Network Advice - Networking, website design, CMS and business systems, advice and support

Network Advice, Business Management Systems, Advice and Support

Frank Fisher trading as Network Advice.

Contact:
00 44 1482 631611
or
click here to email

Frank is always looking for the next interesting project, and will go anywhere in Europe for it, but would prefer the south of Spain if possible, as he is trying to finish his house there!

He has been working with computers since the early 80s, covering a wide range of business, many in the charity & voluntary sector.

Clients have ranged from sole traders to local councils and household names.

Work has ranged from software development for warehousing and industry, databases and website back-ends through to multimedia development.

Off the shelf software is used where possible, and custom software is written when absolutely necessary.

The key objective has always been to make the system work, and in a reliable way. Frank has also worked with musicicans and artists. He has enormous experience of digital image and sound work, and has a particular understanding of the needs of creative businesses.

Frank's websites have a simple clean efficiency which is very popular with his clients and their customers.

Where I rant on and on

Adobe: get out of our infrastructure What is a dizzy artistic company doing all over our infrastructure? Why they need to get out and stay out

What do they think the desktop is for?: Which desktop is best? Mac OS, Win 7, KDE 4? Why desktops are all rubbish except Windows 3.1

I can't wait for the "easier install" of Windows 7: Just how easy is the newest OS to install ? An article on Windows 7 install problems

How To Fix The NHS IT Problem: Why we are wasting billions that just don't need to be spent. Read my article on NHS IT

Facebook - Where Do I Start?: Where it is all going wrong and why doesn't it work?

Firefox versus Chrome: I added an article on what annoys me so much about Firefox, and whether Chrome is the answer.

Couriers: GRR. I am having to hack this site by hand now on an old mac mini instead of using my content generator. Why? My main machine is smashed to pieces. It was packed in the original packaging with every spare millimetre filled with bubble wrap. The box said computer and had a picture of one, and lots of FRAGILE tape. The consignment description was the one word "computer". The courier reckons it was inadequately packed. Yeah, right. Or maybe it wasn't built for five-a-side in the depot? If it was inadequately packed how come they didn't say that at collection? UPDATE they wisely owned up and paid out, but spent 7 weeks or so deciding this.

Databases: I have yet another crazy database job coming up, another one where the client wants a new database without any of the current users knowing about it or using it, but just updating it without realising. I know, there are easier ways but then they couldn't torture me ... About due another article on this cobbled from one that nearly went in a magazine but didn't quite get there somehow

OpenOffice: I added an article on reasons you would have to be mad not to use OpenOffice. Well not mad, or maybe not even deluded, but certainly misguided. Go look at the excuses to see if you can find others, then I can pop them as well!

Click here to read more

Website Design: you can draw on years of experience for the design and coding. From a simple page to a full ordering website. There are important factors to get right all the way from hosting, interface, content right down to who and where your site is aimed and how to market it. Search engine optimisiation (SEO) and security are all vital to your success and reputation and need to be integral to your design.

Sometimes a website looks like a lot of work, constantly updating it to reflect the things you are making or selling that week, making out invoices from web orders and trying to tie it all into your accounts. Trying to track payments from Paypal and credit cards, cheques and bank transfers. Rewriting the code to make Google understand what your site does. Network Advice now concentrates on Business Management Systems for the Small to Medium Enterprise (ie. 1-250 people). These systems drive your entire business - any part from the stock control to invoicing through to the Content Management System (CMS) that makes your website in one easy system.

The important thing is ease of access to the data, and ease of use for the operator. It doesn't matter if your business runs on bits of cobbled Excel spreadsheets here, Access databases there and downloads from PayPal, it just works.

If you have been told to try some new technology, or you are confused about what hardware or software to upgrade for the best stability and value for money, get opinions on what works best.

When your computers systems or networks just don't work properly, or you want advice to buy a new system and know it will work, get support from someone with over 20 years professional experience.

The section buttons at the left take you through the different areas of advice and services available. Many other services are available on request.