Friday, October 25, 2013

New Landing Page for dugz.biz!

dugz.biz has a new, second main page, one that is more streamlined for what we stagehands actually do.

BACK STORY:
Since dugz.biz was established, it has grown beyond it's original vision: Directions and information about the venues where we work.
As it is now, there are links to many other venues that we don't currently, nor will probably never work at, tourism links, San Diego events, information about Tijuana, etc, etc. I am also looking into advertizing in order to actually make some money from this project. Ads would not be appropriate for the IATSE website, which hot-links to my site.

The new stagehand landing page is located at dugz.biz/stagehands.htm.Go there now. I'll wait.
There is also a link to the site from the IATSE website. Follow the  "On The Job / Venue Information" links.

Notable changes include:
  • The only venues shown are where we actually, or likely will be working.
  • Less links to non-stagehand-related information.
  • No donation request link, or any of the superfluous content that, frankly, clutters up the main page.
  • Plus several other changes.
The venue profile pages will remain unchanged. Eventually, I will put Twitter feeds in most, if not all the empty boxes on the profiles.

Once again, Thank you for your interest,
All 3 of you,
                   Dug

Sunday, September 22, 2013

WordPress, dugz.biz 2.0 and an Online Steward's Report Solution.




On the horizon:

1. Soon I will convert dugz.biz to WordPress. It's getting too big to handle updates manually. If I have a global change I need to make, I'm in Hell until all profiles are changed. This cannot stand. So to deal with this, I will be moving to a Content Management System (WordPress). Expect changes within the last quarter of 2013.
2. dugz.biz will have a second index page added, specifically for stagehand types. The site as it is has outgrown it's original purpose: A site that helps San Diego Stagehands find their way to Venues we work at. The second index (Home) page will be much simpler, cleaner and will only include the actual venues we work at. No other links to San Diego events, Airport flight status, etc. I might put links to San Diego Dive Bars, though...Information all stagehands need! This won't take long to roll out, maybe within a couple of weeks.
3. I'm finally starting work on the online Steward's Report.This will be an online Steward's Report that will do all the calculations and hour/pay documentation that you've come to expect from the current digital reports that are circulating around. There is still a long way to go, but I've made some good progress.
Some benefits of an online solution will be:
   A. One solution that is in one location. Nobody will have different versions, some updated, some not.
   B. Auto Save. When you create a report, a copy will be saved, and will be recoverable in case your computer dies.
   C. If you have Internet access, you can use this tool.
A possible problem I'm facing is an ID issue. There's no way I can have everybody's Social Security number online. There will have to be another method of identification. Last 4 digits, a randomly generated number for each worker, or something else.
So there's an update for you.

Once again, Thank all 3 of you for your interest,
Du6

Friday, June 14, 2013

New Links on dugz.biz! YAY!

It's been a while, But I'm back with a small update to dugz.biz, Your Guide to San Diego's Venues and Events!
Here's what I did today:

New Links! Now, you can click to get information about:

-San Diego Metropolitin Transit District
-North County Transit District
-Tijuana Visitors Information


That's about it. I said it was a small update!

Have a lovely day, and, as usual, Thank you for your interest!


Wednesday, April 3, 2013

Stuff...Junk...Yanno...

OK so I made some small changes to dugz.biz. No big huge things, just keeping the front page clean.


  • I moved the terms/conditions to a new page, with just a small link on the home page.
  • I moved the Contact links and my ads to a new table at the bottom.
  • Got rid of all the clutter at the bottom of the page. It's cleaner and more Bad Ass.
  • I took out the link from the top right that took you to a new home page window. I'll be taking the links off of the profile pages, too. They add confusion and could lead to too many windows open.
That and I added more venues to the Theatre and Hotel sections and one in the annual event section.

Thanks for your interest.
Du9

Tuesday, March 12, 2013

New venues, PSAV new properties, Orbitz headaches


Welcome to another edition of the Fournier Company Blog! YAY!
Anyway, Here's what's going on in my world...

New venues on www.dugz.biz:

  • Comic-con International, San Diego
  • Estancia La Jolla Hotel and Spa
  • Wyndham San Diego Bayside (formerly Holiday Inn)
For any stagehand types that may be reading this, I have, or I will soon have all of the new PSAV (formerly Swank AV) properties listed on dugz.biz. If you find yourself with a gig at one of these properties, feel free to check the site and get directions and other fun information about these new, fabulous properties!


I took out the Orbitz promo that was on each hotel venue profile. It was confusing, because the link wasn't specific to the hotel in each profile, so when/if a user clicked the link, (s)he would be directed to the full Orbitz website, rather than the specific hotel in the profile. I will add a link to the front page with language stating that one can go to Orbitz and search for the hotel they want to go to and get the then current promo savings...If that made any sense at all.

Very soon (as soon as I get the Orbitz promo thingy worked out), I will begin an advertising campaign involving the San Diego Comic-Con.I suspect that I may be late for this, as most of the hotel rooms have been reserved by now, I imagine. There's always next year!

As always...Thank you for your interest. All 3 of you. :-p

Thursday, January 24, 2013

The Future of dugz.biz

OK, Here's a quick update...Quick because I should be getting ready for work.
Anyway, take a look at dugz.biz. In the theatre column, toward the bottom, look at the link called:
"Test Venue. Look Away."
This is the new format for the profiles, set to start rolling out shortly.
By shortly, I mean after work today.
Please (all 3 of you), take a look, try it out on your phone/pad/device and let me know if you find any issues.
By the way: "Test Venue. Look Away" will be where I test new features and glitches. Look at this venue from time to time and you just may see what I'm doing before the other 2 readers of this blog do! KEEN!
Have a lovely day and Thank you for your interest.
Du6

Thursday, January 10, 2013

dugz.biz Live Maps...And So Much More!


Well, it finally happened. Live maps on dugz.biz are a reality! Now you can zoom in and out, slide the map wherever you like, click on a link for a bigger map and get directions.
I know what you're thinking:
"Hey, Dumbass...All 3 of us have known about this for years!"
While this isn't new technology, it is a hassle to roll out to around 100 venue profiles. And, I'm lazy.
OK so what you'll see is a map on the left side, and maybe a couple of pictures below it. On the right side, on most of the profiles, you'll find nothing but an empty box. WTF! Actually, that's me preparing for the future. In this bright, wonderful future I speak of, there will be, in those empty boxes you're so freaked out about, Ads and Hotel/Venue Affiliate Links. Yes, I intend to make some money off this site sooner or later. When somebody books a flight to San Diego and/or a room at a swanky hotel by clicking through my future links, I will get paid like a MoFo. Hopefully. So I'm figuring on getting those links in by a couple of months from now (maybe like March, 2013.) Ideally, they'll be active by the Summer travel season.
On the Home page, I put the QR code at the bottom, because it's not something that needs to be in people's faces.
I made nice round corners on the table with all the links in it.
I put the Disclaimers/Warnings/Terms of Use on a cool little box with the Planet Hit Counter.  Kinda cleaned it up well. Now one only has to scroll down to become bored to the point of suicide.
I added a new, less heinous font for the site. It's friendlier. If that made any sense at all.

Keep checking back for new developments. And as always, Thank you for your interest. 
All 3 of you.
Du9