Microsoft Adds OneDrive Offline Support
Microsoft has begun to introduce OneDrive's offline mode on the web, allowing users to access their files even without an internet connection.
Microsoft has begun to introduce OneDrive's offline mode on the web, allowing users to access their files even without an internet connection.
Microsoft is introducing a fresh offline mode for OneDrive on the web, tailored specifically for work and school users. This update is just one facet of a broader revamp of OneDrive, which includes enhancements such as a sleeker user interface, customizable folder colors, and a host of additional features.
Users accessing OneDrive via the web will now have access to a new offline mode feature. This functionality allows them to open files marked as available offline and browse through favorite files and the home section of OneDrive even when offline. Furthermore, users can perform various actions such as renaming, sorting, moving, and copying files, with all changes syncing up once an internet connection is reestablished.
In addition to enhancing offline capabilities, Microsoft has also optimized performance, even when users are connected to the internet. They claim a remarkable up to 3x faster loading speed when viewing or interacting with files in OneDrive via the web or through the OneDrive app integrated into Teams or Outlook. Andrey Esipov, a principal product manager at Microsoft, elaborates, stating that the improved performance is achieved by utilizing the device's local storage to store essential file information, such as file name, size, author, and last date accessed. This optimization is facilitated by the OneDrive Sync app, which intelligently maintains a cache of file metadata locally.
Kaiser Permanente shared the data of 13.4 million people with Microsoft Bing, Google, and others.
Security
According to the American healthcare giant Kaiser Permanente, the data of millions of its patients may have been shared with Google, Microsoft Bing, X/Twitter, and other third-party entities. Kaiser informed The Register that they have commenced the process of notifying 13.4 million current and former members and patients about the potential transmission of personal information to third-party vendors through certain online technologies previously integrated into their websites and mobile applications. Subsequently, Kaiser has removed these technologies from its platforms and reassured that they have no knowledge of any misuse of personal information belonging to their members or patients.
Put differently, the situation likely arose from Kaiser Permanente incorporating user tracking and analytics tools provided by major tech companies and data brokers into its websites and applications. It is now becoming clear to Kaiser what specific information was being sent by this code when individuals interacted with their online platforms. Recently, Kaiser Permanente submitted a security disclosure PDF to the US Department of Health and Human Services regarding this specific issue.
The data shared with third parties reportedly includes individuals' IP addresses, names, indications of whether a member or patient was logged into a Kaiser Permanente account or service, details on how they interacted with the website and mobile apps, and the search terms used in the health encyclopedia. Kaiser clarified that no usernames, passwords, Social Security numbers, financial account details, or credit card numbers were disclosed to these third parties. Kaiser Permanente, a prominent healthcare and insurance organization in the US, boasts a membership of 12.5 million individuals spread across 10 states. With 40 hospitals, 618 medical offices, and a workforce comprising 24,600 physicians, 73,600 nurses, and 235,000 other employees, it stands as one of the largest entities in the healthcare industry.
The recent disclosure coincides with a study released earlier this month, which exposed the common practice of American hospitals utilizing tracking technologies on their websites. These technologies were found to share user data with major tech companies like Google and Meta, as well as data brokers and other third-party entities.
3 Simple Tips for How to Get the Most From Your Web Developer
3 Simple Tips for How to Get the Most From Your Web Developer
Most articles I read regarding web development are written by and for developers. But if you are a client in need of a web developer then there are precious few resources to help you navigate this process. I hope my few tips from my time as a web developer can help you in this regard.
1. Have a clear goal in mind.
It’s okay to start this process without a clear idea of what your site will look like. In fact, that is how most of my projects start. A good developer will guide you through the design process using mood boards and design proposals to successively iterate until you have exactly what you want. However, any project needs a clear goal. If you bring a specific result that you want to achieve with your website, it will help the designers and developers immensely, and the final result will be enhanced. For example, you might want visitors to buy merchandise, or sign-up for a newsletter, or donate to a cause. Finding this goal and ensuring your developers are aware of it is the best way to build a truly excellent website.
2. Understand that themes can be changed much more easily than functionality.
As a web developer, I assure you that we can do anything that you ask of us. However, whether or not we can do that within the budget is another question entirely. Generally speaking, making cosmetic changes is much easier than re-working the functions of the website. Putting in a filter system to enhance the search function can be a decent amount of work, but making the search results all turn blue might take only 5 minutes. Think about a site as being like a house - it’s easier to paint the walls than replace them.
3. Help your web developer identify key stakeholders at the beginning of the project.
If there is one thing you should take away from this article, it is this. Nothing throws off a timeline or a budget like a surprise decision maker appearing at the last second. I will never forget my own experience learning this lesson. We had a site ready to be delivered. Our client was excellent, communicating well and working with us every step of the way to craft what we believed to be their dream site. But, as we were preparing to launch, they let us know that they A. had a business partner and B. that this partner needed to approve the design. I think you can see where this is heading. Said business partner did not approve of the design and we were sent back to the drawing board while crossing the finish line. The project ended up costing almost exactly twice the original budget as we had to build them, essentially, two full sites.
If you’ve made it this far, I hope you found these tips helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in having your website wishes fulfilled. Of course, Coconut Moon is always standing by ready to assist.
Most articles I read regarding web development are written by and for developers. But if you are a client in need of a web developer then there are precious few resources to help you navigate this process. I hope my few tips from my time as a web developer can help you in this regard.
1. Have a clear goal in mind.
It’s okay to start this process without a clear idea of what your site will look like. In fact, that is how most of my projects start. A good developer will guide you through the design process using mood boards and design proposals to successively iterate until you have exactly what you want. However, any project needs a clear goal. If you bring a specific result that you want to achieve with your website, it will help the designers and developers immensely, and the final result will be enhanced. For example, you might want visitors to buy merchandise, or sign-up for a newsletter, or donate to a cause. Finding this goal and ensuring your developers are aware of it is the best way to build a truly excellent website.
2. Understand that themes can be changed much more easily than functionality.
As a web developer, I assure you that we can do anything that you ask of us. However, whether or not we can do that within the budget is another question entirely. Generally speaking, making cosmetic changes is much easier than re-working the functions of the website. Putting in a filter system to enhance the search function can be a decent amount of work, but making the search results all turn blue might take only 5 minutes. Think about a site as being like a house - it’s easier to paint the walls than replace them.
3. Help your web developer identify key stakeholders at the beginning of the project.
If there is one thing you should take away from this article, it is this. Nothing throws off a timeline or a budget like a surprise decision maker appearing at the last second. I will never forget my own experience learning this lesson. We had a site ready to be delivered. Our client was excellent, communicating well and working with us every step of the way to craft what we believed to be their dream site. But, as we were preparing to launch, they let us know that they A. had a business partner and B. that this partner needed to approve the design. I think you can see where this is heading. Said business partner did not approve of the design and we were sent back to the drawing board while crossing the finish line. The project ended up costing almost exactly twice the original budget as we had to build them, essentially, two full sites.
If you’ve made it this far, I hope you found these tips helpful, and I wish you the best of luck in having your website wishes fulfilled. Of course, Coconut Moon is always standing by ready to assist.
Upgrading to Drupal 10? What’s New and What to Expect?
Upgrading to Drupal 10? What’s New and What to Expect
Despite the repeated end-of-life extensions that Drupal 7 has undergone, it will eventually, inevitably move to the IT equivalent of a farm upstate. This has presented a headache for many of our clients who have invested considerably in websites built in the soon to be outdated versions of Drupal. Fortunately, we have the solutions.
First, let’s go over what is coming. Drupal 10 is the newest version of Drupal, and it brings many quality of life upgrades and advantages over previous versions. The content creation experience has been improved. It is now easier to manage and access media, and there are new collaboration features so multiple users can work simultaneously on shared content. This last feature is especially useful with the recent trend to remote employment around the country. That’s not to say that Drupal 10 is perfect, or that an upgrade is immediately required, but there are advantages to doing the upgrade outside of security requirements.
So, what does this mean for the website owner? The internet is a dynamic place, and applications, programs, content management systems, and programming languages are constantly evolving and improving. What may have been a solution years ago may no longer be the most effective for a business. Sites on older versions of Drupal will need to migrate. Some owners use this opportunity to build an entirely new site, taking advantage of the technology change to refresh or rebrand their digital presence. Others will move to new platforms as their specific business needs (online shopping carts, volunteer sign-up forms, etc) will be better met with newer solutions.
But many website owners may want to keep their beloved website without any drastic changes. For these clients, Coconut Moon has the answer. Our team of professionals can migrate your site as-is to Drupal 10 seamlessly and with no loss of functionality. If you are interested in our Drupal migrations services, feel free to contact us and say goodbye to your Drupal headaches for good.
Despite the repeated end-of-life extensions that Drupal 7 has undergone, it will eventually, inevitably move to the IT equivalent of a farm upstate. This has presented a headache for many of our clients who have invested considerably in websites built in the soon to be outdated versions of Drupal. Fortunately, we have the solutions.
First, let’s go over what is coming. Drupal 10 is the newest version of Drupal, and it brings many quality of life upgrades and advantages over previous versions. The content creation experience has been improved. It is now easier to manage and access media, and there are new collaboration features so multiple users can work simultaneously on shared content. This last feature is especially useful with the recent trend to remote employment around the country. That’s not to say that Drupal 10 is perfect, or that an upgrade is immediately required, but there are advantages to doing the upgrade outside of security requirements.
So, what does this mean for the website owner? The internet is a dynamic place, and applications, programs, content management systems, and programming languages are constantly evolving and improving. What may have been a solution years ago may no longer be the most effective for a business. Sites on older versions of Drupal will need to migrate. Some owners use this opportunity to build an entirely new site, taking advantage of the technology change to refresh or rebrand their digital presence. Others will move to new platforms as their specific business needs (online shopping carts, volunteer sign-up forms, etc) will be better met with newer solutions.
But many website owners may want to keep their beloved website without any drastic changes. For these clients, Coconut Moon has the answer. Our team of professionals can migrate your site as-is to Drupal 10 seamlessly and with no loss of functionality. If you are interested in our Drupal migrations services, feel free to contact us and say goodbye to your Drupal headaches for good.
What is Branding and Why is it Important?
Branding is the process of creating a unique identity for a company or product that resonates with consumers. A brand is more than just a logo or a name; it is also about the emotions, values, and perceptions it evokes in consumers. But why is branding so important?
Differentiation and Competitive Advantage: Branding helps a company or product stand out from competitors by creating a unique identity. Building a strong brand in the minds of consumers can give you a competitive edge.
Consumer Trust and Loyalty: A strong brand inspires trust and loyalty in consumers. Through branding, consumers develop trust in your brand and are more likely to remain loyal to it.
Value Creation: A good brand adds value to the consumer. Branding encourages consumers to value not just the price of a product or service, but also the experience, quality, and reliability that the brand provides.
Ease of Promotion and Marketing: A strong brand makes promotion and marketing efforts easier. Consumers are more likely to recognize and remember your brand, making your marketing efforts more effective.
Long-Term Success: Branding lays a strong foundation for long-term success. A strong brand makes your business more resilient to changing market conditions and trends.
Branding is a crucial tool for a company or product to make a positive impact on consumers. Building and managing your brand effectively can help you achieve long-term success and competitive advantage.