Category: Website Development
5 Types of Application Design
5 Types of Web Application Development Programs
Shopping Applications
Portal Application
Dynamic Applications
Animation Applications
Static Applications
17 Years of apple.com – Website Design
Matraex is a Website Design and Development company in Boise, Idaho. As leaders in our field, we study and document web design from many angles, building tools which record and help evaluate the design of websites.
Announcing – The Website Design – History Browsing Tool
Matraex recently created the Website Design History Browsing tool which allows a visitor to browse through several years of designs from a particular website. Take a look we have posted the history of apple.com website design from 2000 to 2016.
The first page shows a list of 17 thumbnail shots of the apple.com home page over the 17 years between 2000 and 2016. The visitor can click on any one of the thumbnails and view the full screenshot from the beginning of that year. While the apple.com website did change during the year, we generally pulled the screen shot from the earliest day of the year that a change was recorded on the web archive.
Each page that shows the detail of the year, also show a thumbnail of the previous and after years with the ability to browse to those years.
A quick evaluation of the website design of apple.com:
- apple.com’s website design layout has been very consistent layout over the years.
- their navigation bar, has had an identical layout from 2000 to 2006, with only a couple of button changing.
- each year we see that the devices they are highlighting change, but within a similar layout.
- in 2006 apple.com highlighted their introduction of the intel chip into the mac. This was the first time that we saw a departure from the white background, and they gave a blue background to the concept
- in 2007 the iphone was introduced on apple.com and the entire background was changed to black. This year sticks out the most in the overview of the apple.com website design over the years
- in 2008 the apple.com site didn’t introduce any products, but they alluded to something coming by advertising Steve Job’s keynote speech. This was the first year they introduced a design change to the navigation bar.
- from 2009 to 2013, they continued to use the 2008 navigation bar, however they returned to a plain white background and a site that introduced their hardware products.
- In 2014, apple.com’s website design used a call to action for the first time, asking ‘What will your verse be’ with a button to watch a video. This seems to be their website design switch to be to nurturing users instead of selling hardware
- in 2015 and 2016, they continued the call to action method of marketing and nurturing visitors instead of only selling hardware by encouraging users to view a gallery of photos.
Matraex will be adding this same type of history for other popular websites. If you have a suggestion, please let us know via our contact us form.
Announcing the Matraex Web Development and Design Vocabulary List
Summary: Matraex has launched a Matraex Web Design and Development Vocabulary List centrally define terms for our industry and improve communication internally and with our clients. We are adding to the list frequently and appreciate suggestions
Web Design Communication Need
Matraex has worked with clients during the last 15 years, developing and supporting marketing websites and custom web applications.
Each project is different and brings together a unique combination of client understanding and needs.
Preferences, capabilities and web development technologies and are constant evolving and each unique situation has presented us with opportunities to improve our products and our process. Across the hundreds of the projects we have implemented (I should count them), one thing that would have helped each of them is improved communication.
We find it useful to educate our clients on the terms we use when discussing projects. An important part of starting a project is to take time to define the vocabulary we use and agree on what certain terms mean. This allows us to have more meaningful conversations with better understanding and less confusions.
Design Vocabulary List
These thoughts have led us to create the “Matraex Web Design and Development Vocabulary List“. This list has many of the terms that define what our industry does, and it defines many of the terms we use in the web design industry.
Many of the terms have a simple description or definition of the Term, however with some of the terms we have spent more time defining them. Where we reference other websites such as Wikipedia, or blogs where other individuals write about the terms.
In some cases there is some ambiguity between some of the terms, and we write about the differences between the two terms.
And of course, since the terms often apply directly to what we do here at Matraex, we often included details about how the word applies to the work we do at Matraex.
Changes to the Vocabulary List
Depending on when you happened upon this blog, you may find that the list is sparse (such as when we first launch this list in February of 2016) or that it is very well filled out, we are adding words as we can, and we will enhance the definitions of words as we find better ways do describe them.
I invite any one that reads any of these articles, to send me suggestions for words that should be added to or changed on the list. I welcome suggestions:
- of update or enhance or extend the definition of a term
- for new words that you think should be added
- of article links which lend to the definitions of new (or existing) words on our list
- for articles that could be written to disambiguate two terms
3 Ways to Improve Your Boise Website Design in 2016
3 Ways to Improve Your Boise Website Design in 2016
Here are 3 Ways to Improve Your Boise Website Design in 2016. Google now applies a score to your website by checking to see if it is mobile-friendly. Another important update for 2016 is to build brief, easy to read content. The third website checkup is for fast page loading. All three combined help build an easy to read website, that loads quickly, and scores well with the search engines.
Mobile-friendly
Also known as responsive design, restructures and adjust various content sizing depending on the device the visitor is using. For example, if Joe from Boise, Idaho visits this page on his desktop computer, he will get a full, wide-screen content rich experience. If Kelly from Garden City, Idaho were to visit this same page on your iPhone 6, she would be served the same content but slightly adjusted. Some photos would be scaled down to fit the smaller screen better, the text would be increased for easier readability. Finally, the content would all be stacked up for easy vertical scrolling. No content would be tiny or pushed off the side of the screen. Thus, Kelly would be presented with a mobile-friendly website design.
Easy to Read Content
The search engines also apply a readability analysis of the content on a web page. Statistics show that many visitors on the Internet are not masters of the English language. Therefore, simple, short sentences make it easier for you to communicate your message and obtain better search engine results.
Fast Page Loading
Finally, the third way to improve your Boise Website Design in 2016 is to have your website optimized for speed. No one likes waiting for slow loading web pages and the search engines have come to realize this. So in some cases, the faster your website loads, the better it helps your search engine rankings.
The 3 Ways to Improve Your Boise Website Design in 2016 are mobile-friendly website design, easy to read content, and fast page loading times. If you are interested in a free quote or website design analysis, please contact us at (208) 344-1115.
Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise
Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise
I was asked recently, what kinds of work do you do for your clients.
The short answer is “Matraex, Inc provides Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise to small businesses”
Below I describe our services in more depth.
Contact me to discuss what we can do for you – Michael Blood – 208.344.1115 x 250
Matraex, Inc – Nationwide Web Services
- We design online presence websites in WordPress.
- We custom build web applications for businesses, entrepreneurs and individuals with ideas.
- We create custom automation and time saving software using the web.
- We support, refresh, repair and enhance existing websites and custom applications.
- We provide Managed WordPress Hosting services.
- We build, host and support custom scale-able hosting environments.
Matraex, Inc – Basic consulting and technology list
- WordPress Website Development
- WordPress Plugin Development
- Custom Web Application Development
- Web Task Automation
- PHP Development
- MySQL and Postgres Database Administration
- Website Overhaul and Repair
Matraex Inc, – Boise, Idaho Web Services:
While we work for clients nationwide. A large percentage of our clients are from here in Boise, Idaho. When items become complex we are able to work directly with clients in our office onsite at our client’s office. We communicate via skype or just on the phone.
- Boise, Idaho WordPress Website Development
- Boise, Idaho WordPress Plugin Development
- Boise, Idaho Custom Web Application Development
- Boise, Idaho Web Task Automation
- Boise, Idaho PHP Development
- Boise, Idaho MySQL and PostgreSQL Database Administration
- Boise, Idaho Website Overhaul and Repair
WordPress Website Development
WordPress is an online, open source website creation tool written in PHP. WordPress allows Matraex, Inc to quickly create a beautiful online presence for your business and the give you the ability to login and make simple updates to your site. It is the easiest and most powerful blogging and website content management system (or CMS)
We offer WordPress Website Development solutions that are compatible with all business models and industry verticals. Our team of WordPress developers provides WordPress CMS development, plugin development. Also theme customization and maintenance services as well as ongoing security and update services through our Managed WordPress Hosting.
When you engage Matraex, Inc to build or enhance your online, unless you have another tool in place. We will likely recommend that we develop your marketing presence using the WordPress Content Management System. Depending on your vertical and your website needs we will either find existing WordPress plugins. We also build new plugins which add the needed custom touch to your website.
WordPress Plugin Development
A WordPress plugin is a piece of software that can be uploaded to extend and expand the functionality of your WordPress site. Matraex, Inc builds custom plugins such as this, any time that our client needs are not met with the base WordPress Package.
In each of these situations, Matraex, Inc relies on its deep knowledge of WordPress. Also the WordPress SDK and the PHP programming language to implement new and innovative website features.
Legacy WordPress Plugin Repair and Replacement
In many cases we have customers with existing WordPress websites with plugins which are out of date. Even some what wont work with newer versions of WordPress, in these cases we can:
- Find an up to date WordPress Plugin which replaces the functionality of the out of date plugin
- Make changes to the WordPress Plugin code to bring it up to date or
- Build a replacement plugin made for the current version of WordPress.
Custom Web Application Development
Matraex, Inc works with entreprenuers, business owners and individuals with ideas to define innovative Web based applications and solutions which solve real world problems. Our team takes stakeholders through a process to define problems and craft potential solutions. From this we build a project that our clients want and the Matraex team can commit to. We then work closely with the client to get constant feedback throughout the development process to implement a fabulous product. Each of our Custom Web Application projects are implemented into a production hosting environment, where we continue to support them as needed.
Web Task Automation
Most people that work within a small business recognize problems and issues within their industry that need to be fixed. Small tasks which take up more time, than the value they provide. They often know that if they had the software, the task could be automated. Matraex, Inc builds the custom software that provides this automation. We work with our clients, the industry professionals who understand the issues. We create software which reliably accomplishes and automates the tasks. We periodically followup on the process to confirm that the software continues to accomplishes what has been intended or whether it could be improved.
PHP Development
PHP Powers nearly 70% of websites and has emerged as the most preferred & widely used server-side language. Historically, 90% of our development projects have been done with PHP. All new development projects are done using PHP, whether it is within the WordPress CMS. The laravel Framework, uses other composer packages. Or a custom frameworkless PHP project using a homegrown library of functions.
Matraex builds PHP websites using MySQL, Linux and Apache which is popularly known as the LAMP platform. We are able to launch new LAMP shared or dedicated development and production environments in minutes at one of our two redundant Data Centers (Involta and Fiberpipe)
Our company’s PHP Development Services offer multipurpose solutions that encapsulate the following:
- PHP Web Development
- PHP Application Development
- Custom PHP Development
- PHP Software Customization and Integration
- PHP Porting and Migration
- Packaged PHP Applications
- PHP Professional Services
- PHP Outsourcing
MySQL and Postgres Database Administration
The custom applications that Matraex, Inc develops integrate with a database to store persistent application data. Some applications like WordPress automatically setup and manage all aspects of the MySQL database architecture. But our custom applications require database administration (DBA) services for setup and maintenance. Matraex, Inc has Oracle Certified MySQL Administration experts to address the Database needs of these custom applications.
Matraex, Inc internally follows very stringent Database Naming conventions which we have used for more than 10 years. These standards allow our development team to very quickly create custom relationships. We also area able to easily read and understand relationships in existing applications we have built.
Website Overhaul and Repair
Websites get old, designs get tired and software gets outdated. Matraex, Inc breathes new life into websites by either a small simple change. Or a complete website overhaul. Depending on the client need we address goals and budget to recreate websites which perform.
Matraex offers Website WordPress PHP Custom Application Development Boise.
7 Big Words in Website Design
7 Big Words in Website Design
Some of these words are more basic than others, but if you don’t already know these terms you should learn them as they may help your discussion with a web developer. The only criteria for these words / phrases were 1) “big”. they had to be three syllables or more and 2) they had to be terms that would apply to a web design / development conversation. (my contact information is at the bottom of this post so you and I can have a conversation about your website design)
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- Deep Linking
- Localization
- Minimal Design
- Parallax Scrolling
- Responsive Design
- Skeumorphism
- Typography
Deep Linking
Creating a link directly to a piece of content instead of your home page. The content may otherwise have been buried behind searches or link only available on your website.
Where the page on our website might have been http://matraex.com?p=7044, we use deep linking and have this url https://www.matraex.com/bulk-domain-ns-mx-and-a-record-lookup-tool/
Using good naming convention and deep linking can help a in Search Engine Optimization.
Localization
The process of adapting a product or content to a specific locale.
A website may look up your location from your profile or by IP Address and then change what you see or what language is displayed.
The idea is simple but it can be difficult to implement. In browser translation helps users browse websites which do not have language localization.
Minimal Design
Not specific to web design, this is the idea that less is more.
The idea has taken hold on the web as people respond to websites which create more focused content with less clutter.
Parallax Scrolling
The technique of moving the background images at a different rate than the foreground images, thereby creating and illusion of depth.
Some sites simply move a background a small amount as you move around, other sites have a more involved method of handling the scroll to move through a picture.
http://www.dementialab.org/discovery-lab/ has a very engaging method of moving through their pictures.
Responsive Design
A method of site design which ‘responds’ to the resolution of the users screen to ensures the site looks great for all sizes.
Often the businesses logo and the website navigation menu are shrunk down to make more room for other website content.
A responsive site has become a necessity as users increasingly find other business using mobile devices.
Skeuomorphism
Making the items that are represented in digital form, resemble their real-world counter parts. An example is this microphone which was used in a voice recording app.
A quick way to get up on the concept is to read Gizmodo’s discussion of it. You can also see several examples of it by searching Google Images for ‘Skeuomorphism examples‘
Realism
Typography
The art of arranging typed text to make written language appealing.
Includes selecting the typeface, point size, line and letter length and spacing.
Take a look at a Google Images search for Typography fonts to see lots of examples.
Website Developer
Contact Michael Blood with Matraex, Inc to have a discussion about these or any other Website Development Terms – 208.344.1115 x 250 – Contact Form