An Unashamed Plug

I’ve just surprised myself having a fresh look at my own website

Years ago, I designed websites for a few of my clients, but stopped offering this service for a couple of reasons. Firstly, the technology was advancing so rapidly that it was hard to keep up while still offering other computer support services. Secondly, I found it a very frustrating experience in that it was often difficult to trace and correct problems, and websites would often behave differently when viewed in different browsers (Chrome, Firefox, Internet Explorer, Safari, etc). As an aside, that’s why I recommend that if you are having inexplicable problems with a website, it’s worth trying to open it in a different browser: it may behave differently.

Despite these frustrations, I have continued designing my own website (which might just demonstrate my control issues). It’s a job I don’t like, even though it’s made easier using WordPress, and having a first-rate domain host who is very supportive. Thanks to the pandemic, I finally got round to the upgrade my site has needed for at least a couple of years. The new version went live a week or two ago, but by that time I was a bit tired of it all so haven’t looked at it for days.

Today, I came to write this weekend’s blog. These days, I often have to check whether I’ve covered a subject before. I like to think this is inevitable as there’s such a big catalogue of stuff in it now (this is blog post number 418). More to the point, though, is that I have to check as my memory can play tricks sometimes.

Anyway, the point is that I opened up my own website this morning and put the subject of the putative post into the search box and was really impressed by the way it all worked. I can’t take any real credit for this as the “search box” is powered by a “plugin” that I was fortunate enough to find in the extensive WordPress library.

And there it was, a list of the blog posts that mention “bookmarks bar”. I can either click on one of the results in the popup box to examine it further, or click on “more results” to be given the opening sentences of all posts that contain the search term. From there, it’s one click to seeing an entire post.

After a few days break from seeing the site, I have to say that I’m quite happy with it. Please do have a look if you are looking for something that you might have asked me if it had occurred to you during one of my computer support visits. Over the years, I have come to have some kind of composite picture in my mind of the typical needs, questions, and interests of my clients, so you might just find that I have tackled the subject that interests you. It could just save you from a bewildering session of separating the wheat from the chaff in a google search.

As ever, the address is davidleonard.london. The search box can be found at the top left of all pages.

And if you feel like leaving a testimonial to the service you have received from me, the place to do it is here.

That’s it. Self-promotion over. Normal techy stuff next time.