May 19, 2013

Face2Face Makes Teens see What They Look Like on Meth

Crystal methamphetamine

Image via Wikipedia

 

Remember the computer program put out by a fashion magazine where a person could download a photo of themselves and the program would allow them to see what they’d look like with different colors and lengths of hair and different colors of make ups? 

Mendocino County, CA Sheriff Thomas Allman was at the mall with his wife, watching that particular programshow his wife all her different looks. He had a thought – they could use a program like that to show kids what they’ll look like if they do methamphetamines. 

A former narcotics officer, Allman had seen all too many young lives destroyed by the ravishing drug and was trying to look for a new way to warn kids of what that stuff can do to them. When they’re warned verbally, it doesn‘t stick; they hear drug warningsso much that it’s commonplace now. 

‘Hit’ Them in the Face, the Face2Face 

Allman talked to over twenty software companies before deciding on Vestremi, who helped him create the software program called “Face2Face.” It was perfect. 

The software’s debut was at the Mendocino County Fair where it drew serious interest. Teenagers and their parents tried out the software at the booth, everyone shocked at how ugly they became after a few years of using meth. It hit closer to home with them because it was their face in the warning. 

Many teens said things like, “I hope I never look like that,” and “You won’t catch me doing that stuff!” It was exactly what Allman had hoped he’d hear. Now the software is distributed to schools and state/county fairs all over the nation.

 

 

4 Top Web Design Trends

Moonshine Web Design Base 091 

Image via Wikipedia

Whether you are a web programmer, or you are just trying to keep up to date with your blog or website, there are some great trends that you will want to consider in web design for 2011.

Simplicity

Today, more and more people are choosing simplicity in web design. This includes everything from a simple color scheme to a simple navigation. Bright, flashing colors and a ton of navigation options are a thing of the past. The current thought is that the more simple a site is, the more attention it will attract. This is in direct opposition to previously.

Phone Ready

There is a large trend in internet ready phones. In fact, the demand for these phones is growing, and because of this, your website should be accessible on the go. Having a website that is smart phone compatible is extremely important for keeping up business and traffic.

Typography

Font is important. Using fonts as a design element is something that has been in practice for a long time. This year, however, more designers are taking this further. Using typography as a large part of the design is a growing trend. Different types of fonts, laid out in fun ways is a great way to bring a different look to your website.

Large Headers

In direct contrast to the past, large headers are currently in. In the past, it was believed in web design that the smaller the header, the better. This gives you more seeable space on the page. Today, though, very large headers, sometimes ones that are interactive, is a very popular design choice.

If your Build it- They Will Come. Usability Tips

Creating a user-friendly website is crucial to inviting new customers and visitors to the site who will choose to stick around for awhile and navigate. A confusing or poorly arranged site is the first step in hindering those who want to purchase the products or read the content available. The design of a site includes the way graphics, text and video are arranged on the page, as well as how users are able to interact with the content displayed. The best way is to present the material clearly, without distracting users from the message and purpose that is intended.

Simplicity is Everything

The first step to building a site that will result in an easy experience for any consumer is to keep it as simple as possible. When there are many links or hyperlinks, especially within the first few pages, a user might become overwhelmed and leave the site. However, some users may stumble upon the site on a page other than the home screen, so it’s always good to make sure that every page along the way is easy to navigate from start to finish.

Staying Current

It is always useful for web designers to learn about updates and enhancements in the technological world, so enrolling in website development courses regularly is a great way to stay on top of these changes. This ensures that the latest technology will be featured on the site, thus making it more usable for all.

Know the Audience

No matter what the website is designed to promote, just about every site owner wants to attract visitors. Usability can be defined as the ease in which a specific task can be completed. Some users will come to a site with plenty of background knowledge of how to navigate, while others may have just started using the Internet yesterday. The site should cater and appeal to both examples equally, and not cause more confusion to the new user. If a logo is displayed anywhere on the site, it’s always helpful to link this back to the main home page. This allows users to navigate back to where they were.

Feel of the Text

When writing content, it’s helpful to keep the tone casual, so that the user will feel at ease when reading the information and understand how to proceed on the site. Listing out information in bold headings also will grab the attention of the reader, and if the titles sound interesting enough, they will often keep going and read the whole paragraph. A site that’s neatly organized and without a clutter of graphics or text onto the page is more visually appealing, so it will help keep visitors on the page.

A well-designed website is a great tool for advertising, and maintaining usability will keep users on the site. On the other hand, a cluttered or confusing site can drive business away, so it’s important to keep the page updated and organized. What companies wouldn’t want more business?

Importance of web designing

Web designing or website designing is all about how a website looks to the visitors. Web designing has an important role to play in online business. If a person is involved in online business then their first job is to improve the look of their website.

First impression is the last impression on audience. If a marketing website doesn’t have a presentable look then it is generally not preferred by the audience. It is because of this reason website designing has become an important part in the online marketing world.webdesign

One should begin web designing with an in-depth study of the needs of the website. There are different aspects which need to be highlighted. Understanding the need of the designing helps in improving the overall look of the site. For web designing one should start with the basics. Understanding of HTML and computer programming such as C++ and java are important. With this knowledge of picture editing softwares such as adobe Photoshop and coral draw acts as an added advantage. Web designing is a vast subject which includes several sub divisions in it. A rightly designed website not only attracts prospect customers it also leads to sales thus leading to the development and enhancement of business. Rise in e-business has further increased the importance of web designing and its applications. Websites should be made simple, attractive and user friendly. It should be such that it helps people in navigating through the site easily. Inserting too many content and picture makes it look clumsy and pain to eyes. Proper arrangement of details in a site pays off well for the internet marketers.

Using OpenOffice to Create and Edit Content on your Site

When you are coming up with content for your site, one of the best programs to use is OpenOffice. This is a program that allows you to create and edit content. To get the program, you can visit OpenOffice.org and choose the latest version. When downloading the program, you need to select the operating system and language that you prefer.

There are various advantages that you get from using OpenOffice.org. One of the advantages of using the site is that you are not required to pay any licensing fees. Anybody can use the site and a majority of the features that are offered are available at no extra cost.

With the OpenOffice program you modify, distribute and copy it as many times as you want because it is open source software. This program also works well with different hardware architectures and operating systems. You can use OpenOffice with Linux, Mac OS X, Sun Solaris and Microsoft Windows.

The OpenOffice program is available in a variety of languages and it offers a thesaurus, dictionary, hyphenation and spelling. It also offers support for different layout languages and Complex Text Layout.

The user interface that is available on the OpenOffice program is very friendly and this makes it easy for users to apply the interface. Another advantage of using this software is that a majority of its components, including the spell checker and other tools, are consistent and therefore very easy to use.

The program allows you to save your files in different formats including Lotus 123 formats, WordPerfect, XML, Microsoft Office and HTML.

Tech-y Creativity: Top Four Professional Web Design Companies

Web design is not easy, but with a few tips and tools, anyone can design a website. However, homemade websites can fall short of professional design. If you need a website that pops with creativity, incorporates media programs like xvid and Ares Galaxy and tech-based pizazz, hiring a professional web designer can help you introduce an artistic website with the biggest bling techs can produce.

Let’s take a look at some of the hottest web design companies in business (in no particular order).

1. 118id: A Michigan based company founded in 2003, 118id creates innovative web-based designs and solutions that engage the customer’s desires and integrate the local flavor of any market in the global economy. With over 26 dedicated employees addressing over 100 client’s needs, 118id delivers high-quality web design.

2. 561 Media: This Boca Raton, FL, company designs websites, manages sites, offers social networking services and specializes in custom web development services. 561 Media works quickly to first understand the client’s business desires to design the best platform in web design for the client’s business growth.

3. WebMax: Located in Mount Laurel, NJ, WebMax’s 45 plus employees supply full-service, comprehensive web marketing services. Founded in 2008, WebMax offers clients extensive analysis and insight about the web design and marketing campaign without locking into long contracts, providing clients with a partnership that has lead many companies to successful web-based marketing.

4. Web312: Based in Chicago, IL, Web 312 offers full suite web services to mid-sized and small businesses who are looking for a client-centered, fully-managed online campaign including maximized website. The value-laden designs aim to save the client time and money while bringing the desired customers in the virtual (or tangible!) door.

Although just the tip of the iceberg, these four design and/or marketing companies can produce beautiful web designs–seemingly effortlessly–and the designs can take your company to the next level in on-line advertising.