Hinutech

Although this is a long-standing policy that we verbally communicate to our customers, I want to drive the point home on my blog.  Below is our official policy in regards to Internet Explorer 6.  I have never been shy about my disdain for this browser, and recently a buddy of mine on Twitter made me aware of a site devoted to ridding the web of this scourge called idroppedie6.com.  It's nice to read the statements of freedom as companies (large and small) free themselves from the shackles of this antiquated browser that does nothing more than increase costs and make the web worse.  I think of the hours spent every day as well-meaning developers try to make their code work with this browser, and I am saddened.  Think of the progress that could be made by these amazingly talented people who are wasting time trying to make their code "work" for this browser. 

Microsoft should force people to upgrade.  Make Internet Explorer stop working.  Make it automatically upgrade to IE7.  Take responsibility for the horrific excuse for a browser that they released in 2001 and make the world a better place by forcing people to upgrade.  Sure, they officially stopped supporting it years ago, but they never took a definitive stand. 

So, in my little way, I'm picking up some of the slack for Microsoft.  If something we do doesn't work for IE6 but works in all other browsers, that's tough.  Upgrade.  It's called tough love...you'll thank me later.

Hinutech's Policy on Supported Browsers

We don't support Internet Explorer 6.  Period.  In order to use products and sites designed by Hinutech without any hiccups, Internet Explorer 6 users should upgrade to a newer browser:

Download Internet Explorer 7
Download Firefox
Download Safari

The Internet Explorer 6 browser was released back in 2001.  It's replacement, Internet Explorer 7, was released in 2006.   Modern web browsers such as IE7, Firefox, Safari, Opera and Flock provide much better online experiences and significantly improve the security of their users.

Why Don't We Support IE6?

Frankly, one of our core values is to make the web a better place.  By supporting a browser that is antiquated and disregards standards put forth by the W3C, we are encouraging bad behavior on the part of users.  It also comes down to a matter of cost.  The new economy is fast-moving, and the time and effort needed to support IE6 for a diminishing group of users prevents us from effectively creating innovative solutions for the majority of our customers.

Frankly, there is no reason to support Internet Explorer 6 at this time since there are so many better alternatives available. 

What Browsers Do We Recommend?

Firefox continues to be our favorite browser.  Because of its open source nature, it adheres to web standards.  It is much more light-weight than Internet Explorer and offers a good environment for those who use it.  Whether you use a Mac or Windows, Firefox is a great browser.  We like Safari as well, and since its introduction on the Windows platform in 2008, it offers a worthy alternative to Internet Explorer.  With that said, the majority of visitors use Internet Explorer 7.  Although we have a distaste for IE7 and all of its foibles, we live with it.

 For those who are following the news about Hamilton's Elder-Beerman store closing, here are some related articles from around the web:

• City Protests Closing of Elder-Beerman (source: Hamilton Journal News)
• Bon Ton "Firm" on Closing Elder-Beerman (source: Hamilton Journal News)
• Bon Ton on Motley Fool's Retail Death Watch (source: Motley Fool)

So, it doesn't look good for the city of Hamilton or Bon Ton. Although this is painful for the city, I am hopeful that it serves as a wake-up call for our leaders. We need to diversify our portfolio and take advantage of our strengths. It hurts to lose Elder-Beerman, but it will hurt even more if we learn nothing from this lesson and continue our downward slide.

The Hamilton Journal News reported today that the Elder-Beerman store downtown will be closing this spring displacing 75 employees and leaving yet another hole in Hamilton's already-struggling economy.

This is bad news for the city. Over the 5.5. years that I have called Hamilton home, I have seen a city that is going through an identity crisis. Steeped in tradition, most of the locals hold on to a time when Hamilton was a manufacturing powerhouse thanks to its proximity to the Great Miami River. Those days are gone, and Hamilton has failed to reinvent itself.

Hamilton has so much potential to be a great city. We are located on a beautiful river. We have a branch of Miami University. We are 15 minutes from Oxford, and many Miami University faculty call Hamilton home. We have a population of people who are dedicated to this town (the people from whom we purchased our home lived here for 30 years...they moved 2 blocks away because they love the neighborhood so much).

Hamilton could reinvent itself much in the way that Cincinnati's Northside has. Hamilton could use its diminished property values and vacant buildings to become a destination for artists. With the support of Miami University and The Fitton Center For Creative Arts, Hamilton could embrace musicians, sculptors and painters. We could learn from San Antonio and create a river walk that becomes a destination for people. We could become known as a hub for small businesses (we already have 2 incubators - BizTech and VORA Technology Park) and take advantage of our proximity to Cincinnati and Dayton. We could do so much here, and I am hopeful that the City Council and community leaders can do something to turn Hamilton around. With so many assets, it would be a shame to continue wasting our amazing potential.

TwiTip has put together a great comparison of Facebook and Twitter. The post highlights the key differences between the platforms and how they can be used for social networking, online marketing and plain old keeping up with friends. The article is definitely worth a read. I use both, and I see Twitter as more of a marketing tool where Facebook is a traditional social network. Twitter's short-burst character limit allows me to keep up with more people while the folks that I follow on Facebook are closer to me. Facebook has more of a familial feel to it while I use Twitter as more of a news feed. I don't use Facebook for marketing purposes, but Twitter is the perfect place for that. So, how do you use Twitter and/or Facebook? Is one more valuable to you than another from a marketing point of view?

Sometimes, you have to take chances.  Sometimes, the best luck comes to those who make their own.  I am working on something radically new for Hinutech which can go one of two ways -- massive success or massive fail.  In the next couple of weeks, I'll make a proper announcement as to what that something is. 

This got me thinking, though, about the nature of running a business.  It is very easy to sit back and rest on your laurels.  It's easier to not take chances which could ultimately be a huge waste of time.  It's easier to think that decisions you made 2 years ago were the right ones...even if the circumstances that surrounded them have changed dramatically.  It's easy to be change averse.

If you don't change or take calculated risks, your business is destined for mediocrity.  The old adage of doing the same thing multiple times and expecting different results applies here.

What have you done recently to mix things up?  Have you recently scared yourself a little?  If you haven't, then, why not?