An update on Freedom Kilts

[The Wizard of BC]

I know some of you have wondered about the future of Freedom Kilts because I'm getting phone calls asking what's going on. I thought I should explain.

As you know, I had a web developer two years ago who did a pretty good job on an upgrade to my site. Last December that guy got a big contract, had to move away, so passed me off to a young kid that he said was good.

This new guy worked and worked on the site. At least he was telling me that he was working on it. But the site never worked correctly. I had hopes that we would have a new shopping cart, that the accessories section would get finished, and that I would finally have a full e-commerce site.

After 5 months of living and working around a broken site I started to look for someone else to take over the site. I had been writing a detailed site requirement proposal and sending it out for quotes.

A week ago I told the kid that I was sorry, that I thought my site development must have been more than he could handle and that I was looking for someone to take over the site.

As it happens this kid had moved my site to his own server when he started the job. I thought at the time that was ok because he was offering hosting as part of the job at no additional charge.

Well, last week the kid dropped a CD supposedly containing my site in my mailbox and removed my site from his server.

In a mad dash I went to the development company and ended up begging them to get something up. Anything.

But it seems that the code written into the site won't allow it to run on anyone else's server, or there is a mistake in it. For a week now we have been up for a while, then down again. E-mails are being lost, customers frustrated, and there are appearantly rumours running around that Freedom Kilts is going under.

This is simply not true. We have just had our best season ever. The order board is full, and we are all sewing like crazy.

We have a developer working on our site. We hope to release, in stages, a bigger, more user friendly site.

I have learned a lesson. I will never make the mistake of trusting someone else with the lifeblood of my business.

So, WE'RE STILL HERE GUYS. THIS IS JUST A TEMPORARY GLITCH. WE WILL BE BACK BIGGER AND BETTER THAN EVER.

Thank you to everyone who has called and sent messages of concern. I appreciate the patience of everyone.

[ccga3359]

Sending each member a new, free kilt would make it known that you are still in business. We hope that you have your problems fixed soon, we also know that you aren't going anywhere soon (whether that's a good thing or not...).

[Ozman1944]

Ah yes, I heartily concur with my learned (and not at all greedy opportunistic predator upon those in a weakened position) friend and Xmarks collegue above;

A new, free Kilt would indeed be a sure means of indicating to all that you are still in business. merely as a little good will token you understand.

Grant, in his illimitable selfless charity has come up with this wonderful idea, and I personally applaud him most sincerely! This good man, this lving Saint, should be given a Nobel Prize for Business acumen to Kiltdom.

Good luck on getting it all sorted out. Now if you had a four year old in the house s/he could probably whip you up the whole thing in ten minutes; Don't you HATE modern technology?

[RockyR]

When you're ready to send out the free kilts, my measurements are the same... 38 X 41 X 22. I'd like cotton poly, olive green kilt this time. Side pockets and slash pockets with welt rear pockets.

Oh... and please have it done in time for Halloween.

HAHAHAHAHA

BTW... good luck with the site. I used to have Kelly's X do ours and it was a nightmare... he was a great guy, but had no time to dedicate to it. Then Hank (xmarks owner) took over our site and did a GREAT job, but had other things going on (baby, highland tide, rental properties, etc), so I went to a professional firm and paid them (a LOT) to do ours. While the extra cash out of pocket hurts, it's worth it in the end to have less headaches. "You get what you pay for".

I'm not normally the "sue happy" type guy, but I'd also think of sueing the little %$@#! for taking down the site without asking or notifying you and for your loss of business... When someone effects your livlihood, they have to understand there's consequences.

[ccga3359]

Oh jeez Steve. You'd better charge rocky shipping, he's one of hose filty stinking rich kilt makers. After all he has money to spend on a real website.

[The Wizard of BC]

Rocky,

You have obviously confused me with a Traditional kiltmaker as you have sent me measurements using some other persons system.

Would you please visit my website and measure yourself in accordance with "The Freedom Kilts almost patented Contemporary Kilt Measuring System" or the TFKCKMS.

Oh yea, my web site is down..............never mind

[RockyR]

Rocky,

You have obviously confused me with a Traditional kiltmaker as you have sent me measurements using some other persons system.

Would you please visit my website and measure yourself in accordance with "The Freedom Kilts almost patented Contemporary Kilt Measuring System" or the TFKCKMS.

Oh yea, my web site is down..............never mind

I tried to measure myself that way. I was drunk and threw out my back trying to tape a yardstick to the wall and then stabbed myself in the leg with the pencil trick you show... you'll get a letter from my attorney.

Also, I forgot my abacus and my calculus to figure it out. HAHAHA...

I hate when people give me measurements taken by others... I ALWAYS ask them to use my mearuring instruction methods as well... I'll get those measureemnts to you ASAP. I still expect the kilt before Halloween though. HAHAHA

[ccga3359]

Rocky,

You have obviously confused me with a Traditional kiltmaker as you have sent me measurements using some other persons system.

Would you please visit my website and measure yourself in accordance with "The Freedom Kilts almost patented Contemporary Kilt Measuring System" or the TFKCKMS.

Oh yea, my web site is down..............never mind

Never fear Steve. Somebody had the foresight to make your video a sticky available here. So everybody start measuring and sending them is Steve so that Steve has something to do while he waits for his website. Mods rock.

[Mr. MacDougall]

Woo! It must be true, I heard it on X-Marks... free kilts!



All seriousness aside, Steve, it's great to hear you had a good season, and that you're persevering in the face of idiocy.

[ccga3359]

Well I'm feeling generous now. A free (Freedom) kilt to any X Marker that designs, builds and completes Steve's new website. I only wish I knew how to do it as I need more kilts with front slash pockets.