When it comes to creating a website for your business, there are business owners who prefer hiring a freelance web developer over hiring a design firm. One of the most daunting task with working with a freelancer is finding a person who can provide exceptional work at a fraction of the cost.

Communication is also a major factor, you need somebody who can provide the right answers should any questions arise. Here are some tips which I hope will help you find a freelance web developer.

1 - If all possible, try to find somebody who is local. It will give you piece of mind knowing you’re not working with some young kid working from his parent’s basement. Set up a face to face meeting and get to know your web developer, it doesn’t have to be long, just enough time to feel the vibe and see if this is the right person for the job.

2 - If you have no choice but to work with somebody from out of state, ask about their clients and don’t hesitate to contact them for reference. If the developer is unwilling to provide you with any kind of reference, it’s a sign that this person may not be the right one and you need to move on.

3 - Check out their website. Is it appealing to you? Their website represents the kind of work that they will be devoting to their clients. Browse around their site, is it user friendly? Are you able to navigate yourself around at ease?

4 - Check out their portfolio page. A good freelance web developer should have a portfolio page showcasing their past work. You should visit the websites listed on the portfolio page and see the type of work that you might come to expect from this developer.

5 - Contact the developer via email or phone. Ask about the services they offer. Ask for a design quote. Some developers charge by the hour and others charge a flat rate. I myself charge a flat rate, this makes it easy for both myself and the client, and I always ensure them that there aren’t any hidden charges somewhere down the line.

6 - Ask if the developer has a full time job or are they doing freelance work primarily? Ask what their availabilities are. Depending on your website, you may need someone who can update your site at any time of the day.

7 - When it comes down to prices, do your research online and find out what the going rate is for creating a website. Now this rate will depend on the type of website you want. Make sure you know the difference between a static website and a dynamic website. Typically, a dynamic website will cost more because it requires some type of programming.

8 - If the developer has a blog, take time to read it. Depending on what type of blog it is, this may give you some insight on the skills or personality of the developer. Here’s a tip, drop them a comment or a question on their blog and see how fast the response time is.

9 - Ask if they offer any type of package deals. Some developers will offer webhosting and site maintenance for an entire year. If they do, I’d recommend taking advantage of that offer, it may save you some cash in the long run.

10 - Lastly, do not settle. Be particular with who you want developing your website. Work with someone you feel comfortable with. Someone who has the knowledge and experience to perform the job you are looking for. If you do decide to hire a freelance web developer and 1 week into the project, you start noticing their poor work ethic, it’s a good sign that it’s probably not going to work out in the long run.

There you have it, 10 simple tips which I hope you’ll find useful in searching and working with a freelance web developer. Working with a freelancer doesn’t have to be hard if you follow these simple tips.

About the author:

My name is Jon and JBWEBDEV is my web design & development side project. I work full time as a web developer in Houston, TX and I also do many freelance web development work.

Interested in hiring me? Contact me today.

1. Viruses that attempt to cause harm to your PC.
2. Any software code that makes your PC vulnerable to the hacking community.
3. Spyware or adware that collect information and show ads without consent.

These malware may make a secret entry onto your computer when you either open an infected email, download programs or freeware like the mirar toolbar, click on pop-up ads or share files. It has been noticed that once these malicious intruders find their way into your computer, they can be a big nuisance and almost impossible to remove.

Therefore, it is recommended that you use the following super tips to prevent malware infection, instead of having to weed them out once they have already started causing havoc on your PC:

1. Be aware of the normal functioning pattern of your PC. If you notice anything unusual you should become alert as this could be a sign of a malware problem.
2. Install a reliable anti-virus and an anti-spyware. Make sure you update them on a regular basis, run thorough scans and keep real-time protection ON. This should block a large percentage of malware trying to break in.
3. Another important step is to install a firewall to protect your PC. This is particularly important for computers that are connected to Internet for long hours. It is advisable that you do not have more than one firewall, anti-virus or anti-spyware installed on your PC at one time as this may have a negative impact on the security and may even cause PC errors.
4. Pop-ups are not only irritating but they have a potential to cause a lot of damage. Make sure that your browser blocks pop-ups to keep malware away from your PC.
5. It is recommended that you use an email client that employs a tool to guard your PC from spam. This is because many Trojans and viruses are being spread over the internet by using email as a medium. Filtering these emails will provide protection to your computer from such attacks.
6. Never download any program or software from sites that look dubious or are unknown. Some of these programs may look innocent but may have additional malicious codes bundled with the main product.
7. Invest a little money in purchasing a reputable registry cleaner. This will not only keep your PC efficient but will also help you get rid of malware that has changed the entries in your windows registry and is not being removed by your anti-spyware tool.
8. Please be wary of sharing files with others as the malware can get transmitted to your computer through CD or files. It is recommended that you run a thorough scan using an anti-virus tool before installing any program from a CD to your PC.
9. You are advised to review the user license of the programs you intend to download with utmost care. These licenses may have fine print which can give them permission to install bad software on your computer.
10. Uninstall programs you no longer use. For example, you must remove the uninstall Nero CD writing software if you no longer use it. This is important because we invariably fail to update software that we do not use, and thus open up our PCs to hackers and malware.

Are you wondering why there are times that your PC is not working the way that it should be? These instances may consist of the times that the computer does not start the application that you need, or when it takes too much time starting up or shutting down. If you are experiencing these problems, then you should know that wondering about it would not solve the actual problem. You would need to do some actions that would solve the situation. Thus you should follow these easy steps anyone can follow to resolve PC errors.

You should also know that there are many computer troubles that are caused by the problems in the windows registry. The registry is an important part in the computer and it carries a big responsibility in keeping your computer functioning the right way. Additionally, it may contain various kinds of information- some are relevant while others are plain clutter occupying your computer’s disk. In total, every action that you do in your computer affects the content and operation of the registry. With this need, you should consider more time invested in keeping this computer part in its proper state as it is an essential factor if you want your computer to function the right way. You should make sure that you have a clean registry in your computer and follow the easy steps anyone can follow to resolve PC errors. You will not have a hard time following these steps so it would be better to try them out.

At first, your computer registry contains only the most important files in the computer. However, as the computer is used, there is more information that is stored in the computer and this may result to a mess in your computer. You should then learn how to keep a registry clean and safe. If not, it will have many harmful effects in your computer like program and driver errors. Thus, you should know that you should keep your registry clean in order to avoid problems in your computer. There can be many problems that your computer may face because of a possibly muddled registry. The effects of keeping a registry clean is not just to avoid errors in the program but also to keep your computer run a faster speed. When your computer registry is full with too much information, then it may have a hard time reading all the information and processing all of it may take more time than necessary. Thus sample of the easy steps anyone can follow to resolve PC errors would be to ensure that you use a registry cleaner and keep your computer in its best possible performance.

You should select a good kind of registry cleaner so that you will be sure that it will do his role the right way. It should be able to clean the unnecessary files in your computer, prevent malicious programs, and fix errors related in your computer registry. You may need to do regular virus scans in your computer to assure that every file is safe. These steps will keep your computer secured and well maintained. Thus, scanning regularly with good anti-virus software and a registry cleaner would do the trick in keeping a clean and fast computer.

So whether you are a veteran web designer or an upcoming designer, here’s some sites that will inspire you to step up your design skills. (In no particular order)

www.speckyboy.com

www.crazyleafdesign.com/blog

www.youthedesigner.com

www.dezinerfolio.com

www.outlawdesignblog.com

www.ndesign-studio.com

www.vandelaydesign.com/blog

www.psdtuts.com

www.bittbox.com

www.webdesignerwall.com

www.w3schools.com

www.noupe.com

www.alistapart.com

www.smashingmagazine.com

www.css-tricks.com

Reader Suggested Websites For Further Inspiration

www.designmeltdown.com
www.graphic-exchange.com
www.sitepoint.com
www.csszengarden.com
www.techbranch.com
www.decographics.com
www.veerle.duoh.com

If you know of any other websites that you think is worthy of honorable mentions, feel free to post it on your comment and I will add them here.

You also might want to check out the books below, these will further develop your knowledge and perspective of web designing.

You have to have two things in order to be successful with affiliate marketing, and those two things are patience, and determination. When you put those two together, there is no stopping you or what you can do with your affiliate marketing business.

Affiliate marketing is something that takes work. You can not just set up your site and let it go. You have to work on it consistently to see a good amount of revenue come from it. However, make sure that you are doing everything that you can to get it seen. Use the best free tools that there are available to you, and pay for the ones that really work.

Affiliate marketing can be done a few ways; it can be done through email, newsletters, websites, or blogs. By using any of these things, you can be successful if you are marketing to the right audience. Finding your readership, and catching them with good content is what it is all about. To do so, you need to know where they go and what they look for. Try starting with message boards to begin with. However, use some patience and dont come off as the newbie know it all. Take some time and peak others interest.

Add the link to your website or blog in your signature line at the message board that you are visiting, and most importantly, make sure that the message board is relevant to your market. If you have a website that pertains to a market that has to do with gardening, you will not want to be visiting a message board that is all about pregnancy. It is really quite simple to understand how these two things must be relevant to get results.

So, once you have found a busy message board that will allow you to include your link to your website in the signature of your posts, you are in business. Just start off by posting and chatting, and when someone asks a question that you know all about and answer to, answer it. This will peak their interest and before you know it, they will be clicking on the link in your signature and checking out your site. While doing this can be quite time consuming, it will pay off. Gain the other members trust, and you cannot go wrong.

1) Lack of communication and disregard for the Digg community

2) Unexplained and unacknowledged banning of top users

3) Lack of transparency — Digg only shows you the stories that people have dugg, but not the ones that are buried.

4) The auto-bury list – For months, dozens of sites have been on an auto-bury list, often with no explanation whatsoever.

5) Repeated and flagrant disrespect of its top users

I’ve chatted with many Digg users before and there was always a mention of Digg going down the drain if they continue to ban users and sites with no explanation. I guess this latest update is the straw that broke the camel’s back. Here’s an interesting post by one of the Top Diggers “Bukowsky” on what went down:

http://jeff-flowers.com/the-great-digg-revolt-of-2008/

So it looks like there’s a community of submitters who are willing to leave this community to join another. I’ve heard talks of submitting primarily to Propeller, Reddit, or Mixx. In my opinion, the obvious choice would be Mixx.

I’ve said this before and I’ll say it again, Mixx is way better than Digg and it has the potential to overthrow Digg off the top. I firmly believe this situation presents a good oppurtunity for Mixx to prove how note-worthy they are.

On this note, here’s a list of things/ideas Mixx should consider if they don’t want to turn their users against them.

1 – Continue to interact with the community.

2 – Do not ignore emails and or suggestions from your members.

3 – Ask for feedback before you roll out any major updates.

4 – Don’t ban a user and give no explanation as to why they were banned.

5 – Don’t implement the “Shout” feature.

6 – Reward the “Top Mixxers” for submitting great contents.

7 – Encourage new Mixxers to participate and submit more stories.

8 – Just be honest and straight up with your members, don’t be like Kevin Rose, nobody likes a liar.

This so-called Digg revolt is the hottest news on the internet right now, maybe even surpassing Heath Ledger’s untimely death (R.I.P.). Follow the links below to read more about this latest development.

http://www.techipedia.com/2008/kevin-rose-and-jay-adelson-on-digg/

http://mashable.com/2008/01/23/digg-revolt-again/

http://www.brentcsutoras.com/
http://revoltnation.blogspot.com/
http://soshable.com/digg-algorithm-change/
http://babblin5.com/2008/01/23/two-diggs-one-cup/
http://hehe2.net/social-media/digg-the-lulled-revolution/

But is freelance work better than having a 9-5 job? I’ve been fortunate enough to have been able to do both for the last 3 years and although I reap the many benefits of doing freelance work, I’d have to say that having a full time job is still the choice for me. Yes a 9-5 at times can be monotonous, but I also enjoy interacting with other people, I enjoy the thought of going to work not knowing what the day has in store for me.

I guess the best part of having a 9-5 job is knowing you’ll have work to do tomorrow, as opposed to freelance work, where you’ll have 3 projects lined up at the same time and nothing for the next 3 months! I know there are many of you just like me, who are able to balance a full time job and freelance work on your own spare time. What tips might you be able to give to anyone who wants to enjoy the best of both worlds?

Send me your thoughts and I’d like to know which do you prefer.

[poll=4]

1 – Turn on the iPhone, wait until you get to the activation screen, slide the slider to get to the keypad.
2 – On the keypad type the following: *#307# tap the call button, the phone will start vibrating, while it’s vibrating tap the backspace to erase the characters you just typed in, now type 0 and tap call again.
3 – The phone will call itself, tap Answer, tap the hold button, and tap decline and this should take you to the Contact list.
4 – Create a contact, name it whatever you want but add the following urls in the url section of the contact:
prefs://1F
http://jailbreakme.com
5 – Click done and your contact will then be saved. Now click on the url named: prefs://1F, this will take you to your iPhone’s settings.
6 – Tap Wi Fi and select your Wi Fi network, type in your WEP password. Once you’re connected you should see the Wi Fi symbol on the status bar up at the top of the screen.
7 – Push the HOME button to get back to the activation screen, slide once again to get to the keypad.
8 – This time press 0 and tap call, if the call fails, repeat Step 2 from above. If it doesn’t fail, the phone should vibrate again, tap answer. Now tap hold, and then tap decline, you should be able to get back to your contact.
9 – Tap contact and this time we will tap on the other url: http://jailbreakme.com – scroll all the way down and tap Install AppSnapp.
10 – Safari will crash and take you back to the activation screen, this is normal. Wait about 2 minutes and reboot the iphone completely by holding the power button down and sliding it off.
11 – Once you are rebooted, you should end up with a jailbroken iPhone. If you still end up at the activation screen, repeat all the steps above, I had to perform this method twice on mine.

Keep in mind that this will only jailbreak the iPhone and not unlock it. To unlock the phone you will need to install AnySim which can be found from the Installer app on the iPhone home page.

Here’s some 2007 moments printed on t-shirts, I wonder who has the balls to wear these in public???

Ahhh yes we all love to see Hollywood stars behind bars, isn’t it great that our kids look up to them as role models?

The ultimate must have gadget of 2007, no other electronic device has made more news headline than the iPhone.

Chris Crocker the ultimate Britney Spears fan, this video blog will forever be a classic!

The shout heard all around the world.

2 girls 1 cup = one nasty video. The most shocking video perhaps in this decade. I wish my curiosity didn’t get the best of me, but I just had to find out what the buzz is all about. Now I wish I hadn’t seen it! Thanks internet!!!