404 not found

D

David Graham

Hi
I made the mistake last week of trying to impress my client (whats more - my
only client!). I suggested that as his domain name is a bit difficult to
type correctly, it may be a good idea to have a customised 404 page to make
things look more professional and it could contain a link to the correct
domain. Unfortunately, the client likes the idea and wants one. He exclaimed

"thats bloody clever - I've no idea how they manage to do that as I don't
own all the variations on my domain name"

It was at that point that I started to realise, hey David, you don't
understand this either yet your offering it as a service you can provide.
Anyway, I'm sure a bit of googling will give me all the info I need,
although I suspect a customised 404 will only be delivered if the user typed
in an incorrect URL when they are already in the correct domain - don't
know, just thinking out loud there.

My main reason for posting was to ask for opinions on what is the best
tactics to employ when communicating with clients. Obviously, as a web
author you want to come over as informed and competent, but I feel I need to
find a diplomatic way of making it clear that my present skill level does
not do what the client would like - trouble is, if I was the client, on be
told this I would be wondering if I should find someone else!

David
 
L

Leif K-Brooks

David said:
I made the mistake last week of trying to impress my client (whats more - my
only client!). I suggested that as his domain name is a bit difficult to
type correctly, it may be a good idea to have a customised 404 page to make
things look more professional and it could contain a link to the correct
domain. Unfortunately, the client likes the idea and wants one. He exclaimed

"thats bloody clever - I've no idea how they manage to do that as I don't
own all the variations on my domain name"

It was at that point that I started to realise, hey David, you don't
understand this either yet your offering it as a service you can provide.
Anyway, I'm sure a bit of googling will give me all the info I need,
although I suspect a customised 404 will only be delivered if the user typed
in an incorrect URL when they are already in the correct domain - don't
know, just thinking out loud there.

Correct. How would DNS know what's a misspelling of what, mind reading?
My main reason for posting was to ask for opinions on what is the best
tactics to employ when communicating with clients. Obviously, as a web
author you want to come over as informed and competent, but I feel I need to
find a diplomatic way of making it clear that my present skill level does
not do what the client would like - trouble is, if I was the client, on be
told this I would be wondering if I should find someone else!

Honesty is usually a good idea. If the client asks about something you
don't know about, say you don't know. Maybe lie a bit, and say something
like "I was just reading about that, but I still need to figure out a
few more details before I'll know the answer."
 
D

David Graham

Leif K-Brooks said:
Correct. How would DNS know what's a misspelling of what, mind reading?


Honesty is usually a good idea.

Well its what we're all told as children - hope it applies in the business
world, or is my naivety showing!

BTW - thanks for the quick reply.
David
 
B

brucie

My main reason for posting was to ask for opinions on what is the best
tactics to employ when communicating with clients.

only promise to put your pants back on if they agree with you.
 
D

Daniel Ruscoe

David said:
I made the mistake last week of trying to impress my client

You only need to impress *potential* clients!
I suggested that as his domain name is a bit difficult to
type correctly, it may be a good idea to have a customised 404 page to make
things look more professional and it could contain a link to the correct
domain.

Right, a problem there.

A 404 error occurs if a visitor tries to access a file that isn't
present on a particular server. For example, if you tried to access
www.something.com/somestuff.html, and somestuff.html didn't exist, you'd
be presented with a 404 error.

A customised 404 page is a page specified in the .htaccess file on a
server, to which visitors who try to access a file that doesn't exist
are directed automatically.

It's often considered better practice to do this than to have visitors
presented with a standard 404 error page, giving them no indication of
how to continue using your website.

There is no way to have vistors who type the domain incorrectly
redirected to your clients site, other than buying up variations of the
domain.

Not so long ago, Verisign provided a "service" that suggested possible
related domains when a domain that didn't exist was entered by a user,
but it wasn't much use and is now gone.

Now, if a user gets your domain wrong, they'll either go to somebody
else's website (who owns the domain they entered), be sent to the
standard search engine used by their browser, or just receive a standard
error message. None of this you will be in control of.
Unfortunately, the client likes the idea and wants one. He exclaimed

"thats bloody clever - I've no idea how they manage to do that as I don't
own all the variations on my domain name"

You've given him an idea that isn't possible, which could be tricky to
get around.

You could explain that he misunderstood you, and you actually meant a
custom 404 page of the type I explained earier.

http://www.pageresource.com/zine/custom404.htm
I suspect a customised 404 will only be delivered if the user typed
in an incorrect URL when they are already in the correct domain

Correct. And you'll have to tell that to your client. Pretend you knew
all along and he misunderstood.
My main reason for posting was to ask for opinions on what is the best
tactics to employ when communicating with clients.

Talk slowly and consider using puppets.
Obviously, as a web author you want to come over as informed and competent,
but I feel I need to find a diplomatic way of making it clear that my
present skill level does not do what the client would like

What the client would like isn't possible, so there's not much you can
do. You'll need to explain what a custom 404 page really is. Apologise
that you weren't clear before, and explain why what he wants won't work.

Should be ok then.
 
T

Toby A Inkster

Daniel said:
Not so long ago, Verisign provided a "service" that suggested possible
related domains when a domain that didn't exist was entered by a user,
but it wasn't much use and is now gone.

Not only was it "not much use", but it was considered harmful by many.

For example, many spam filters use the DNS system to check for the
existence of the domains specified in the envelope "From" address of any
incoming mail. If the domain doesn't exist, they mark it as spam. Thanks
to Verisign's little ploy, *all* domains existed, breaking the spam
filter's functionality.
 
D

David Graham

Daniel Ruscoe said:
You only need to impress *potential* clients!


Right, a problem there.

A 404 error occurs if a visitor tries to access a file that isn't
present on a particular server. For example, if you tried to access
www.something.com/somestuff.html, and somestuff.html didn't exist, you'd
be presented with a 404 error.

A customised 404 page is a page specified in the .htaccess file on a
server, to which visitors who try to access a file that doesn't exist
are directed automatically.

It's often considered better practice to do this than to have visitors
presented with a standard 404 error page, giving them no indication of
how to continue using your website.

There is no way to have vistors who type the domain incorrectly
redirected to your clients site, other than buying up variations of the
domain.

Not so long ago, Verisign provided a "service" that suggested possible
related domains when a domain that didn't exist was entered by a user,
but it wasn't much use and is now gone.

Now, if a user gets your domain wrong, they'll either go to somebody
else's website (who owns the domain they entered), be sent to the
standard search engine used by their browser, or just receive a standard
error message. None of this you will be in control of.


You've given him an idea that isn't possible, which could be tricky to
get around.

You could explain that he misunderstood you, and you actually meant a
custom 404 page of the type I explained earier.

http://www.pageresource.com/zine/custom404.htm


Correct. And you'll have to tell that to your client. Pretend you knew
all along and he misunderstood.


Talk slowly and consider using puppets.


What the client would like isn't possible, so there's not much you can
do. You'll need to explain what a custom 404 page really is. Apologise
that you weren't clear before, and explain why what he wants won't work.

Should be ok then.

I seem to have dug a hole for myself with this 404 thing. I don't think I
can get out of this one with any grace!
thanks for all the info
David
 
D

David Graham

brucie said:
only promise to put your pants back on if they agree with you.
A useful tactic that should cover most bases - of course, I could come
unstuck if they like me better with my pants off!!!!
I know others have already welcomed you back from the wilderness but I would
also like to add to the welcome backs. I have a brucie folder that was
growing nicely and hopefully you'll continue to throw up the odd gem.

David
 
B

brucie

I seem to have dug a hole for myself with this 404 thing. I don't think I
can get out of this one with any grace!

just point and yell "look over there" and run in the opposite direction.
don't trip over your pants.
 
D

David Graham

brucie said:
just point and yell "look over there" and run in the opposite direction.
don't trip over your pants.

Perhaps - if the client gives me any grief over this, I could threaten to
send this brucie guy around who never seems to have any pants on - should
take the shine off their corporate gloss.

David
 
R

rf

I seem to have dug a hole for myself with this 404 thing. I don't think I
can get out of this one with any grace!

Nope. You can get out of this most gracefully.

Take the client down to the pub and over a quiet beer/chardonnay inform
him/her quite bashfully that you were very wrong in your original statement.
You thought you had a good idea but, after careful consideration and a vast
amount of research (don't mention alt.html) you have seen the error of your
ways and lets now move forward to things that we actually *can* to make this
site wonderful.

Up front admission of an error is acceptable and you should be rewarded with
respect and increased trust in future dealings. You will be seen to be
honest.

Getting caught out in a lie will lose you that respect and word *will* get
around. Consider, the client just may have an eidetic memory and will quote
back to you exactly, word for word, what you said last week. I do this
often, it's amazing how it un-nerves people.

Cheers
Richard.
 
R

rf

David Graham said:
Perhaps - if the client gives me any grief over this, I could threaten to
send this brucie guy around who never seems to have any pants on - should
take the shine off their corporate gloss.

Scaring your client to death is not an acceptable business practice :)

Cheers
Richard.
 
D

David Graham

rf said:
Nope. You can get out of this most gracefully.

Take the client down to the pub and over a quiet beer/chardonnay inform
him/her quite bashfully that you were very wrong in your original statement.
You thought you had a good idea but, after careful consideration and a vast
amount of research (don't mention alt.html) you have seen the error of your
ways and lets now move forward to things that we actually *can* to make this
site wonderful.

Up front admission of an error is acceptable and you should be rewarded with
respect and increased trust in future dealings. You will be seen to be
honest.

Getting caught out in a lie will lose you that respect and word *will* get
around. Consider, the client just may have an eidetic memory and will quote
back to you exactly, word for word, what you said last week. I do this
often, it's amazing how it un-nerves people.

Cheers
Richard.
Hi Richard
Thanks for your thoughts on this matter. It seems to be the consensus that
it is best to come clean over this.
David
 

Ask a Question

Want to reply to this thread or ask your own question?

You'll need to choose a username for the site, which only take a couple of moments. After that, you can post your question and our members will help you out.

Ask a Question

Members online

No members online now.

Forum statistics

Threads
473,744
Messages
2,569,484
Members
44,903
Latest member
orderPeak8CBDGummies

Latest Threads

Top