you
have a foreign exchange account. Same with
European clients and just about anyone else. Many
bring travellers cheques when here in person, but
again, you end up losing out on the excessive
amount banks take to cash them in. You also have
customs and excise breathing down your neck.
AND... Talking of UK taxes... The more you spend
on shipping and money transactions, the nearer
you take your business to the dreaded VAT
threshold. That will add 17.5% to your work at
home and abroad.
This all helps to PREVENT trading by small
enterprises and individuals. IMO you will have to
seriously consider confining yourself to the UK,
unless you have a way of opening a bank account
in the USA. There are rules and regulations about
that and you will become liable to pay US tax so
it is not to be entered into lightly! If you
become rich and famous, you may be able to tell
the banks, Uncle Sam, HM Customs & Excise and
every other money grabbing institution to sod off
or pay someone else to do it for you! LOL!
Finally one totally un-PC comment, but made with
the best intentions because you may not have
thought about it... I am afraid that people are
becoming so suspicious about giving any details
let alone anything to do with banking and
payments, so you will probably be classed as a
fraudster or scammer if you do anything outside
the common or what would be considered "normal".
Look at the way those scams are worded... Not too
different to how you would appear yourself if you
needed to get payment by any other means than
plastic!! Worth thinking about, eh?
You will get far better advice from others on
your web site. It is the way Front Page builds
"forms" which your ISP may or may not allow. The
swiftness or otherwise of download rates has less
to do with you and more with the person
viewing... Their browser and connection, not
yours. Although having said that, your ISP could
be over-subscribed, so bandwidth could be
limited. You need to go to someone else to check
it out... Anyone not using lewiston.com Try your
local library if you do not know other users
online locally. I think the worst site I have
visited lately was on the Isle of Skye in
Scotland... Took forever to download. Probably
just a single landline slung across from the
mainland glowing red with all the internet
traffic! LOL!
Sincerely
Janet Kaiser
*** IN REPLY TO THE FOLLOWING MAIL:
>Did you find out what had changed the download
speed on your Front Page
>designed website? Have you managed to resolve
it, and if so, how?
>
>I'm also very appreciative of the comments so
far on using Paypal and other
>credit card payment methods. I think I'll stick
to asking folk to post me a
>bank cheque in UK sterling, (I don't have credit
card facilities here, the
>banks charge way too much for the amount I'm
likely to use it, well
>presently anyway), but I suspect that this
method may not be very welcome
>among U.S. customers....?
*** PREVIOUS MAIL ENDS HERE ***
**************************************************
**********
THE CHAPEL OF ART - or - CAPEL CELFYDDYD
8 Marine Crescent : Criccieth : GB-Wales LL52 0EA
Tel: ++44 (01766) 523122
http://www.the-coa.org.uk
Contact: Janet Kaiser: The International Potters
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