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[WDA1.com]

Hello!  Let me get right to the point.  I'm not a web designer by any stretch of the imagination.  My artistic skills never much made it past those fat crayons we had in First Grade.

Recently, I had hired a web-designer to completely overhaul our website for an internet-based dance music radio station (http://www.wda1.com).  I gave this designer full reign on a new design, including moving us to a new webhost, and completely scapping our previous website that was created with DotNetNuke, and developing a completely new website, using sNewsMU.
The webdesigner was to be paid upon completion, a small fee, plus was to be given banner ads (on our website) for his web-design business, as well as audio commercials (for his business as well,) on our webcast.  What was supposed to be a 3-4 week project, still was not completed nearly 4 months later.  Upon several attempts to contact the designer to find out when the site would be completed, we gave up.  Our website is still not completed.  Upon completion, I was to be given the instructions on how to upkeep/maintain the basics of the website, and a basic tutorial of sNewsMU.  Obviously, these never happened.

We are seeking someone who would be willing to assist us in completing this website.  There are only a few items still required.  They include:

*Installation of the WYSIWYG Editor
*A method by which we can send out a monthly newsletter to registered users
*Email notification when a new user registers
*Fix to the "done with errors" messages we get once pages load
*A brief explaination on what I need to know to upkeep the sNews website.


There will be a small fee paid for the assistance... and we'll even toss in a station t-shirt for you.  I wish it could be more, but we're completely not-for-profit, so all this will be coming out of my personal pocket.  If you have a web-design business, we'll certainly offer banner ads and audio commericials as well in our broadcast.

If anyone would be interested in assisting us, please drop me an email at:  wda1@wda1.com

Thanks...
Andrew Cannon
WDA1.com

[WDA1.com]

Should I assume "no takers" on this?

[Sasha]

look i can finish your site with new designs and new fresh install of snews MU.Price is 300$ for all work i do (include new themas,coding in css xhtml,new logo,work in database,work with photoshop,fresh install of snews MU package itc itc).Also i guarantee you professional look of your web site.This is low coast what other people charge for same (some sites go from 500$ for basic to 3000$ profesional).Also i need time around 4 months to do this designs and setup of snews to work with your site.I do not have install snews MU package yet but no problems for me.Page you have now is to dark with strong colors and is too big,manu has big space betwen each other and template is not that great.Also email massage box is to small.You need site with easy acces for regular users and colors need to be light for easy content text read.Also you can see what i can do with designs visiting my web site http://www.cssanarchy.com and ask people around this forum about my designs.If you live in USA we can talk over phone about this.I m in OREGON state.

[TheTick]

To WDA1,

Look, quite frankly you're asking quite alot for little or no pay. As a professional freelance designer I have no idea why people expect web design to be something of little or no value - in the "My neighbors kid does websites" or the exact situation you are now dealing with - what you offered for what you want is next to nothing and will not attract a professional, as you have painfully learned. For what you are asking for now I would charge minimum $1500 easy.

I do understand and sympathize that you are a non-profit and have very limited resources,but please web design is a craft as much as anything else and you  either a) literally get what you pay for or b) learn how to do it yourself.

Sorry, using your request as an axe grinder of sorts. I do have alot of empathy for your position, but understand that "trading banners" and giving free references to other people is not the way to have a quality website to represent your profession.

[stjepan]

I must say few words here. Andrew  made thing clear here. He didn't call for spec work in here clearly stated what his (their) financial situation is.  So, basically, he needs pro bono help. He didn't say "You do it, and we we pay. Maybe."  He stated what he want in much better way than, say, some multinational companies that give $500 for whole marketing campaign.  He simply needs pro bono designer, and nothing else. No need to be angry.

[Keyrocks]

(relocated here: more relevant to the request)
As stjepan notes... please be fair to Andrew. Small pay is offered... contributions to a good cause are welcomed. 

[WDA1.com]

Thanks to those that at least responded.  In light of the situation, we opted to scrap the entire sNews idea and go a different route, using an entire different system.
I appreciate stjepan & Keysrocks for their input as well.  The figures offered just were way out of our possible budget.

sNews just really didn't work out as we'd hoped.  It would have been great to have the opportunity to work with someone who has more of the inside knowledge of this system and actually LEARN it... and in turn perhaps down the line assist others... but I guess that's just not to be.

[funlw65]

Thanks to those that at least responded.  In light of the situation, we opted to scrap the entire sNews idea and go a different route, using an entire different system.
I appreciate stjepan & Keysrocks for their input as well.  The figures offered just were way out of our possible budget.

sNews just really didn't work out as we'd hoped.  It would have been great to have the opportunity to work with someone who has more of the inside knowledge of this system and actually LEARN it... and in turn perhaps down the line assist others... but I guess that's just not to be.

Hi WDA1.com,
I'm a little shocked by the fact that you don't know already that the only way of avoiding spending too much money is DIY (Do It Yourself - as we all are doing) way.
Maybe someone guided you here because here we are helping each other. But here are limits - "guided by logic and common sense" as Joost said, "and respect" my add. Please, don't insult as because you didn't managed to trick one of us...

[WDA1.com]

Don't give me that sh*t.  I wasn't trying to TRICK anyone.  I made my point really clear right up front.  I never attmept to drag anyone into something they didn't know about from the beginning.  At no point did I ask for a complete overhaul of the website, nor new logo work, or a complete new website.  I was merely asking for assistance in finishing up what was never completed, and offering what we could in return.  A majority of the work had already been completed, it was just never finalized.
What I got in return were rates that were out of my budget.  Those who posted their rates have the right to post them, as do I have the right to say that they're out of my range, and "thanks, but no thanks, we've found another route to go."

I'm always eager to learn something new, and was ready to jump in on this head first but honestly had no clue where to jump.  I would have been content if someone would have said, "Hey we'd charge '$x.xx' to do it, but if you want to learn how to do it yourself, you might start 'here,' and offer some guidance.  But no... you've chosen to attack me, stating, "Please, don't insult as because you didn't managed to trick one of us..."

That's quite some 'community support' attitude you have there.  And don't tell me I don't understand the support community as I've done support in a automation software support forum for quite some time myself.  We're not there to do requestor's work for them, but we're always happy to assist, or if unable to, at least point them in the right direction.

[funlw65]

Every time in my life I meet people saying  "you are good on your area, so i want you to make this and this for me but I can't pay you, or I will pay you when I will pay you". Go and buy some food with that kind of promises, or pay the bills...

You want to put a business on role. Without paying nothing. I have a brother and a cousin working at a radio station so, I know how things are there. If I go somewhere and want to start something, I can't without a budget. You don't need my invitation on this forum for learning this CMS, you can do it without that.  If I can spend my time an health for learning something which can help my family, you can do the same. If you want to teach you or help you on something you can't manage, then, you MUST pay me. I didn't invented this s**t. Is the world where we live. And we can live only not permitting other people to trick us....

You know what? You will do the same with your radio station. You will say to a virtual client "Sorry Sir, you want space for advertising,
 then, you must pay because electric power cost money, internet hoster cost money, etc."
So, again. Don't insult as!

[WDA1.com]

I still don't see where in the hell you thought I was trying to TRICK anyone?  Where are you getting that?  Care to point it out?

I'm well aware of budgets, and paying bills and buying food.  I've been in my career field of terrestrial radio broadcasting for 28 years, and an pretty damn successful with it, both professionally and financially.  If this had been for a website for a commercial terrestrial station, then there certainly would have been a well established (and much higher,) budget set aside for a website... and I would have certainly taken the time to talk further with those that had offered their services and rates.

This website however, was for an internet station, run by a few friends from the industry, who were doing this completely not-for-profit, having already poured money into software, hosting space etc.  We had a very limited budget for webdesign, and had come to a mutual agreement with a designer to do the work.  He decided to skip out on the project before completed, leaving us (with zero design skills,) left w/ an incomplete site.

I never ASKED for your invitation to learn CMS.  I was already willing to learn it, but had no clue where to begin.  If taking the time/effort out of your life to assist even the slightest bit without setting a fee on your "time/effort," was going to keep you from feeding your family or paying bills, then you could have just as easily remained in the back of the room with your mouth shut on the issue.

Where are you seeing me INSULTING you?  Have I said ANYTHING derogatory or degrading towards you or your skills with CMS?  Have I called you a "lowlife piece of scum" for not helping out?  No... I don't think I have.  I came and asked for assistance for our cause.  A couple posts offered their services for a fee.  I said, "thank you, but it's not in my present budget."  I then stated that I guess this wasn't the route for me to take.  No insult, just stating fact.

Don't attempt to put a "label" on me as being insulting without sufficient reason to do so.

[Keyrocks]

We are seeking someone who would be willing to assist us in completing this website.  There are only a few items still required.  They include:

1 - Installation of the WYSIWYG Editor
2 - A method by which we can send out a monthly newsletter to registered users
3 - Email notification when a new user registers
4 - Fix to the "done with errors" messages we get once pages load
5 - A brief explaination on what I need to know to upkeep the sNews website.

Thanks... Andrew Cannon
WDA1.com

OK guys... let's get back to the TOPIC and quit trying to out-do each other here. There is NO NEED to get your tempers out of shape.
Offer some advice and assistance or... if you have none to offer... leave this topic to others who ARE WILLING TO HELP Andrew.

1 - There are several WYSIWYG editors that have been ported or modded to run with sNews.
    Which one Andrew wishes to use... hasn't been pointed out yet. Which is better? I cannot really say since I use none of them.
    Instead, I've enhanced the existing sNews Editor within my projects.

2 - So far there hasn't been a Newsletter system developed to run within sNews.

3 - Email notification is already possible within an MU sNews installation.

4 - I've never seen these errors in my MU projects... (I might have patched them some time ago).

5 - I think I am about the only one who's worked on a User Guide... but I've never had time to complete it.
    I've added mouse-over Help Icons to my current MEMU+++ package (still not completed but close).

[Keyrocks]

Please, don't insult as because you didn't managed to trick one of us...

@ funlw65 my friend... I fail to see where Andrew was trying to trick or insult anyone. I suggest an apology is in order. 

[funlw65]

It wold be much easy for you to try e107 or wordpress or other free cms, with many plug-ins for everything you want, even in your area of expertise. Anyway, is a little difference between you and a member which want to learn php, snews, and how to get the best from them. Your attitude is the attitude of a client, demanding. And get upset if not obtaining what he want....  
Please, read this forum and see how many proceeding in this manner and what they obtained. Please, count the type of reaction you provoked and how many....

Maybe you can start with a fresh snews, download it, and start adding mods... and if you get difficulties then ask and see the result.... I bet you will be delighted ....

-------------------------------
Because Keyrocks, much wise than me, stated that I must do it, please, accept my apologies! And maybe I understood you wrong because of my poor english... my fault.

    

[WDA1.com]

For my closing thoughts....

Had I known about other options for free CMS, I would have certainly looked at those, but at the time I did not.  As stated in my very first post, I have pretty much ZERO knowledge/skill of webdesign.

As for my alleged attitude, I never at ANY point "demanded" anything from anyone.... nor did I ever "get upset" for not obtaining what I wanted.

I did however begin reading the basics about sNews, and in all honesty, the documentation made little sense to me... again as one with no real previous experience.  As for reactions I've provoked, you (funlw65) seem to be the only person who was provoked to accuse me of being "insulting," or attempting to "trick," anyone into any for of foul play.  So, I count "one."  Not really big numbers, huh?

Thanks for your suggestions, but as stated, I have moved on to other options.  Apology accepted.