Pinion Media

The information below will assist PC user (Windows XP or Vista) to connect and post files to an FTP server:

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Using windows XP or Vista as your FTP client ::
1. Open any window; like double-clicking on ‘My Computer’. Then in the Address Field enter: ftp://<username>@<yourdomain>.com
(If you do not see the address bar, then change your window preferences so that you do.)

2. An authentication window will popup with <username> as the username. Continue to fill in the balance of the username, and then enter the password.
Username: <username>@<yourdomain>.com
Password: <password>

3. Once authenticated, the window that you opened will clear and a list of files will appear, representing the files on the FTP server. You can then treat the window as if it was a folder on your system, by copying files by dragging files out of the window, or posting files by dragging files into the window.

Special Notes:
It is important to understand that there is a difference between Windows Explorer and Internet Explorer. You will use Windows Explorer for these instructions! You should NOT use Internet Explorer. :: You can connect with Internet Explorer and pull files down, but you won’t be able to post files up.

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For OSX Users, the best bet is to purchase an application to perform FTP tasks.
Our preferred applications are Transmit from Panic Software, and Fetch.

Popularity: 19% [?]

Customers that are on one of our Cpanel servers can access their email directly on the server using a web browser, much like how you would use a gmail or yahoo mail account through the web.

Just goto: http://www.<yourdomain>.com:2095

In the popup window enter your email address as your username, then your password.
(Please contact Pinion Media support services if need them sent to you.)

The next page that comes up lets you choose which web application you would like to use to for your email.
I personally prefer SquareCube or NeoMail, but they all perform about the same tasks.
From there, it will look quite intuitive to what you are used to seeing in Gmail or outlook.

As always please contact Pinion Media if you have any questions with these instructions or need additional technical support.

Popularity: 29% [?]

As Adobe Flex gains some attention recently with it’s beta release of it’s latest version, Flash builder 4 and new Catalyst applications, it becomes more apparent that we need to define the proper use of these new technologies in the real world.

Here at Pinion Media we strive to develop on the leading edge of available technology. But when customers come to us requesting technology, we are often faced with the task of tutoring them (initially) so that they understand – the advantages (they probably are already well aware of since they’re requesting the technology; The disadvantages; and the side-effects of the project using various technologies.

So, when we find ourselves tutoring quite often, it’s time to write it down and let our customers tutor themselves on our suggestions. The request for Flex has reached that point.

Flex is the latest addition to the Flash development family by Adobe. For the end-client, it should really only mean two things. 1. Flex is really only an SWF Flash file in the end. 2. That Flash project can be exported as an Adobe Air project that can be played from a desktop rather than a browser.

So when it comes to Flex, the same rules about when to use Flash or not, still apply. And our opinion is that the first and foremost consideration is regarding search spider accessibility.

Here is our opinion about where Flex works well:
User interfaces and data display.
Administration tools to site back-ends connected to a database.
Desktop widgets.
Site widgets for bits of data display.
Anything that you want to keep search spiders out of.

When to use Flash rather than Flex:
Any project that requires a timeline
Any video or animation

Much of the same interactivity and user experience can be obtained using Javascript libraries like jQuery. And the advantage to this is that all of the content is indexable by search spiders as well. So, if the content must be on the front end of the site chances are you should choose jQuery.

This is the quick run down for now. We will write more later… stay tuned.

Popularity: 100% [?]