The successful candidate will work on the following:

• creating, documenting, maintaining, testing and debugging systems developed in PHP versions 4 and 5
• building secure e-commerce sites using Vanilla Storm developed applications
• development of HTML / XHTML and CSS websites, working to W3C and WCAG standards
• uploading websites and applications to the server
• researching and building sites using existing software and building bespoke applications and modules as required
• research and implementation of new technologies

Is this you? If so, we would love to hear from you. Please email jobs@vanillastorm.co.uk in the first instance and we will forward a full job description.

Closing Date: Friday 19 March 2010

Salary: £22,000 to £28,000 depending on skills and experience

Strictly no agencies, consultants or jobs banks - please do not phone or email.

And so it’s January. A month for resolutions, new beginnings and for looking forward. It’s also an opportunity to look back on the past year, to rethink, review and to take stock.

2009 was a great year for Vanilla Storm. We were nominated for our second Big Chip Award, we expanded our team and we got to work with some great clients.

Our client list is diverse and includes comedy sites such as Bill Bailey and Ross Noble, TV campaigns such as Mary Queen of Charity Shops, news orientated blogs like Bad Idea, schools such as Withington Girls’ School and KEQMS and a whole range of e-commerce driven platforms including Alex Monroe, Lauren Adriana, Missguided, Apatchy and Pretty Disturbia.

2010 will be an exciting year for us. As we continue to grow we welcome new staff and look forward to working with new and existing clients alike. Here are some of the hopes and predictions from our team.

Turhan (Web Developer)

“One of the things I’m looking forward to this year is the summer. Not just for the long days and better weather (we can always hope), but also for the World Cup. England did well in qualifying, so it should be an exciting tournament.

Google released their own phone, the Nexus One, this month and it will be interesting to see how Apple reply with their new iPhone. Maybe I’ll finally get round to getting one.

Don’t tell anyone, but I’m also a little bit excited about the A-Team movie. I’m sure it will be cheesy remake, but it will be good to see Hannibal and co. loving it when a plan comes together again!”

Nicola (Web Designer)

“2010 or is it Twenty Ten?

I cannot believe how much time flies, and this year will be no exception.

If Manchester City keep a manager long enough then they will stay in the top 4 of the table, and give top teams like Chelsea and our closest rival’s United a good enough fight for the top spot!

I expect 2010 to be an exciting time for digital technology, as I have heard rumours of a new iPhone design being released, a touch screen tablet similar to an iPhone but bigger, the launch of Google’s new phone and many more!

Electric cars are looking more like the future, I wonder what they will be like to drive?

I am also hoping New York is on the cards, for some serious shopping and cannot wait to see the new Sex and the City movie!

Toy Story 3 is also coming out this year, and I am sure more 3D films will make an appearance.”

Joe (Admin Assistant)

“2010 should be a good year because Leeds are going to get promoted and win at Wembley. The new year got off to the perfect start (footballing wise) beating Manchester United in their own backyard.

My footballing New Year’s resolution is to try and go to every single game next season… when we’re in a higher league of course!

I’m also looking forward to seeing what the new iPhone will be like. I’m probably going to get one because my current phone is about as useful as a glass hammer.

There is also a film being released in 2010 called ‘The Beaver’ with Mel Gibson. I’m going to make sure I see that. As I only went to the cinema about 5 times in 2009, seeing more films will be my proper New Year’s resolution!”

Mureed (Project Manager)

“2010 is already here… I can still remember the Millennium like it was yesterday and I’m sure it’s the same for many of you out there!

2010 is a new start for me and I’m looking forward to making the most of it. I want to see websites which will make an unforgettable impression on the visitor, incorporating the latest design trends, oversized logos and headers, sketches and hand drawn design, website navigations that make you want to click.

I am hoping to see a new car on the horizon, I’m not really clear about what this will be, I mean there’s so much to choose from what should I go for speed, comfort, economy….

Avatar was an amazing movie with amazing special effects, changing the way we view films and I’m looking forward to seeing more of the same.”

Jenny (Director)

“For me this will be a year of change. I look forward to welcoming new members of staff and to continuing to work with our in-house team. A website redesign is high on the agenda, along with a revamp of our designer blog, Indie Quarter. We also have a number of exciting projects in the pipeline. More on that soon.

For me personally, I look forward to reading more (I was lucky enough to receive a Kindle for Christmas) to watching more films (like Nicola I’m eagerly awaiting Sex and the City 2), to going to the theatre and to travelling. At some point this year I expect to be chugging through the Czech and Polish countryside, on the night train from Prague to Krakow.”

Richard (Director)

“Oh, OK, I suppose I’ll have to start by continuing the football theme in this post!! I start 2010 as I do every year with the vain hope that Nottingham Forest will be promoted back to the Premier League, where we belong. As the original ‘Reds’ (Forest are the reason why Arsenal play in red as we lent them some shirts when they started out!) and one of the oldest teams in the Premier League, the East Midlands needs to have its biggest club back in the top flight. We’re in a strong position at the moment, let’s hope we keep it up to the end of the season.

On the Internet side, 2010 looks like being another record year for e-commerce sales and I expect to see many more companies either moving to the web (who have bricks n mortar operations) or establishing internet only businesses. It’s not so long ago that people were saying that fashion on the Internet wouldn’t catch on because people would need to touch and feel the clothing, but our clients like Missguided and Hervia and giants like ASOS and Net a Porter have proved all the doubters wrong. And Vanilla Storm has demonstrated that you don’t need to break the bank to get a content managed e-commerce site, professionally developed, so we’re expecting another busy year.

Major developments in improving access to deliveries (parcels delivered to local shops, drop boxes, secure lockers) are all becoming more popular, so we’re expecting massive growth in integrating these services into e-commerce sites.

We also wait with baited breath to see what effects the anticipated change of government will have on business and whether the new government will start to put pressure on landlords to help to fill empty shops and re-invigorate the high street. I’ve never seen so many empty units in Manchester and the fact that grocery stores now sit alongside fashion and record shops just shows how times have changed. The retail sector desperately needs some support and I’ve seen little evidence of this – hope it gets more support this year than the manufacturing sector has…..

2009 was a year of significant growth for Vanilla Storm, and we’re planning to grow the team further in 2010 – watch this space!!”

We’re closing next week for the Christmas holiday. The office will close on Wednesday 23 December and we will re-open on 4 January 2010. Should you need to contact us urgently during that time please telephone the office on 0161 282 4525 and leave a message. All non-urgent messages will be dealt with when the office re-opens in January.

We would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy and peaceful Christmas and a prosperous 2010.

Jenny, Richard, Turhan, Nicola and Joe

We are currently seeking a Project Manager to join our busy team. The role will involve managing projects on a day to day basis and liaising with clients and the development team to ensure that projects are delivered on time and to budget.

We’re looking for someone who is extremely organised and can manage a number of different projects and co-ordinate between the team and clients. An understanding of the processes used to create websites, online shops and other web applications would be an advantage.

The role will involve writing project specifications and testing website and online shops. Though some training will be given, applicants will be expected to have an understanding of websites and online shops from a user’s point of view.

Salary: £18K to £24K, depending on skills and experience

For a full job description please email Jenny Hudson at info [at] vanillastorm [dot] co [dot] uk.

Closing date 26th November 09.

STRICTLY NO AGENCIES.

We’re recruiting again! We’re looking for another PHP Developer to join our busy team in Heaton Chapel. Our portfolio is expanding rapidly and we have a number of exciting projects lined up for the successful candidate. You will join a small team and work on a number of varied and interesting projects.

Salary: £20 - £26K depending on skills and experience

You will be responsible for creating, documenting, testing and maintaining a range of web solutions including e-commerce sites, blogs, CMS and static websites.

Your main duties will include:

• creating, documenting, maintaining, testing and debugging systems developed in PHP versions 4 and 5
• building secure e-commerce sites using Vanilla Storm developed applications
• development of HTML / XHTML and CSS websites
• working to W3C and WCAG standards
• liaising with clients, answering questions, obtaining and collating website content and offering general advice and support
• project administration including answering the telephone, dealing with customer enquiries, writing emails and other correspondence
• uploading websites and applications to the server
• building and developing sites using open source applications
• researching and building sites using existing software and building bespoke applications and modules as required.

How to Apply

Please read carefully.

Candidates should email Jenny Hudson at info [at] vanillastorm [dot] co [dot] uk to request a full job description in the first instance. You will then be asked to provide a current CV and examples of previous projects you have been directly responsible for.

A Note on Applications

• Please apply for a job description before sending CVs.
• We’re looking for someone who takes a pride in their work, is meticulous and shows attention to detail. A hastily written email comprising two paragraphs and no punctuation isn’t going to cut it.

Closing Date: Friday 6 November 2009
Interviews to take place the following week.

Strictly no recruitment agencies, consultants, jobs banks.

We’re currently looking for a freelance bookkeeper to work at our Heaton Chapel office for one day a week. Experience of using QuickBooks is essential.

The role will include:

• raising invoices
• posting bills
• banking cheques
• arranging supplier payments
• bank statement reconciliation
• credit control / chasing payments
• payroll

Please contact Jenny Hudson in the first instance at info [at] vanillastorm.co.uk.

Strictly no recruitment agencies.

On Friday afternoon Richard and I went along to TEDx Liverpool. If you haven’t encountered these events before it’s all about ‘ideas worth spreading’. This is their slogan. TED stands for ‘technology’, ‘design’ and ‘education’ but as the events have gained momentum, the subject matter has become much wider.

Over the years TED has attracted a number of noteworthy speakers including Bill Clinton, Bill Gates, Sir Richard Branson, Bono and many more. The format is a mixture of video footage and live speakers and the audience has the opportunity to ask questions.

Friday’s theme was creativity and it was fascinating. Talks ranged from the future of technology, the powerful relationship between creative thinking and play, social journalism and Arduino - a clever gadget that can help you create interactive objects. Perhaps the most thought provoking and surprising part was Sir Ken Robinson’s video on how schools kill creativity (see above). As an ex-teacher, it certainly made me think.

There are lots more TEDx events taking place in the north over the next couple of months. For the programmes visit www.tedxnorth.com. If you get the chance go along. You won’t be disappointed. Make sure you book in advance though as places are snapped up very quickly.

Further reading:

TED - www.ted.com
TEDx - www.tedx.com
TEDx Liverpool - www.tedxnorth.com/liverpool09/
Twitter Hashtag - #TEDxlp
Blog Post and Video by Sarah Hartley - http://sarahhartley.wordpress.com

Visit http://business.twitter.com/twitter101

It’s easy to forget, what with all the media buzz, that not everyone is ‘on Twitter‘. And some people, not surprisingly, are a bit confused by it all.  I mean who cares that Stephen Fry was stuck in a lift?  Or that Lily Allen is on her way to the airport and needs more sleep? Surely we get enough this stuff in the tabloids and ‘celeb’ magazines?

The jargon doesn’t help either. It’s difficult to explain to someone about ‘tweeting’ or suggest that they join a ‘twibe’.

But of course there’s more to it than vanity tweets and a few vague ramblings. Much more. I’m not going to tell you that you ’should’ be on Twitter. And that it’s going to transform your life and your business overnight. It won’t. And I accept that it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. But if you’re curious about it and wondering what all the fuss is about, I’ll try to explain how I’ve found it to be a useful tool.

I could write a whole series of posts about Twitter. People have written books on the subject. This is just an intro. A starter for 10. It’s for people who haven’t used Twitter yet or who are wondering how it can help them / their business.

First, a brief introduction to what it is and how it works.

What is Twitter?

Put simply, Twitter or www.twitter.com is a social media tool. It allows us to connect and interact with people. You may already be familiar with blogging and it’s a little bit like that. It all began with a question. What are you doing? You then had 140 characters to answer this question and say where you are, what you’re doing etc. The 140 characters part hasn’t changed, but the way in which we use Twitter and what we write has changed significantly. You’ll often hear Twitter referred to as ‘micro blogging’ but it has evolved even beyond this. Twitter users are constantly seeking new ways to interact and share information. You can expect to find breaking news, links to sites, pictures, special offers, poetry, comments, quotes and more.

Where do I Start?

So, how do you get started? Simple. Go to www.twitter.com and click on the big green ‘Get Started - Join!’ button. Follow the prompts from there to set up your account and away you go. You may want to look round a bit first and familiarize yourself with the format. There’s also a video that you can watch to obtain more information.

Once you’ve signed up you’re ready to tweet. ‘Tweeting’ (the verb) is the act of adding a post or message. A ‘tweet’ (noun) is a post or message. You have just 140 characters to get your tweet / message across. Numbers at the side of the text box will count down as you type to indicate how many characters you have left. Your message will be added to the public timeline automatically. This means that it is published to the World Wide Web for anyone to see. But with nearly 2 million tweets added each day, how can you be sure that people see your message? This is where followers come in.

But Remember

Once you have added a tweet you can’t fully delete it. Ever. Yes, there is a delete button which will enable you to remove this from your timeline. However, it will still appear in Twitter searches and people could potentially still find it. So think carefully before you begin.

Followers

A follower is so-called because they follow your tweets. If you’re familiar with Facebook, being a follower is like being a ‘friend’. Once you follow someone their tweets are added to your Twitter page. This is one way that you can filter out the tweets you want to read on a daily basis from the public timeline.

To follow someone on Twitter visit their Twitter page and then click on the ‘follow’ button underneath their pic / icon. The good thing is that you can ‘unfollow’ at any time by clicking on the ‘unfollow’ button.

So How Do I Get People to Follow me on Twitter?

Try following them first and engage them in conversation, perhaps commenting on their tweets or retweeting something they’ve written. To reply to a tweet, hover over their message and then click on the curly arrow that appears on the right hand side. This will add ‘@’ followed by their Twitter ID at the front of the message box. You can then type your tweet in the usual way and this will reply directly to that person.

Remember though that everyone else can see your message too. Just because you’re replying to someone doesn’t mean that this is private. To send a private message (called a DM or Direct Message) you need to add a ‘D’ at the beginning of the message / tweet, followed by their Twitter ID. Therefore, if you wanted to direct message (DM) me, you would add ‘D IndieQuarter’. Note: you need to be following that person and they need to be following you in order to DM them.

The Power of the ReTweet

The retweet or RT is where you resend a tweet that someone has already sent. Why? To reinforce what they have said and to make their comment / message etc. available to your followers. This can be extremely powerful. Everyone likes to feel that what they say or do is important or useful in some way. The retweet offers this validation. It is also a recommendation. Evidence suggests that the power of recommendation through trusted networks is becoming more effective than traditional search engine marketing. Copy and paste the tweet into the message box and add RT followed by the person’s Twitter ID at the beginning of the message.

Mr Tweet

Another way to connect to people is through Mr Tweet. If you follow him he will recommend relevant people to you and will recommend you to other people. Follow @MrTweet in the usual way and he’ll send you a DM telling you how to get started.

The Hashtag #

When you start using Twitter you’ll notice a number of tweets including hashtags #. Hashtags are used to link a number of tweets with a similar theme. Sometimes events are allocated hashtags, so that attendees can share info with other attendees and non-attendees. If you search for the hashtag in the Twitter search page, all of the related posts can be viewed. Using hashtags is another great way to interact with people on different topics.

Popular hashtags are called Trending Topics and can be found on the right hand side of the your Twitter home page. Click on them to read the conversations.

Adding Images

There are a number of tools that you can use to add images to Twitter. A quick search in Google will help you identify them. I tend to use Twitpic. Though admittedly not for any other reason than that I found this application first and haven’t found a reason to change.

To add your image go to www.twitpic.com. Type in your Twitter username and password and you’re ready to go. No need to create a separate account. Click on ‘Upload a Photo’ at the top of the page. Then click on the ‘Browse’ button to add an image from your PC / Mac. Type in your tweet / message in the box and click on ‘Upload’. Your message and image will automatically appear in your Twitter timeline.

How to Use Twitter

You may have read recent news reports about Dell making over $3 million through Twitter. Therefore the temptation is to immediately begin bombarding your followers with special offers and promotions. Don’t. This is unlikely to work. What is likely is that people will begin to ‘unfollow’ you. Twitter is a social networking tool, the emphasis being on networking. It is about building relationships and sharing information. People like to know who they’re following and a little bit about them. Huge faceless corporations are out. CEOs that people can identify with and talk to are in. Include a photograph, give your name and some background info, talk about other non-business issues and events. Engage, interact, build trust.

Here are some people who do it well:

- @hunkydoryhome
- @asos
- @PRNewswire
- @TheCharmQuark

The above are all very different companies / people but they all use Twitter well and in return Twitter works for them.

How I Use Twitter

I joined Twitter over a year ago but didn’t start using it properly until quite recently. I use it mainly to keep in touch with work related people. These are people that I come across through my job and also through blogging. Some people I’ve met through industry related events but others I know only through Twitter or through blogging.

I use Twitter to keep up to date with what’s happening in the digital industry and also in the craft / design world. I follow various digital / tech people who post about new technology and forthcoming events. I follow people like @guardiantech who adds snippets of blog posts that I can click on to read the full post. When I’m busy I email myself the links to read later. I have a folder in my mail client where I keep links to articles to read when I have time.

And lastly, I use Twitter to promote our design blog. When I’ve added a post that I think may be of interest, I ‘tweet’ about it, including a link through to the article.

As I said, Twitter is unlikely to make you a millionaire. And it’s not for everyone. But it’s certainly worth a look. Even if it is just see what Her Majesty has planned for the day.

If you would like to have a chat about how Twitter can work for you, Vanilla Storm will be running some free ‘Website / Social Networking Surgeries’ over the next few weeks. Give us a call to book an appointment - 0161 282 4525.

And if you’d like to follow me on Twitter you can find me at @IndieQuarter.

For me, by far the most interesting discussions were around the Semantic Web or ‘Linked Web’ or ‘Web of Data’ as it is sometimes known. Tom Llube led a thorough and informative discussion on Redefining Identity in a Semantic World. He spoke about a quiet but powerful revolution and the profound effect that this new web would have, both from a cultural and society point of view.

In summary, we’re moving away from the original ‘web of documents’. The way we access data is changing. This new framework will allow data to be shared across numerous different applications and not just on a static page. For example, you may wish to sell products online. Imagine being able to sell them across various sites and applications and not being restricted to an online shop and an Etsy store. You could upload your products once and they would automatically become available across the web. And your customers wouldn’t be restricted to paying on your website.

Another example, from Simon Cross and Ben Smith of the BBC, is that search is going to become so sophisticated that soon we won’t be searching for details of a particular programme or film by typing its name into a search box. Nope. We’ll be asking for all the programmes our friends have watched over the last week that we haven’t seen yet. And yes, that information will be delivered to us.

Pages and walls are out. Links and relationships are in. The impact on traditional web pages and search is going to be significant.

Of course, as with any new technologies there are questions to be asked. The main one being around the subject of privacy and ownership of data. This is something that needs to be discussed further and we need much more awareness around this subject. And as Helen Aspell pointed out, we need to look very carefully at accessibility, both in terms of connectivity to the web and in terms of ensuring that everyone is able to access these new technologies.

As I said, it’s all very exciting and I’m looking forward to next year’s summit. To continue the discussion follow #futr09.