This site has been available to the public as part of the World Wide Web since 1999 and is designed and maintained by Da Guy at Bert’s Place. You’re actually viewing the domain named BertsPlace.net. Da Guy also maintains registration for BertsPlace.com and BertsPlace.info using alternate top-level domains but redirects all requests back to this non-commercial site.
Beginning in 2011, hosting is by Host Gator. Great service and great prices. Check for online specials and coupons for an even better deal before you sign up.
Browser Optimization & Plug-ins
Browser Preference
Staying away from the “browser debates” that are still going on these days, Da Guy recommends use of Mozilla Firefox 5 and above when visiting Bert’s Place. The following minimum browser releases are suggested:
- Mozilla Firefox 5.0
- Apple Safari 4.0
- Apple iOS 4.0 on your iPhone and iPad
Releases below these will not contain some of the extended web functions used on this site and unpredictable or undesirable results will occur.
Other browsers like Microsoft Internet Explorer and Google Chrome will likely work, but are not tested by Da Guy.
Screen Size
Optimally, you should view Bert’s Place with a minimum screen width of 960 pixels.
Plug-ins, Java and JavaScript
Parts of this site make uses Java and JavaScript. There are no ads here, except Da Guy’s editorial comments from time-to-time. Without these facilities enabled in your browser, you’ll lose functionality that are intended to make your stay here all the more enjoyable. Be sure in the browser and any firewall you use, to allow JavaScript and Pop-ups for BertsPlace.net to deliver the best effects.
Connectivity Speed
This site is by design, graphics intense. Some page load times may be over a minute for those visitors still utilizing ancient dial-up technology. This site is designed, maintained, and intended for those visitors with higher speed connections such as cable and DSL.If this place is not running fast enough, check out the US Government National Broadband Plan for the future.
The Technology Used to Create & Maintain Bert’s Place
For the technically inclined, here are most of the tools Da Guy uses behind the scenes to manage this place.
- Adobe Photoshop CS5 — for the pretty graphics
- iCLIPART provided the basis for many of the page icons across this site
- Visibone Webmaster’s Color Lab — thanks for a great free service on the net!
- WordPress — is the basis for this blog. Some of his favorite plug-in’s (free and fee) supporting this place include:
- Broken Link Checker — so Da Guy can keep up with changes
- Fast Secure Contact Form — in case you want to email Da Guy, and helps prevent SPAM to the Webmaster
- Google (XML) Sitemaps Generator — helps others find Bert’s Place via Google
- Slickr Flickr (Pro) — awesome method to link Flickr to WordPress
- WP Super Cache — speeds things up
- YARPP — it’s what provides related posts below each of the articles
Resources
- If you’re a visual-learning kinda person and want the benefit of an instructor-led training session, but don’t want to go to a real seminar somewhere, check out NAPP and Kelby Training who have some dandy online free and fee-based online videos and DVDs with some terrific instructors such as Matt Kloskowski, Dave Cross, and Scott Kelby. It’s where Da Guy looks first these days.