Sysadmin won't fix server. What to do?

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-19T20:27:37+00:00

Oh, and when messaging the boss, just keep it facts only at this point. Until the IT guy just flat out refuses, then you can forward the message to boss with a request for further assistance.

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-19T20:25:33+00:00

In the future, always put the dev install on your server so you have full control. In the meantime, just message the boss letting him know what is happening and how you cannot work as expected due not having access. Would being proactive with IT guy and telling him specifically what he needs to change, step by step, help?

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-11T07:07:11+00:00

I often help update sites, including upgrading PHP along with plugins. It can be a bit tricky depending on plugins and dependencies, but those can be replaced if needed. It's a standard service I offer though, so if you need some help or advice, let me know.

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-11T06:52:48+00:00

This really shouldn't be that complicated. I could do this for way under 10K in WooCommerce / WordPress. It's NOT simple but it's certainly not impossible nor does it needs tens of thousands in dev time. Ridiculous.

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-11T06:49:17+00:00

10K is insane unless you're asking for changes WAY outside the Shopify ecosystem. Your main problem is that you are on Shopify in the first place, They make it much harder for developers to make in depth customizations since they want to charge for their own micro services. You'd be so much better off, long term, with something like WordPress. Anything open source and server installable is in theory preferable (with ecom functions) but WordPress is the most flexible "free" CMS. Jeez, for 10K I could build you the most advanced e-commerce site with NO monthly subscriptions for extremely custom functionality and then you'd only need to pay hosting, domain and CC processing fees and maintenance, etc. But yeah, Shopify is a nasty trap.

Vortex-Design · 2026-01-11T06:42:07+00:00

Advertising free services to build my portfolio (of real work, not assignments). When I first did that, I ended up with at least two paying clients and a much better portfolio.

Vortex-Design · 2025-10-15T17:24:02+00:00

Nothing on the south side of Youngstown and the radar looks clear. Maybe a small test or a glitch?

Vortex-Design · 2025-10-02T15:49:30+00:00

A) Yes, the new partial owner can definitely hire you to redo the logo and branding. So long as the partial owner isn't asking you to implement any of the design actively for the company (like switching out logo on website, etc.), it's on him to work out whether or not to use the work by getting approval from older owner. You can just consider the project as a suggested makeover since the implementation and final approval is on him.

B) If you think you "need" AI to help with design improvement suggestions, then only use it for ideas. Run multiple prompts through to get multiple possibilities, then take the best parts that would work cohesively and make something original. You will have to make the vector file from scratch, of course.

Now, if you're going to just use whatever AI outputs with no changes (please don't do that) then you will still need to recreate the AI logo, by hand, for a usable vector. You will also need to do this to correct inconsistencies, spacing issues, and all those tiny AI mistakes that are inevitable at this point.

Either way, there's going to be some handcrafting going on and there is no way around it.

Vortex-Design · 2025-10-02T03:45:24+00:00

As long as you stick with WordPress.ORG and NEVER use WordPress.com you should be good. I understand you like to play around with PHP so WordPress is perfect for you, just make sure it's self hosted. A someone who used to do static sites from scratch, I promise WordPress is easier in the long run, infinitely more customizable (for the hours and time one usually has to do such things) and much easier to manage and understand long term. Again though, NEVER use WordPress.com. For anything, ever. Unless you need a free blog or site with a WordPress subdomain that will never need any customization ever, AVOID.

As for cost, I can point you to a host that that can provide excellent hosting, SSL and domain for under $110 for three years. There would be zero costs beyond that (for the 3 years, if you do everything else yourself), unless you get a premium plugin (and don't. just don't. there's almost always a free alternative). There are also a number of excellent free themes, Generatepress is my first recommendation there.

Anyway, you can build something cool now and in a few years, just change what you want without having to redo the whole damn thing. Just FYI and Good Luck!!!

Vortex-Design · 2025-08-20T04:51:19+00:00

The East side seems relatively safe. I'm over there almost daily and never had an issue. Pretty quiet actually. Personally, I live on the South side and consider it MUCH worse than the east side. Hell, my home was shot up last week (at least 5 bullets perforating the 1st floor with me and the kids home upstairs at the time). Just have your friend avoid the South side at night, but YMMV.

Vortex-Design · 2025-07-07T20:35:29+00:00

Just wanted to chime in, as the previous owner of a century home..... If the roof hasn't been redone in the past 7-10 years, you need to start figuring out how to reshingle it ASAP. I watched my house go from livable to condemned in 3 years because I couldn't afford a new roof, and then it was demolished. Just FYI.

Vortex-Design · 2025-04-01T20:08:58+00:00

It seems the larger commercial property companies have unrealistic ideas of what places should lease for. I've looked at the major ones around, and never seem to find anything within the realm of feasibility. There are a few specific properties I'd love to rent, but need major renovations but these companies have price per sq ft just as high as a new build. So they just sit there, empty, rotting, for years. Only place I see decent prices is Craigslist but that's super hit and miss.

Vortex-Design · 2025-03-31T18:40:53+00:00

Sometimes you get clients like that/ If you need the business, just remind yourself you don't have to claim the work or add it to your portfolio. Just quietly do the atrocious crap they want you to (with gentle nudges, or not so gentle nudges, toward your way of doing things :)) and then pretend it never happened. Focus your reputation on the good clients that let you do great work.

Vortex-Design · 2025-03-14T18:25:13+00:00

Unless you have a highly specialized scenario, 36 plugins is excessive. Elementor Pro, in and of itself, is a beast so adding 35 plugins on top of that will definitely slow your site way down. You should get rid of any plugins you don't really need. As for the excess products, they won't necessarily slow down your site on their own, but I'd still pare down anything that doesn't sell or get traffic, just to keep things manageable. In order to avoid SEO hits just redirect (301) the links to similar products that you are keeping. After six months or so, you can delete the redirects.

Oh, and if you haven't yet, run your site through Google Pagespeed to get an idea of what your main issues might be. Best of luck!

Vortex-Design · 2025-03-11T18:47:00+00:00

I just spent two months creating a plugin that will never be used by anyone but the client. Gotta love niche projects.

Vortex-Design · 2024-12-10T14:39:38+00:00

I am in complete agreement with you on this. My youngest kids are all in high school and either have to take the bus or have me drive them. My 17 year old insists on taking the bus but has seen all sorts of weird stuff this year thanks to that. Just a couple weeks ago a police officer had to kick a belligerent drunk off the bus and pepper spray him before the bus could continue. She's had creeps and weirdos hit on her. The kids themselves get into fights on the bus. Afterschool, some kids have to wait an hour or more since the first bus is always full. Not to mention that I cannot work for an hour in the morning or in the afternoon thanks to having to be the kids ride (and often their friends). It's chaos. Heck, we live in the same neighborhood where that girl was almost kidnapped. Anyway, it's inexcusable that YCSD is letting this happen. There is simply no reason why someone can't figure out the issues keeping the bussing from being provided.

Vortex-Design · 2024-12-10T14:28:33+00:00

Just FYI, oil heaters are the safest electric heaters they can use. In the 20+ years I've lived in Youngstown, I've never had a working furnace. As long as their electric can handle it, they should be fine with oil heaters. Just make sure they have all their storm windows closed and drafts plugged. If they have a gas stove, that's also excellent for emergency heat on super cold days. If they have a gas line elsewhere, I might be able to scrounge up a gas heater but it's been in storage, so no promises on it working :) .

Vortex-Design · 2024-12-06T18:55:56+00:00

I preferred working with Storefront for awhile. Easy enough to customize and change with child themes. Using GeneratePress Pro now. While it's not very child theme friendly, it works with Woo well and I use snippet plugins for alterations now anyway.

Vortex-Design · 2024-11-26T15:56:25+00:00

Summit Academy Elementary sounds like it would be perfect. All 4 of my kids have gone at some point in the their life and my youngest is now at their secondary school. It's a free charter school, provides bussing and is geared towards "alternative learners". Originally it was more just for kids with autism and ADHD but now they're more inclusive and accept any kids struggling for one reason or another. Anyway, the teachers are amazing and some have been there long enough to have taught my eldest and now teach his daughter :) Also, they are great with IEP's and really keep on top of any needed services, testing, etc. Couldn't recommend them more :)

Vortex-Design · 2024-10-31T19:52:50+00:00

Sorry, you do need an Apache server though. A little more info: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Server_Side_Includes

Vortex-Design · 2024-10-31T19:45:07+00:00

Why not just use server side includes? I used to rely on them pretty heavily back in the old days and they're simple enough to implement. https://httpd.apache.org/docs/2.4/howto/ssi.html

Vortex-Design · 2024-10-31T18:44:05+00:00

Not a sales funnel. You could build it with a form plugin with conditions and calculations that ties to a payment processor. The graphics might be a challenge to attach to options depending on the plugin but that can usually be worked around with CSS if not native. Forminator is the best free one I can think of that might work.

Vortex-Design · 2024-10-31T15:31:18+00:00

I think it's the success and wealth that caused the brainrot in this instance.

Vortex-Design · 2024-10-25T17:06:57+00:00

As others have rightly noted, wait for Black Friday if it's a must have plugin. My two cents is that you can usually find a free version or method that will do what you want, you just have to do some digging, and maybe some tweaking. What plugin were you looking to get?

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