Category: Articles (Page 146 of 258)

Personal opinions and how-to’s that I’ve written both here and as contributions to other blogs.

When Things Go South (With a Company, Clients, and More)

September 29, 2015 / Tom / 0 Comments

Occasionally, I’m asked how I handle the situation when things go south with company, clients, people with whom I’m working, and so on. This is one of those things that if you were to ask a handful of different people ranging from freelancers to C-level executives, you’d probably get different answers from each of them.

And rightly so.

After all, we’re all working for and/or with people at different places in the industry, so how we handle this situation is going to be unique to our particular position. So this isn’t one of those types of questions that has a universal answer.

I can only answer it with respect to the type of business I’ve done over the past few years. If you’re a single person or a small team, then maybe this will be helpful.

The Latest and Greatest Technology in Programming

September 24, 2015 / Tom / 0 Comments

A couple of weeks ago, Basecamp (previously 37signals) wrote a great blog post part in which the topic of legacy applications as well as using latest and greatest technology were discussed.

In programming, there is often an obsession with using the latest and greatest technology. Programmers view the use of edge technology as its own badge of honor, and are quick to throw away legacy applications.

I’ve talked about this in previous posts before – it’s why I’m a fan of going deep rather than wide when it comes to working with certain languages and tools – but it doesn’t mean I don’t struggle with the desire to pick up something new every now and then.

Tools For Quality WordPress Development

September 21, 2015 / Tom

It’s been quite a while since I’ve written anything for Tuts+ Code (which was previous Wptuts+ – the Envato property for all things related to WordPress development), so I’ve slowly started getting back into the habit as time allows.

With my most recent post, I’m trying to share some tools I believe lead to quality WordPress development.

Of course, if you’re an experienced WordPress developer, this likely isn’t for you; however, if you’re just getting into the field and are looking for some things to add to your toolbox, then here’s a list of things I recommend for those starting out.

The Perfect WordPress Host (It Doesn’t Exist)

September 17, 2015 / Tom / 0 Comments

Trying to find the perfect WordPress host is not an easy task. There are a lot of options out there – which is actually really cool compared to where we were just a few years ago.

Personally, I’ve shopped around, I’ve tried a bunch of them, some I’ve loved, some I’ve liked, some I’ve never left.

I was literally just telling a friend I have a propensity to try new hosts when come to market and have been established for a little while even to my own detriment.

January

I try wait for others to test the waters, then I’ll jump in. You know, it’s the whole “Come on in, the water’s fine” sorta thing. Sometimes I do better than others.

Really, the only conclusion I’ve been able to draw from trying out all of the options available is there is no perfect WordPress host.

You Should Be Budgeting Your Business

September 16, 2015 / Tom / 0 Comments

A little while ago, I started writing about self-employment and some of the things I’ve experienced. Note, however, that none of the things I’m sharing are aiming to be advice.

I mean, I’m not saying “this is what you should do if you’re working for yourself” or anything like that. Instead, I’m offering my thoughts on things I’ve done, why I’ve done it, and if it’s something that works for you, great; if not, that’s no big deal.

A little over a month ago I talked about how accounting – specifically as it relates to taxes – is one of the best things I’ve done since working for myself. It’s freed up so much time, simplified things so much, and taken a major burden off of my plate so I can focus on the core of what I’m trying to do.

But there’s another side or a sibling or a cousin or whatever family member you want to use to account and that’s budgeting.