BigBlueHat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 13 February 2008

Contact Information:
BigBlueHat
107 East Park Ave.
Greenville, SC 29601
Tel: 864.232.9553
Website: http://www.bigbluehat.com/

Greenville, SC — BigBlueHat announced the completion of a new BlueInk-based web site for Interfilm Holdings, Inc. web site: interfilm-usa.com. Building on the foundation of their BlueInk Content Management System, BigBlueHat created custom content types for Interfilm Holdings, Inc’s product line. These content types give Interfilm the ability to create and edit structured product data for display in a customized product table featured on the products page. The product table sports sortable columns, downloadable data sheets, and colorized categories.

In addition to the custom content type for Interfilm products, BigBlueHat created a custom map widget that displays contact items for their regional account managers. When users move their mice over various regions of the map, the contact information and photo of the account manager is displayed. This smooth navigation provides quick and focused data for users of the Interfilm web site.

BigBlueHat is a foothills-based web manufacturing company. We specialize in designing and developing web sites and products for the web. Our current feature-length production is known as the BlueInk CMS. We focus on web-related innovation with each product we build. Our clients benefit from our future-focus by receiving software and web sites that are built to last and receiving free upgrades to the software hosted with BigBlueHat.

Brad’s been hacking on some niggling little inconsistencies in BlueInk: notification messages weren’t consistently placed, sessions timed out too quickly in Media, the loading message stayed up after renaming files, and a few others. After his changes things are much smoother now.

Inspired by his work this morning, I added some new icons for each of the content types. It’s now more obvious which content type you’re working with under the Content section.

Minor changes like that can get overlooked when we focus on “big picture” feature additions and long term architectural decisions. We’ve come to the conclusion, though, that these little things make a big difference in how enjoyable a web based software application is to use. The more enjoyable a product, the more usable. That’s our theory, anyway. Do you agree?

Check out the new improvements on the BlueInk demo site.

UPDATE: If you missed Gadgetfest ‘07, you can hear smaller presentations via a podcast created by the GSABusiness magazine.

Brad and I enjoyed Gadgetfest ‘07 a couple hours ago. This year, Gadgetfest featured some DIY gadgets, a squirting Zune, a touch screen device for gyms (I got the t-shirt for this one!), a very expensive HD camcorder, a Canon S5, and our very own Nokia N800.

While there weren’t as many “toys” this year, the practical nature of so many of the devices was actually exciting. It was good to see so many useful devices and some of them obtainably priced!

If you haven’t been to a GSATC meeting yet, you should visit. Even if your interest in technology is mild or “strictly business,” the GSATC will introduce you to new technology and new people using that technology in the Upstate of South Carolina. We’ve enjoyed attending many of the events, and plan to keep it up in 2008.

As far as gadgets go for 2007, what were some of the gadgets or software products you felt were most influential or had the highest “coolness” factor this year? I’ll start off (to avoid the obvious):

• Apple iPhone
• Nokia N800/N810
• BlueInk

Any others?

This year has been full of blessings at BigBlueHat. From new employees to segways and other gadgets, we have a list of gratitude we’d like to share. To those of you directly or indirectly involved with the items in this list, you have our thanks.

First, Brad. This year would not have been possible without the addition of Brad Garrett. Brad came on full-time at BigBlueHat in January. He’s been an invaluable asset and has allowed us to move more quickly into the world of web software by adding many improvements to BlueInk and becoming the programming lead for a new software project due next month (more on that next month).

Second, many new web sites. As our recent porfolio update shows, we’ve done several new sites, all of them built on the BlueInk Content Management System. We’re thankful to the clients who have used us to build or revamp their web sites. The feedback on BlueInk has been helpful, and we look forward to serve them and others with more BlueInk enhancements in the coming months and years.

Third, the Greenville Lion’s Club New Vision Car Show. We are working with the Greenville, SC chapter of the Lion’s Club to create a web site for the club and for their annual New Vision Car Show. In exchange for our help, they gave us the privilege of marketing space at the car show. We had a great time, and look forward to next year.

Fourth, Sara. Sometime in September we found a need for some help. Sara is now working part time for BigBlueHat keeping things running smoothly, providing her word crunching editorial skills to our clients, and bringing more dry humor and appreciation for simplicity to the office. We look forward to working more with Sara in the coming months, and seeing the writing on the web sites we serve improve exponentially.

Last, FastTrac. Benjamin finished the FastTrac GrowthVenture class last week. Ten weeks of very fast, focused entrepreneurial goodness is already beginning to pay off. We’re thankful to the SC State legislature for helping make it possible for us to be apart of FastTrac this year. We recommend it for any new or growing company in South Carolina.

Thank you to everyone who’s helped make this year possible. We look forward to serving you with what’s left of this year and all of next year.

Thank you again, and have a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 28 February 2007

Contact Information:
Benjamin Young
107 East Park Ave.
Greenville, SC 29601
Tel: 864.232.9553
Website: http://www.bigbluehat.com/

Greenville, SC — N. Brad Garrett has joined the BigBlueHat web manufacturing team. Brad is seasoned web developer proficient in PHP, MySQL, and AJAX. His recent arrival at BigBlueHat has spurred the company’s flagship product, the BlueInk Content Management System, onto a major upgrade released within the first couple weeks of this month.

Brad began his work with BigBlueHat in the Fall of last year. During his time as a freelancer he developed an job posting web site that allows customers to purchase job listings and pay for them via credit card. Since his arrival as a full time employee at BigBlueHat, Brad’s primary focus has been on improving the web-based BlueInk Content Management System. Thanks to Brad, BlueInk now has drag-and-drop file management, improved interface, and user management.

BigBlueHat is a foothills-based web manufacturing company. We specialize in designing and developing web sites and products for the web. Our current feature length production is known as the BlueInk CMS. We focus on web-related innovation with each product we build. Our clients benefit from our future-focus by receiving software and web sites that are built to last and receiving free upgrades to they software they host with us.