Deep Blue Web Technology and Design is a full-service software development and graphic design firm specializing in web-based business solutions.  Our graphic design team focuses on providing a visually effective and engaging presentation to your customers, while our veteran staff of Information Technology professionals give equal attention to the software, the database, and the hardware that must exist in perfect harmony to ensure a scalable and reliable solution that can grow as your business grows.

At Deep Blue we recognize the diversity of business models and the unique requirements each present when moving to the internet as a means of marketing to and of servicing your customer base.  Our solutions are customized to the individual business—the product we develop for your business is as unique as the business itself with a front-end and a supporting infrastructure that is guaranteed to bring new customers and give existing customers a more pleasant experience when interacting with your company over the internet.


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Technology Selection and Evolution


Information Technology has morphed from one form to another during its 30 year history.  What began as a cooperative effort among enthusiastic techno-geeks in the mid-70’s became one of the largest, most profitable industries ever conceived within a few short years.  Ironically, it has slowly but surely started on a path towards its roots as a cooperative effort motivated more by product quality and service than profit alone.  While there is a need in the industry for very expensive software that keeps large companies in business and able to continue to refine and enhance their products, few smaller businesses really need this level of software to effectively perpetuate their businesses—nor can they afford it.  For example, an Oracle license for a single-processor machine can run $5,000 or more.

Enter Open Source:  Open source software is issued under the GPL licensing model and is free to all who use it with a stipulation that users do not attempt to gain profit by reselling the software itself.  Some examples of open-source software on the market today are:  MySQL, PHP, osCommerce, EnterpriseDB.  It may be a little known fact that this type of software drives most of the sites on the internet today and it has forced mega software corporations like IBM, Microsoft, Oracle and many others to reevaluate their licensing models. 

(Ebay, Amazon, Google and similarly sized sites certainly do not use these open-source technologies, but then they are able to afford to pay millions of dollars for large mainframe hardware and the associated costs of running software.  When your business begins to experience these needs, Deep Blue is there as well <link to our large-system expertise>)

The open-source licensing model (GPL) gives small business real solutions for their Information Technology needs at a cost that is far more reasonable than the “for-profit” models offered by IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, etc.  Here at Deep Blue, we fully embrace the potential offered by open-source software and design our solutions around the current and future needs of our customers.  If there is a low-cost, open-source option that will meet the needs of your business, we will use it. 

Open-source is not for everyone, however, and we know how to determine where it does not fit.  The expertise of our staff also embraces the expensive “closed-source” solutions offered by IBM, Microsoft, Sun, Oracle, etc.  In fact, we have all built very successful careers working with that expensive software at many large corporations such as American Express, Blue Cross, Winn Dixie, Nemours, Central Illinois Light Company and also for the Federal Government of the United States over a period that spans decades back to the early 80’s.  We are professionals and know our business--let us help you. . .

The Deep Blue Difference
  • Comprehensive Experience
  • Superior Service at a fair price
  • Integrity for the long-term
How Are We Organized?
  • Graphic Designers
  • Application Developers
  • Database Administrators
  • Infrastructure Technicians
  • Customer Service
  • Marketing
How do we do it?
  • Graphic design using latest tools and best designers
  • Capacity Planning
  • Load Testing
  • Efficient Application Code that leverages the full performance potential of the underlying Relational Database Management System (RDBMS).
Beware "The Hosting Game"

A significant portion of Deep Blue’s business is derived from customers who have fallen victim to what we have come to label “The Hosting Game”.  This deceptive practice has proliferated among supposed “web design” firms as a way for them to entice unsuspecting customers with flashy (and some not-so-flashy) front-ends into paying for the initial site design with “free hosting” for the first year.  They guarantee support and their marketing team promises all great things will come, and quick.  Some of them deliver, however when the inevitable time comes to provide that support or to enhance the site to reflect more current business requirements, they are either unwilling, uninterested, or simply incapable of living up to that initial marketing promise that got them that first payment from you.  Who suffers?  You do—with an obsolete web site on a server that you cannot access.  Some even hijack your domain name as a way of actually preventing you from moving to another provider.

Right from the start, their intent was to build a site that was just good enough to get paid and they hope that the customer will just let the site sit there on their server and draw hosting fees into the distant future.  A good game in theory but what they have missed is that real business is not such a static and unchanging animal and the proprietors are seldom fooled twice.  Many of these shady businesses are falling away, but new ones quickly spring up to replace them.

At Deep Blue we see this time and again, and we are there to do it right for you and by you if you have fallen victim to one of these “Hosting Scams”.  Unfortunately, it is exceedingly simple to post a web site, but it does require a great deal of expertise, experience, and know-how to provide a level of service and a product that can endure the long-haul and grow with your business.  This is what separates Deep Blue from the competition--the other is our fair pricing model.
Partial Portfolio

The sites below comprise a small portion of Deep Blue's work to date. Each of them are continually being improved as the customer's needs and finances allow. None of them can be considered complete nor do they represent the full potenial of Deep Blue's service both technically and visually. We go far beyond what is shown below. Enjoy!
Sheila Keene-Lund

The Deep Blue Design

An author and professional public speaker that has chosen Deep Blue to rework her original web site. A comparison of the original site with our version exemplifies the "Deep Blue Difference" in a profound way.

The Original Site


Dolphin World Wellness Center


Check Out The Site

Sprouting Up Green

See Sprouting Up Green

This is an online store that once marketed organic children's products.
It is implemented using a highly customized version of osCommerce, an open-source eCommerce application that is used throughout the internet to drive small to medium online marketplaces. Deep Blue has customized this base software package to use the latest CSS-based architecture and we can leverage this to quickly and inexpensively produce a unique store front according to your specifications that will keep your customers coming back for more.

UBtheNEWS

UBtheNEWS is a project that Deep Blue took on as a charitable effort. The owner of the project, Halbert Katzen, had spend nearly $10,000 on web design and development and learned first-hand the nature of "The Hosting Game". Deep Blue entered the picture and consolidated the hosting accounts for all of Halbert's sites and performed a complete graphical upgrade of the site using the Adobe CS3 Web Premium Toolkit. While there is still much to be done, Halbert now has a site that is far more visually appealing than before and has a supporting infrastructure that is of much better quality.

UBtheNEWS
after
Deep Blue
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before
Deep Blue
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The Spiritual Dimension

The owner of this site came to us in a state of panic. He had invested large sums of money in bringing an initial e-commerce application online, but the level of support offered by the original company was grossly inadequate for this customer's vision. Deep Blue provides, on an ongoing basis, additional customization and refinement of the PHP code that drives the site as well as technical advice on further site redesign and improvement.
Deep Blue also provides a range of services for this customer to manage his store and the technology behind it.

Note: Deep Blue is not responsible for the graphic design of The Spiritual Dimension web site. Our work for this customer has been of a more technical nature. Negotiations are currently underway for a graphical upgrade of this site as well as this customer's other three sites. Two of these are to be e-commerce enabled. They will be added to this portfolio when complete.

Check Out The Site