30 Nov VLM Central: The Winds Of Change
As you may have noticed, this e-zine is sporting a whole new look.
The old format was taking much too long for many out there (with slower modems) to view.
The reasons for the slow loading times are many. Chief among them is the large amount of graphical content contained within each page. To a lesser degree, there are also issues of server speeds and maintenance, as well as, “line-bandwidth”, which fluctuate daily. These variables cause all websites to load slowly, from time to time.
My own solution to this “speed” problem was to re-format the entire site utilizing a “multiple-frames” environment (as well as, re-edit most of the graphics with better compression software – Fire Works and Photo Impact).
These two programs are mentioned at the end of this issue’s Cover Story. Here are a few things I highly recommend you do, that will not only make viewing this website more enjoyable, but also, vastly improve upon your entire “Internet Experience”.
#1) Always use the latest version of Microsoft Internet Explorer as your web-browser. Download it for free Here.
#2) If the service is available in your area, get yourself hooked up with a DSL modem. If you are still using a 56K modem, your time is being seriously squandered, waiting for web pages to load all the time. Trust me. Once you start using a DSL modem, you will never want to go back to “surf the net” without it!
#3) Consider upgrading your old “slower” computer to a “faster” model.
I really surprised me, how the Internet seemed to just “come alive” after I upgraded my computer [ Compaq Presario 1.2Gig Celeron 40Gig HD Windows XP ].
I won’t lie to you, it was a hassle having to move all my data from the old computer to the new one, and Windows XP took a little getting used to. However, the move was well worth it.
I’ll give you the “car analogy” to visually demonstrate my point. “If my old computer was a 1974 Ford Pinto, my new computer is a 2002 Cadillac Coup DeVille! Which vehicle would you rather drive on the (Information) Super-Highway?”
If you decide to upgrade your computer, I highly recommend you check out Comp-USA. They have some of the best retail prices that I have seen. We as a group of dedicated VLM Cleaning Professionals have come a long way since this e-zine first made its debut! I, too, have been through changes along the way. Many of them were not necessarily easy or immediately comfortable, either. But, through it all, what remains and grows even stronger today, is our desire to be the best we can possibly be and to help our fellow cleaners get there with us!
Until the next issue,
Happy Reading!… and I’ll see you on the VLM Cleaning Technology Board! Mark Stanley