Tracker Pixel for Entry

​Mixing your free time and computer technology correctly

Culture | August 22nd, 2018

I just learned how to print to my home printer from anywhere in the world using my smartphone. I spent a half hour teaching myself how to do it. Was that 30 minutes that I will never get back?

Can you do computer chores easily? Do you understand what the computer is telling you? Some people learn by looking at the monitor, some learn by listening to a teacher in a video (youtube.com) and some learn best by simply reading a book.

I have a larger project that I am working on. I have to decide how to do that one. One way of approaching your computer involvement is to decide how many roles you are going to play during this project. The project is a couple of websites that sell things. I will be selling a service on one of them and a variety of tools, gadgets, and local products on the other. To complete the websites I must do a number of different steps:

- Find a domain

- Author the various pages on the site

- Find a system for handling the sales (kind of important...)

- Adding products on the site

- Handling complaints and questions

- Handling shipping and paying the bills

- Daily maintenance of the site

Do I do all of this by myself? My knowledge of programming languages for the internet is somewhat lacking. I know just enough about HTML and Javascript to be dangerous. So I guess I better find a developer.

Now I must come up with some good stuff for the various pages on the site. I can probably do that but it takes lots of time and back and forth with the developer. One must put lots of hours into page design to make it attractive for the buyers.

Signing up for payment services (Paypal, etc), can be tricky but not too time consuming. Adding products on the web site is very time consuming and will require additional help. Handling complaints is also very time consuming and require help. Shipping can take much time also.

It seems to me I will need some help.

Deciding which parts of the project requires some careful consideration. In the case of a web site, there is software that can make your job easier but that costs money doesn’t it? You may also need to consider typing help because moving data into and out of spreadsheets can get very tiring and time consuming. In some cases you can hire local help but that is more expensive than overseas help. I tend not to use overseas help unless I cannot find it locally.

Finally, I must keep an eye on the site daily. I can handle most of the steps in the project, but do I want to? That may depend on your daily schedule in front of the computer and how much money you want to make!

In a previous life I was a Process Engineer and I had to break down projects into various steps similar to computer projects. Do it correctly and your project is a success.

Accomplish all of your computer projects like this and your life can be less stressful.

Recently in:

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comNorth Dakotans will take part in a nationwide civil rights rally on Thursday, July 17. Protests, marches, rallies and acts of service are scheduled in Bismarck, Bottineau, Devils Lake,…

Back-to-school season is on the horizon, but there's still plenty of summer left. Check out our favorite August attractions and events in North Dakota and western Minnesota. And if if you missed them, here are a few excellent May…

Friday, July 25, doors at 8:30 p.m.Aquarium above Dempsey’s, 226 N. Broadway, Fargo"This is what you need to know about Daikaiju,” said Kelly Weidman. “They're loud. They're all instrumental (duh). And they're the band to see…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.com On July fourth, Nathan's Famous International Hot Dog Eating Contest took place at Coney Island. The winners, Joey Chestnut and Miki Sudo, reigned victorious. Chestnut earned his 17th title by…

By Ed Raymond fargogadfly@gmail.comThere might be room for Trump on Mount Rushmore after allDuring King Donald’s first term he told Kristi Noem, then a congresswoman and now his secretary of homeland security, his dream was to be…

By Rick Gionrickgion@gmail.com Holiday wine shopping shouldn’t have to be complicated. But unfortunately it can cause unneeded anxiety due to an overabundance of choices. Don’t fret my friends, we once again have you covered…

By Rick Gion and Simone Wairickgion@gmail.com The Red River Market returned to downtown Fargo on Saturday, July 12. The event will take place every Saturday except July 19. (That date will be moved to Sunday, July 20, due to the…

By Alicia Underlee Nelsonalicia@hpr1.comThe Moorhead Public Library will offer three free, all-ages outdoor concerts featuring regional bands this summer. The series begins on June 12 with the Meat Rabbits, a group that blends…

By Greg Carlsongregcarlson1@gmail.comAri Aster’s political satire “Eddington” premiered in competition for the Palme d’Or at Cannes in May, where Jafar Panahi’s “It Was Just an Accident” received the prize. A…

By Deb Wallworkdwallwork@icloud.comI first met Catherine Mulligan at a party at her house. It was a small gathering, spontaneous, just a few people over for dinner. Directed toward a stack of plates and bowls and a big pot warming…

By John Showalterjohn.d.showalter@gmail.comPhoto by Yvonne Denault There is something intimate and personal about plays. Even in our age of multimillion dollar Hollywood productions and droves of streaming services, watching actors…

By Annie Prafckeannieprafcke@gmail.com AUSTIN, Texas – As a Chinese-American, connecting to my culture through food is essential, and no dish brings me back to my mother’s kitchen quite like hotdish. Yes, you heard me right –…

By Sabrina Hornungsabrina@hpr1.comNew Jamestown Brewery Serves up Local FlavorThere’s something delicious brewing out here on the prairie and it just so happens to be the newest brewery west of the Red River and east of the…

The drug that keeps re-purposing itselfBy Ellie Liveranieli.liverani.ra@gmail.com There is a drug that is getting a lot of attention nowadays all over the world. It has various commercial names (Ozempic, Wegovy and Rybelsus), but…

By Alicia Underlee NelsonProtests against President Trump’s policies and the cuts made by Elon Musk’s Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) are planned across North Dakota and western Minnesota Friday, April 4 and…

By Vern Thompsonvern.thompson@rocketmail.com Working in the Bakken oil fields of the Williston Basin is so different from my home in Fargo. I'm not judging, because the people working and living in western North Dakota are very…