Summary. Philanthropic and socially engaged businesses and corporations seem to be competing with (and in some cases surpassing) non-profit organizations and government agencies in the race create a better world. This page offers examples of philanthropic businesses and organizations giving back to communities through charity. The question explored is whether these efforts are genuine or simply self promotion.
Rating Charitable Companies. Drug cartels also give back to their communities. What separates organized crime from legitimate businesses? It’s necessary to look at an entire company’s operation — labor practices, product quality, sourcing, and environmental impact — as well as the community impact of a company to determine the overall net-good they create in the world.
For-Profit, For Good. Social activists considering whether to start a non-profit sometimes choose to launch a business instead. Rather than pestering donors, they look for ways to turn a profit in the business world and let the excess revenue fully and perpetually fund the social causes they are passionate about.
Corporate partnerships with non-profits offers many of the benefits provided by endowment funds. Such partnerships mean that non-profits can focus on their work and spend less time (and money) on fundraising.
Rather than simply giving money to charity, businesses are becoming more engaged in the work of charitable organizations. An example of this is TOMS — the shoe company that gives one pair of shoes to charity for every pair of shoes sold. It’s what they call their One-For-One campaign. By engaging more actively in the supply chain and delivery process, they are able to oversee the charitable work and ensure its effectiveness. Tom’s recently launched an eyewear line with the promise to give prescription eye glasses, or medical/surgical treatment, to one person for every pair of glasses purchased. Their One-For-One charitable vision wellness program is another example of a perpetually funded enterprise that’s almost indistinguishable from non-profit organizations engaged in the same work. To accomplish their goals, TOMS has partnered with Seva.org of Berkeley, California.
The Starbucks Foundation has developed Ethos Water brand bottled water that states on the label, “For every bottle of Ethos water you buy, Starbucks will donate 5 cents to support humanitarian programs in coffee-growing communities, providing clean, safe water to those in need.”
GiveSomethingBack.com is an online office supplies vendor that’s been “named one of the most generous companies in America.” Their community giving page declares that they give “75 times more than other companies.” For every case of paper sold, seven meals are provided through local food banks.
Do a Google search on Triple Bottom Line and in the top 10 results (out of over 3 million) you’ll find Better World Books – a kind of poster-child for the movement toward ethical, environmental, and socially engaged business practices seeking to improve the world. Their statement on a commitment to the Triple Bottom Line concludes with this proclamation: “…while most businesses answer only to their shareholders, we answer equally to all of our key stakeholders: our employees, our customers, our literacy partners, our investors and the environment.” Better World Books has partnered with non-profit literacy organizations and established itself as a perpetual donor.
Criticism. Some people have expressed concern about the hybrid marketing of charity and corporate branding, citing that it creates confusion among consumers. In the case of Better World Books, some complaints have surfaced:
“I’m not happy about being required to dropship for an outfit that masquerades as a non-profit, when it is anything but.” ~ Alibris dealer [source]
“I too question the wisdom of signing on with a competitor who is nothing but a mega-listing penny seller. I would much rather contribute to the demise of such outfits rather than benefitting them by cooperation.” ~ Alibris dealer [source]
“Our local state university used to host bimonthly book sales, open to students and the public. These were discontinued 2 years ago because some genius at the university, duped by their deceptive charitable status, decided to form a relationship with BWB. So a good supply of books was severed, and now BWB has the nerve to come poaching my inventory. They’re a destructive megalister, with poor descriptions, devaluing books by the thousands. Rumor has it they pay 50 cents per book.” ~ Alibris dealer [source]
“You guys are the biggest scam artists that I’ve ever seen… You should also try putting some money into your crappy customer service department. And by the way, you’re lying about your ‘commitment’ to literacy programs. You have people donate on the false pretext that the books are going to be shipped over to needy kids in Africa but you really just sell them and give a SMALL percentage of the profit to the actual programs. Shame on you for lying and using these children for your false advertising and your greedy money hungry desires.” ~ disgruntled customer [source]
In response to the above criticism and others like it, John at Better World Books had this to say:
Theresa – we are certainly not perfect, and a small percentage of our customers do experience a customer service glitch. If this happened to you, please accept our apologies. You may contact me directly for resolution of your problem at john at betterworldbooks dot com. For perspective though, we do have a 97% positive seller rating on Amazon from 585,000 reviews (the most of any seller on Amazon) and a 99.6% positive rating on Half.com from 285,000 reviews.
We claim that we convert books donated into cash which then goes to our non-profit literacy partners. If you can point me to where you see an alternative claim, I would like to correct it. It is a side benefit that we have actually directly sent 1.3 million college textbooks to Africa, but this is not our primary business.
We do provide about 10% of our revenues to our non-profit literacy partners. For context, consider Target Corp., a best-in-class C Corporation when it comes to charitable giving. It donates 5% of its pre-tax profit to charity. In order to meet the bar we set of donating 10% of revenues, Target would have to donate 196% of its pre-tax profit to charity. We pay our literacy partners regardless of whether we are profitable and before we take any profit. We aim to maintain high single-digit social profit and to achieve high single-digit shareholder profit.
This response addresses some of the misconceptions about their charity work, and helps sets the record straight with regard to customer satisfaction, some concerns remain.
Locally owned independent bookstores are negatively impacted when they have to compete with Better World Books on pricing because, unlike BWB, local bookstores don’t get their books for free. This is an example of where even a company that is presumably well-meaning can have a devastating impact on small businesses, despite some of the other good they may be doing in the world. Similar concerns could exist about GiveSomethingBack.com office supplies. Do inexpensive online options for office supplies make it hard for small local stores to compete?
As stated earlier, the Committee Encouraging Corporate Philanthropy (CECP) was originally established by Paul Newman as a way to encourage others in corporate America to be “a force for good in society.”
The list of charitable businesses has grown to the point that just about every one of the top fortune 500 companies has some kind of “give back” campaign in place as if to say, “We’re giving, too!” So, how can a person distinguish one company from another.
“Corporate philanthropy has become part of a good strategic business plan. It is integral to corporate reputation, employee morale, and stakeholders at all levels.” ~ Ken Derr, Retired Chairman and CEO of Chevron Corporation [Source: CECP Website Home Page]
If corporate philanthropy is considered simply “part of a good strategic business plan” then how meaningful is it?
If charitable giving is simply factored into the bottom line, perhaps by inflating prices, then how meaningful is it?
The Community Giving page of Walmart’s website has this statement: ”At Walmart, we believe in a philosophy of operating globally and giving back locally. We know we can make the greatest impact on our communities by supporting causes that are important to our customers right in their own neighborhoods. We’re proud to be a ‘store of the community’ for all of the communities we serve by helping to provide financial and volunteer support to more than 100,000 charitable and community-focused organizations, and by using our locations to provide opportunities for our customers and associates to give back.” Walmart has given $2 billion toward hunger relief in America. Because Walmart is consistently cited as a primary cause for many small, locally run, locally owned, and locally supplied stores going out of business, their efforts to give to local communities are seen by some as a token gesture.
You may not realize it, but BP is all about supporting communities and preserving the environment. At least that’s why they state on their working responsibly:
“Supporting communities, preserving the environment. In other words, we have a long-term commitment to the communities we work within. As such, we recognise a responsibility to create more than quick revenues from our investments. Whatever we do, wherever we do it, we always strive to preserve and improve the surrounding environment, support enterprising business people and encourage energy-related education. This is why, for example, we planned the construction schedule for the BTC pipeline around the breeding season of a rare local grouse. And why we funded satellite transmitters to help experts track endangered sea turtles in the nearby seas. It’s why we’ve started programmes to share our business knowledge with entrepreneurs in Angola, South Africa, Trinidad and Tobago and elsewhere. It’s why we sponsor university programmes and send our employees into schools around the world, to help children learn how energy works and to inspire tomorrow’s energy experts. … We try to work in ways that will benefit the communities and habitats where we do business – and earn the world’s respect.”
The video below is a 10-minute digest from the movie On Deadly Ground about an oil company that creates a positive PR media campaign after a deadly oil spill and disaster. This is an example of how greenwashing is being used today by companies that are harming the environment.
It’s well documented that terrorist organizations and drug cartels are committed community partners in giving toward schools, clinics, and other charitable causes. This builds local support and helps shape their public image. For example, “Hamas’ political wing provides welfare and social services to the … poor. The organization also builds schools and hospitals, and it develops social and religious projects.” [source] The Medellín drug cartel is credited with having “built schools, … roads, bridges, and health clinics.” [source]
WHY COMPANIES GIVE BACK
To evaluate the net-good done by an organization or corporation, one needs to look at the big picture that includes labor practices, product quality, sourcing, environmental impact, and local community impact. It also helps to consider the various reasons why a company is engaged in philanthropy. Here’s a short list:
Passion. For some companies, the business-side of their operations are simply a front-organization to fund their passion for creating a better world.
Expectations. Some businesses give because consumers expect it.
Incident Remediation. Companies are sometimes compelled to engage in positive PR campaigns to help offset negative stories in the media (like BP after the spill).
Protective Coloration. In the animal world, protective coloration is what allows animals to blend in with their surroundings and avoid predators. In politics, sometimes a politician will associate with people to influence voter perceptions. For example, a politician who has a poor labor record will try to get photos taken with those recognized as being strong advocates for workers rights. In today’s increasingly environmentally aware society, companies with a poor environmental record will create a pro-environment campaign to cover that up.
Offset. Some companies are engaged in ongoing activities that are harmful to society or the environment (or at least they perceived that way by many). Walmart is consistently cited as the primary cause for many small, locally run, locally owned, and locally supplied stores going out of business. So, Walmart makes an effort to promote awareness about their community giving stating, “We’re proud to be a ‘store of the community.’” Altria (previously Phillip Morris) is considered to be perpetuating the use of tobacco and contributing to cancer. So, their socially responsible campaigns help dilute the negative perceptions that some people have.
Build Local Support. Drug cartels and terrorist organizations are exceptionally charitable within their own communities and are known to build schools, clinics, and give to charitable organizations. This helps build local support and create a positive awareness and perception about their brand. Some businesses give the the local community for similar reasons.
Final Thoughts…
“When I first started out in business, corporate philanthropy meant presenting an oversized check and going home. For the most part, those days are over. From what I have seen at Western Union and heard from my peers at events such as those held by CECP, there is a growing emphasis on multilayered partnerships across sectors. Nonprofits would do well to consider the full range of benefits they can offer their corporate sponsors and present innovative ways to deliver value to the stakeholders companies most want to reach.” ~ Christina Gold, chief executive officer of Western Union, from the article Rethinking Corporate Giving: Western Union’s CEO Offers Her Philosophy
“One problem with the triple bottom line is that the three separate accounts cannot easily be added up. It is difficult to measure the planet and people accounts in the same terms as profits—that is, in terms of cash. The full cost of an oil-tanker spillage, for example, is probably immeasurable in monetary terms, as is the cost of displacing whole communities to clear forests, or the cost of depriving children of their freedom to learn in order to make them work at a young age.” ~ The Economist, 7 November 2009
For example, if you install software for an HP printer, there is a Widget that gets installed (unless you choose not to).
Each widget uses up extra virtual memory and requires some attention from the CPU — slowing down the computer.
Check Memory Usage. To check and see how much memory is being used by Apple Dashboard Widgets on your computer, open the Activity Monitor (found in Utilities), and view the System Memory page. Sort all items listed by Virtual Memory to view those taking up the most memory at the top of the list. You’ll likely see DashboardClient toward the top. Or, you can sort alphabetically and look for DashboardClient.
Remove Unnecessary Widgets. To remove the Widgets running in the background, press the F4 key on your Apple keyboard to reveal all enabled Widgets, then press the plus + in the lower left of the screen to edit the Widgets. Click the small x in the upper left of each Widget to remove it.
“I discovered about 800MB being used by my Dashboard Widgets. There were actually two instances of the DashboardClient running. After following the above steps, the DashboardClient was gone and my 800MB of memory were back!” ~ Greg Johnson
Summary. Facebook, Google, and a host of other websites and advertisers track your browsing habits using cookies and other methods. Usually this is to provide advertising that’s relevant for your likes and dislikes.
It’s almost creepy. You visit an online store, and soon begin to see ads for that store showing up on other sites you visit.
A mistake with website tracking systems is that they begin to show you ads for stuff you’ve already visited — instead of blocking ads from sites you’ve already visited, which would make more sense. If you’re already a regular online shopper at Sears.com, why waste advertising space on ads for them?
A story this weekend in the New York Times disclosed an alarming trend regarding consumer tracking:
“Your application for credit could be declined not on the basis of your own finances or credit history, but on the basis of aggregate data — what other people whose likes and dislikes are similar to yours have done. If guitar players or divorcing couples are more likely to renege on their credit-card bills, then the fact that you’ve looked at guitar ads or sent an e-mail to a divorce lawyer might cause a data aggregator to classify you as less credit-worthy. When an Atlanta man returned from his honeymoon, he found that his credit limit had been lowered to $3,800 from $10,800. The switch was not based on anything he had done but on aggregate data. A letter from the company told him, ‘Other customers who have used their card at establishments where you recently shopped have a poor repayment history with American Express.’” [source]
Take Action. There are a few things you can do to prevent this from happening to you. To the extent that online browsing is being tracked, be mindful that all activity you engage in while logged into a system is easily monitored and recorded. While browsing the web, some browsers offer private browsing and the ability to disable the use of cookies.
Your Digital Thumb Print. As companies become more savvy, it’s possible that aggregate data will provide a digital thumb print to track site visitors. For example, even with cookies turned off, all websites gather data about your IP address, your computer’s operating system, and the resolution of your screen. A constellation of data such as this could uniquely identify you as you move through the Internet.
Summary. The standard AppleMacBook Pro 2.4GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 notebook configuration includes 4GB RAM for $2,200 (as of spring 2012). This should be enough memory for the most demanding tasks. However, the computer is extremely slow for many simple tasks even when running only one or two applications. This page offers some suggestions for improving speed and performance. The guidelines below will probably be useful for any brand of computer — desktop or notebook.
Memory Management Apps. There seem to be some memory management issues in Apple OS X Lion 10.7 as indicated by slowness and the reported available memory regularly sinking to only a few hundred megabytes. This happens when running Apple branded software and apps included with the OS, so it doesn’t seem to be a problem with third party software. As a result of these memory management issues, there are now many apps available through the Apple App store for free or 99 cents that will perform the basic task of cleaning up misallocated memory. Here is a short list (from among about two dozen):
Memory Upgrade. For an upgrade price of $200 at the time of purchase, the AppleMacBook Pro 2.4GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 notebook can come with 8GB RAM installed rather than 4GB RAM. This is a huge price jump considering that Crucial has an 8GB upgrade for $45 (and you get to keep the original 4GB for sale or use elsewhere).
“I purchased the AppleMacBook Pro 2.4GHz Intel Quad-Core i7 notebook with the standard 4GB RAM and was really disappointed at how slow it was for basic tasks. After upgrading to 8GB RAM, I immediately noticed an improvement in speed. These days, it seems like some low-end computers are configured shipped with the minimum amount of memory required to simply turn on. This reminds me of printers that ship with starter ink kits that can only print a hundred pages.” ~ Greg Johnson
Windows Users. Although the Apple OS and Microsoft Windows OS both have their advantages and disadvantages, their demands on memory and processor speed seem to be about the same. It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the point where 8GB RAM has become a baseline for a computer to perform fast and responsive, but that seems to be the case. At the time of publishing this article, most low-end Windows computers ship with 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM is considered the preferred amount of memory to have.
Summary. These days, most people have their smart phones locked. This is good for security, but if the phone is lost and then found by someone, they won’t ever be able to get into the phone and find out who to return it to. These instructions describe how to create a custom iPhone lock screen image with your name and contact information.
Simple Method. The quick, low tech, easy, but not so elegant way to set owner information to display on your iPhone or any smart phone is to simply write your contact information on paper and then take a photo of it that is clear enough to be read. Then set that picture as your power-on lock screen. Provide your name, email, and an alternate phone number.
Using Notepad. You could also create a lock screen wallpaper image using the notepad feature in the iPhone by typing your contact information in the middle of the note and then taking a screen shot of it by pressing the power and home keys briefly.
Using Other Apps. There are a number of drawing and graphics programs for the iPhone OS and for desktop computers. Some iPhone drawing apps like Doodle Buddy or Draw Pad Pro let you create colorful images with text. Keynote and Pages for the iPhone or iPad allow you to type your name and choose an elegant backdrop. With any of these, you can create a custom home screen image that includes your name and contact information. Then, press the power and home keys briefly to take a snapshot of your creation (while viewing in full-screen mode).
Using Keynote. The instructions below show how to use Keynote to make a custom lock screen wallpaper image.
Step #1 – Set the presentation image size to 640×960 as shown below.
Step #2 – Disable any link information as shown below.
Step #3 – From the file menu, close to export your creation as a jpg image as shown below and then email it to yourself so you can save it to the camera roll on the iPhone. When you receive the image in an email, touch and hold it to save to camera roll. Then, from the camera roll, you can define it as your lock screen image (or do this from Settings).
Keynote Theme Samples Gallery. Below is a gallery of samples using some of the Keynote themes to vary the background and fond. The other images on the page are included as well. Click any image to zoom in.
Summary. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Premium is the model that replaces the HP OfficeJet Pro 8500 Premium. Although these units are similar in appearance, design, and function, the OfficeJet 8600 series represents a significant improvement in quality, speed, and ease of use. Of all the 8600 series printers available, the Premium configuration represents the best value. [BUY]
“I’ve been using the HP OfficeJet series of printers for the past ten years and find they are fast, economical, reliable, and exceptionally versatile. The OfficeJet 8600 Pro series offers significant advances in economical printing, energy efficiency, speed, and print quality. I’d highly recommend it. The HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 Premium offers the greatest value since it comes with additional ink cartridges and a secondary paper tray. Another advantage is having a flat-bed legal size scanning area for oversized documents.” ~ Greg Johnson
Initial Setup Problems. When setting up the HP OfficeJet Pro 8600 for the first time, you may encounter an error during setup indicating that one of the ink cartridges isn’t installed or isn’t installed properly. There may actually not be any specific error message other than the non-stop looping of the animated video introduction on the display that never advances beyond showing you how the put the ink cartridges in.
Upon removing the identified cartridge and reinstalling it again multiple times over again, you’ll begin to get frustrated because this never solves the problem despite the error message suggesting it will. Then you will likely install a new ink cartridge, only to be told by the printer that the original “setup” cartridge must be installed the first time during setup. At which point you’ll install the original setup cartridge again, and get the same error again.
It may be necessary to remove the ink cartridge carrying mechanism and reinsert it again. This is the device that holds all four ink cartridges. You’ll find a white handle or latch on the right side. When this is moved up, the ink cartridge carrying mechanism can be removed and then reinserted again. Hopefully the problems identified above were simply due to incomplete or incorrect contact between the ink cartridge carrying mechanism contacts and the printer.
Summary. This page has some video recording and production tips for people wanting to record and produce high quality videos without a huge investment of time or money.
Video Recording Tips. Here are some basic recording tips for producing the best quality results.
Lighting. Lighting is usually a problem in most settings. If you’re far away from the person speaking and zoom in, this will reduce the quality of your recording. So, setup your tripod and camera close. This will improve the sound quality as well.
Multiple Camera Angles. Professional video recording and television shows typically use three or more cameras. If you think of an old-style talk show, there would be one camera stage left that’s focused on the host, another camera stage right that’s focused on the guest, and a third camera in the back to get a wide shot for perspective. An easy way to achieve this effect is to use two cameras, with one up close to get the best quality video (closer is better), and then another camera that you carry around to get B-roll (additional video footage) useful for providing contextual shots (such as showing an auditorium). You can occasionally cut away to the B-roll video using your editing software to insert that (using the cutaway feature).
Presentation and Lighting. If a Powerpoint projected presentation is used, and lights are dimmed, this will result in very poor video recording. So, its’ best to dim lights near the screen, but leave all other lights on, and encourage the presenter to stay in a well lit area for recording. Or, if possible, use a projector that can produce a clear image on the wall or screen even when the lights are at a normal level.
Presentation and Camera Position. Position the camera in the front of the room to the left or right of the presenter and projector screen. This will allow you to be close to the front and record the presenter and the PowerPoint slides simultaneously.
Presentation and PowerPoint Images. For more professional results, it’s possible when editing the video to insert images of the PowerPoint slides into the video using a cutaway feature. If you’re planning to do this, ask the presenter to give you a copy of the presentation slides for this purpose. However, it is time consuming, so recording the presenter and slides simultaneously (as mentioned above) can be sufficient and save time.
Sound. Unless you have a nice wireless microphone setup, you’ll probably need to boost the audio in your video editing software once you have it there. If possible, ask anyone speaking or presenting to speak clearly and project their voice. Also, it’s important to setup your tripod close to the person speaking to get the best sound. You’ll need to zoom out for a wide shot when sitting close.
Tripod. It’s important to use a tripod and when necessary move the camera slowly for best results.
Video Editing Tips. If you followed the instructions above to get a quality recording, there should be little work required in editing the video. Using simple titles and transitions is a benefit. Presumably the people viewing the video are sufficiently interested in the content that they won’t care about the flash and fluff of fancy editing techniques.
Video Production Tips. These days people “reside” in different online communities and social networks. For photographs, publishing to multiple services is a good idea (such as Flickr, Picasa, and Facebook). Video is the same. So, publishing the same video to Vimeo.com and YouTube.com makes sense.
Summary. Photographers have unique needs when it comes to website design. Many photographers use Facebook or have a free blog that points to an online collection of photo galleries hosted on Flickr or Picasa.
Those wanting to take things up a notch can create a full website to showcase their photography portfolio. WordPress.com offers an elegant, simple, and low-cost solution for most people needing a website. For $17 a year, you get website hosting and domain registration.You get the ability to have a multi-authored site, with hundreds or thousands of pages and articles (documents). The site templates are optimized for viewing on iPad, iPhone, or any computer. Photo gallery capabilities are built-in and a dozen photo/image-centric themes are among the 165 available themes. WordPress.com is an example of a content management system (CMS).
Specialized Photography Websites. Some website hosting companies offer themes and easy-to-use website management tools specifically designed for photographers needing photo/image-centric websites. These are also ideal for architects, musicians, bands, artists, painters, graphic designers, actors, and others who depend on having a dynamic and striking presentation of photos and images.
Directory. Below is a directory of photographer focused website hosting companies.
“We understand creative professionals because we are creative professionals. Every employee has achievements within their fields, and a passion for people and creative businesses. Our diverse experiences enable us to meet the diversity of our clients. Our team has lived in over 30 US states, 2 territories and 6 countries. The web is constantly changing and we strive to keep up. Support agents go through a rigorous training before they ever start helping customers. After that, we have monthly trainings and many “check this out” meetings to keep our knowledge and skills cutting edge. Regardless of whether you are just getting started or have been with Photobiz for a long time, you can call us as often as you need. We are here for you. We are here to answer questions as simple as moving pages to as complex as setting up SEO strategies.” [More...]
“In 2005, a bunch of friends got together over dinner to discuss the future of photography and how digital cameras and the Internet would change the industry. PhotoShelter was the outcome of that conversation. Six years later, our family has grown, but we’re still creating professional-quality tools and websites that make it easier for serious photographers to succeed. We’re happy to meet you!” [More...]
“At Zenfolio we believe that a beautiful photograph requires an equally impressive viewing experience. And because every photo tells a story, we’ve made it our business to display them with the same precision and attention to detail that went into making them. Drawing on our own passion for photography, Zenfolio, Inc was founded in 2004. Since then, we’ve worked hard to create a place online where photographers – both amateurs and professionals – can organize, display, and sell their images with uncompromising quality.” [More...]
“Most Internet companies dream of selling to bigger ones, and getting rich. We don’t. We dream of an independent company devoted to nothing but your priceless photos. A company that backs up your precious memories so they’re safe and sound. A profitable, debt-free company. That earns your fanatical loyalty. We’re living that dream. 100 employees. Hundreds of thousands of ecstatic customers. Billions of photos and counting. We’ll always be smaller than the photo-sharing divisions of giant companies. Which is a very good thing. Want to join the family?” [More...]
“SiteWelder launched in October 2002 as a powerful software tool to provide an easy-to-use online interface for photographers, artists and other creative professionals who want to create and dynamically maintain web sites. SiteWelder was originally created as a product of Tango Interactive, where we have been creating web sites for individuals and companies since 1996. Our clients at Tango Interactive have included Photo District News, Kodak, Sanyo Fisher, the InterAmerican Development Bank and a wide variety of individual photographers and photographic organizations.” [More...]
Holistically empowering all people to achieve their greatest potential so they may cooperatively work together in bringing permanent healing and peace to the earth.
A local directory of Iowa City Website Design Professionals is now available at IowaCityWebsiteDesigners.com with articles and other news about locally designed or launched sites of interest.
Windows Users. Although the Apple OS and Microsoft Windows OS both have their advantages and disadvantages, their demands on memory and processor speed seem to be about the same. It’s hard to believe that we’ve reached the point where 8GB RAM has become a baseline for a computer to perform fast and responsive, but that seems to be the case. At the time of publishing this article, most low-end Windows computers ship with 6GB RAM and 8GB RAM is considered the preferred amount of memory to have.
“In 2005, a bunch of friends got together over dinner to discuss the future of photography and how digital cameras and the Internet would change the industry. PhotoShelter was the outcome of that conversation. Six years later, our family has grown, but we’re still creating professional-quality tools and websites that make it easier for serious photographers to succeed. We’re happy to meet you!” [
