Below are answers to some of the questions I have received as I have ventured out into acquiring more and more clients. If there are any further questions that are not listed here, then please let me know and I will respond as soon as possible.
What exactly do you do?
I currently offer web services for churches and businesses. I am involved in the infant stages of a website to its completion and onwards in its continued support. I can be a part of any or all aspects of a website's creation and development and am able to provide insight in any area needed. As the work comes in, I hope to expand my services to audio and video production. Read about my Purpose for more information.
What kind of websites do you make?
My first client was Hosanna Church and since then, I have emphasized my focus on helping other churches in getting a site of their own or improving one that they already have. I expanded my services by assisting businesses with design and development, as well as offering consultation in taking their website further. There are certain websites that I will have no involvement with, including, but not limited to, warez, pornography, drugs, gambling, crime and/or violence.
How much do you charge to make a website?
As stated on my Services page:
"I do not post the costs involved of my development services since the need of each client can be drastically different. However, I am very competitive with my pricing and all costs involved are at face value. I have no hidden fees or shortcuts. I stand by my dedication in delivering professional quality services and products without the expensive price tag."
My monthly hosting fees vary on the need of the client and the amount of resources involved in the web site. All prices are charged at face value because we treat these services as a part of our ministry. I make no efforts in increasing setup costs to try to gain extra money. Typical charges are as follows:
- Domain Registration and Setup - This cost varies with the number of years a domain is registerd. For instance, a five year registration on a .com domain would typically cost around $72 (as of 01/11/2007), which is a non-negotiable cost from the registrar.
- Site Design - Site designs are contracted out to friends and partners. My partnership allows great flexibility in getting the design that you want and having me take the design and make it into reality. I can also have flash-based banners and ads created if desired.
- Site Development - Since every site I create will be unique in its own way, there is a period in which the site needs to be developed and customized to suite your needs. The cost for development varies with the extent of the customizations desired. I normally keep development costs very low when your site is being hosted with me. The low cost is a commitment I have made to God and in no way affects the quality of the product I am creating.
- Monthly Hosting Fee - As noted above, the monthly hosting fee varies with each site. If, in the future, more sites are wanted for hosting, I can easily accommodate for this. The costs listed above will be applicable for these sites but when factoring in the monthly hosting fees, only a small amount will be added to cover any future development costs if the development service is applied. The more sites you have hosted with me, the higher the cost, but I am focused on delivering a cost effective service and give you the best bang for your buck. It should also be noted that with other companies, you may very well be charged double the amount in the event a second site is created. With my services, the increase in monthly fees is modest in comparison.
Contact me today if you are interested in having me perform any work on your site.
What kind of system do you have your websites running on?
When my client base becomes big enough, I want to be able to rent a dedicated server. Currently I am on a shared hosting plan with Dreamhost.com. I am unable to provide any of the server specs. Each website uses my framework, which is built on PHP and MySQL.
What exactly do you mean by 'template' or 'framework'?
My framework, which currently has no working name, is a template that any designer or developer can use to have the basic necessities in creating a website with some kind of infrastructure. I developed this framework to be as customizable as it needs to be, and to allow room for any modifications without going through a ton of loops just to figure out how the system is structured. This framework is great for any developer that wants to have a consistent back-end on all of their sites while being able to easily develop their own modules, or pages, that can meet each client's needs. Due to its lack of documentation and outside support, the framework is unavailable to any designer or developer interested in it.
Is it possible to see a demo of your framework?
I am in the process of creating working demos for anyone to have a test drive of my framework. For the time being, I will gladly give a walk through of my framework so that you can see just how easy it is for a person of any technical level to update and add content to a website.
Is it possible to download or purchase your framework?
The short answer is no. My framework is still in its early stages of development and outside support for it is currently non-existent. I actively look into any issues that arise, however, I do not have any FAQs, manuals or documentation for developers or designers to use in making their site. When I build a site, part of the site's development includes implementing this framework and customizing it to the client's specific needs. My development services encompasses both web hosting and continued support for a website. With this in mind, I would rather not issue our framework to a non-client, even if I were to receive payment for getting it setup.
How long have you been involved with web development?
I originally became involved in web development around 1995, with the first few web pages that I made being just for fun type of sites. Eventually, the need came for a real website to be made, one that had more than a page or two of information and was not built from a FrontPage® template that dozens of other websites used. You can read more in depth about my History if you are interested. The World Wide Web is constantly evolving, with new trends and technologies popping up all the time. I stay on top of the latest web trends and as such, I keep my framework and websites up to date as well.
What programs do you use for your audio and video production?
For my video editing, I use Sony Vegas, a simple yet powerful video editing program that is coupled with DVD Architect, a DVD authoring programming allowing for creative DVD menu creation. For my audio editing, I am in between programs so that I can decide what route we want to take. I have a long history with Adobe Audition (formerly known as Cool Edit Pro), but with my video editing being done in Sony Vegas, I will eventually look into Sound Forge 8 and seeing how well it can integrate with Vegas.
How much do you charge for audio and/or video work?
I currently do not offer any audio or video services. Prayerfully, however, I hope to expand into this resource so as to provide even more services at affordable prices.
So what about your name, Lousy Llama Productions? Where did that come from?
When I decided to make a name for myself, I wanted something unique, out of the norm, and a name that would leave a long impression. To get the full story on how Lousy Llama Productions came to be, read towards the end of my History.
