Before you order

1. How do I know I need a website?
2. Which is your coverage area?
3. What's the difference between a website, a web page and a domain?
4. What's the difference between a website and a portal?
5. What is a "Slicing Service"?
6. What is an "Excel Interphase Design"?
7. What is Xcelsius?
8. What payment methods do you accept?
9. I'm in the other side of the ocean, how can we work together?
10. Do you have a standard development process?
11. Why your prices are in US dollars?
12. Who are you and what's your purpose in life?
13. Where are you and why there?
14. May I see your Terms of Service?
15. Why buy from you, what makes you different?

Web Design

1. I already have hosting, I just need web design. Is that ok?
2. May I see some samples of your work?
3. How long have you been developing web sites?
4. What do you mean by "revisions"?
5. What do you mean by "modifications" and how do you charge them?
6. What happens if I don't like your design?

Web Hosting

1. I already have web design, I just need hosting. Is that ok?
2. How long have you been hosting web sites?
3. Where are the servers physically located?
4. How many web sites are you hosting now?
5. Why is Windows Hosting more expensive?
6. I use Windows en my computer do I need Windows Hosting plan?
7. May I see some server specifications?

Pro Bono

1. What does Pro Bono mean?
2. What activities are considered for Pro Bono projects?
3. What are the Pro Bono requirements?
4. What's the catch for Pro Bono projects?
5. Is there a limit for Pro Bono projects?

Tech Support

1. How do I contact tech support?
2. Is tech support free?

Answers

How do I know I need a website?

By sincerely answering the following question and realizing some of them as facts:

1. Does your customer browse the internet to search the kind of service or product you offer?
2. You sell a product or service that requires some research before buying.
3. Your competition has a website already.
4. Your competition is a bigger company than you are.
5. You spend a lot of time explaining your customers about your business.
6. It is important for your business to project a highly professional image.
7. Your own customers have websites.
8. You would like to explore other geographic markets without spending too much.
9. You would like to downsize your marketing costs.
10. You always have to answer repeatedly the same very questions to all customers.
11. You would like to control your business from any given location.
12. You are aware the internet is here to stay such as phone or fax on their time.

Which is your coverage area?

Most of our customers are in Canada, followed by Australia, UK and the US, nonetheless we accept orders from all around the world.

What's the difference between a website, a web page and a domain?

A web site is a group of web pages linked between them. A web page is each of the screens you seen in your browser when surfing the web. If you compare this with a book, then the Web Site would be the book, the Web Page would be each of the pages that integrate that book and the Web Domain would be the name of the book.

What's the difference between a website and a portal?

A portal is usually a web site that offers multiple resources and services (search engine, rss, online sells, forums, downloads, contents, access to information, etc.) integrated in the same place, oriented to solve specific needs for a group of people or community. If we follow the above analogy with the book, a portal would like the yellow pages book or touristic magazine.

What is a "Slicing Service"?

It is a term used in web design to refer those services aimed to convert an image or graphics file (usually jpg, png, psd, cdr, ai, eps) to a web friendly format (usually a web page in html or xhtml) in order to display it on web browser.

What is an "Excel Interphase Design"?

It is the graphic design of an excel spreadsheet in order to enhance the looks for a better user experience.

What is Xcelsius?

It is a business intelligence tool for data visualization. It converts Excel spreadsheet information into a flash dashboard with dynamic graphics and tuners.

What payment methods do you accept?

We have been around for quite a time now and have tested pretty much all payment methods, but we only trust these:

• Credit cards through PayPal
• PayPal funds (through your bank)
• Credit cards through 2CO.

I'm in the other side of the ocean, how can we work together?

We live in the 21th century, the communications era is here to stay, and distance is no longer an obstacle. Many tools exist now to save the distance. The key concept is digitized materials: text, images, audio and video. Some tips for such effect:

1. Take digital photos from your products or use a scanner to digitize physical formats. The ideal size for Internet is of 800x600 pixels at 72 dpis of resolution in JGP format. Up to 1600x1200 pixels is ok if you are going to use several areas of the image.
2. Usually we receive texts in MS Word .doc format, but we accept texts in PowerPoint, Excel and text files .txt.
3. The most versatile format for displaying video in the Internet is WMV with a screen size of 160x120 pixels. If more detail is required, you may go up to 320x240 pixels. The best thing is to convert other formats like mp4, mov or avi to WMV to avoid compatibility issues.
4. The most versatile format for audio is MP3 preferably no greater than 1.2 Mb for every minute, same convert recommendation if you have it in other formats.
5. Certainly, it is difficult to communicate without hand notes or schemes; this is not a problem either: it is possible to digitize them as well by scanner or taking a digital picture of the notes sheets.
6. Lately we have received many digital pictures of meeting blackboards with diagrams and agreement points, taken when finalizing businesses meeting.
7. Presentations in PowerPoint, PDFs brochures, graphic source files like Corel, FreeHand, PageMaker and Illustrator are also very useful.
8. All previous digitized information can be sent though the Internet by e-mail or upload it to storage services such as RapidShare.
9. If you do not have a broadband connection to send all the digitized material, you can always record everything in a CD or DVD and send it through a specialized service like UPS or DHL that pretty much covers all planet destinations. In order to facilitate shipment data please contact us previously.

Do you have a standard development process?

Why your prices are in US dollars?

Because we accept orders from around the world and this is the best way to “standardize” our prices.

Who are you and what's your purpose in life?

The man behind DESTRAL.COM is Miguel Estrada a graphic designer since 1992 and web developer since 1994, you may see his blog here and his mission and vision are the following:

1. MISSION: "To design, adapt and facilitate useful, reliable, state-of-the-art and world class web solutions at the best affordable prices, focused to drive people and organizations forward anywhere on the planet so they are able to develop their maximum potential on the Internet".
2. VISION: "That all the inhabitants and organizations in the planet might have the possibility to develop their maximum potential through the Internet, finding opportunities and tangible rewards that will allow them to improve their projects and life quality".

Where are you and why there?

We are in the Internet, because is the best place to be for a Web Design Studio. If you mean our headquarters, we have based them in two important locations: one in Montreal, Canada and the other one in Saltillo, Mexico.

May I see your Terms of Service?

Sure, you may see them HERE.

Why buy from you, what makes you different?

Experience and fanatic support.

I already have hosting, I just need web design. Is that ok?

Yes, absolutely.

May I see some samples of your work?

Yes, of course here's the website portfolio, or you may just see the latest delivered websites: ima-inc.us, deverosds.com

How long have you been developing web sites?

Since 1994.

What do you mean by "revisions"?

Any changes you request to a web design presentation we make to you during the development phase.

What do you mean by "modifications" and how do you charge them?

Any changes you request to an existing web page. We charge them on a PAGE basis, by text modifications or image modifications on that page. Meaning it would be the same price to change ALL text contents of one page or just ONE word. For image changes, same price for changing one image or all the images in one page.

What happens if I don't like your design?

We have never come across this scenario since we ask for leads of what you want before beginning the project and usually by the second revision the graphics are very close of what the customer wants. We present graphics revisions on line in JPG format until approved, and then we get into coding.

I already have web design, I just need hosting. Is that ok ?

Yes, absolutely.

How long have you been hosting web sites?

Since 1998.

Where are the servers physically located?

We have grown in the last years and managed to locate our servers are at the more recognized and reliable Data Centers in world, some of them located in Canada, USA and Australia.

How many web sites are you hosting now?

To January 2008, we are hosting 570 domains.

Why is Windows Hosting more expensive?

Due to more licensing fees and proprietary resources.

I use Windows en my computer do I need Windows Hosting plan?

Absolutely NOT. You will need Windows Hosting ONLY IF you’re developing a website on a proprietary code, such as ASP or NET framework.

May I see some server specifications?

Sure, you may find them HERE.

What does Pro Bono mean?

Pro bono publico (often shortened to pro bono) is a phrase derived from Latin meaning "for the public good." The term is sometimes used to describe professional work undertaken voluntarily and without payment as a public service. It is common in the legal profession and is increasingly seen in marketing, technology, and strategy consulting firms. Pro bono service, unlike traditional volunteerism, uses the specific skills of professionals to provide services to those who are unable to afford them.

What activities are considered for Pro Bono projects?

Individuals and organizations with the following aims:

1. Fight Against Cancer.
2. Handicapped and disabilities.
3. Children's rights and protection.
4. Elderly rights and protection.
5. Women's rights and protection.
6. Poverty eradication.

What are the Pro Bono requirements?

You are entitled for a Pro Bono project only if you:

1. Are a non-profit canadian organization or individual.
2. Are based in Canada
3. Are not into politics.
4. Give free access to your site information.
5. Provide enough time to deliver the project.

What's the catch for Pro Bono projects?

A back-link from your home page to Destral.com

Is there a limit for Pro Bono projects?

One project at a time, one project per year.

How do I contact tech support?

1. By E-mail
2. By MSN messenger: fournisseur@hotmail.com

Is tech support free?

Tech support for hosting plans is included in the price.