We've developed a new package of features to make it easy to integrate blogging, Twitter, Facebook, social bookmarking and other social networking tools into Voluntary and not-for profit sector websites.

An important aspect of the brief was to ensure that social networking features where integrated into the site.

The site redesign included (amongst other things):

• A modern design for the site (appropriate for the sector).
• A new logo design.
• Social networking integration (e.g. facebook, social bookmarking, twitter).
• Document and multimedia upload features.
• Networking facilities for CoLRiC members.
• Events management.
• News facility with RSS feed.
• Booking forms and Survey forms.
• Discussion Forum with social networking features (i.e. profiles, friend requests and so on).
• A content management system.

Check out the new design at http://www.colric.org.uk

As a result of this and similar projects I'm becoming an expert on how organisations can take advantage of social networking applications. If this is something you have been thinking about please get in touch and we can have a chat about how it might help your organisation.

I've only ever booked two appointments to get help from Apple via their in-store staff - and on both occasions they have failed to fix the problems and on both instances they have left me disappointed by their unhelpful and illogical approach.

Current problem was related to text not displaying in Flash applications and text in documents failing to print:

After 'genius' first couple of ideas failed:

• He didn't bother asking any colleagues if they had came across the problem.
• Did bother searching the web in relation to the issue.
• Didn't make a note that the issue existed - and didn't seem to see my logic to my request that they should have some way of noting issues that they hadn't fixed; instead insisted that this wasn't a problem anyone had ever came across before. How would he know; if staff only take note of problems that they know how to fix.

Sent me off with the advice that I should reinstall the system.

Either there is a training issue with Apple staff - or this particular genius decided he couldn't be bothered; or it didn't occur to him that he could seek help beyond his immediate resources.

I've been using Apple computers since the Apple Plus - I'm a fan - so this isn't criticism born out of a dislike of Apple - it's a criticism from an Apple user who is disappointed by the staff employed by Apple to help it's loyal customers.