Portfolio

The stewards of the Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership (LCREP) came to OpenSourcery with a problem. Their site was running a Microsoft Access-based mapping tool that constantly broke, ran only on Internet Explorer 5 and cost more than their nonprofit could afford.

They asked us to intervene and give them control over their own site. We recreated the entire site in Drupal with powerful Google mapping tools and a full slate of other core Drupal functionality, including newsletters and blogs. Now they can manage all online operations straight from their web browsers.

We loved this project because we were able to help a good organization save money and reduce headaches by replacing a broken proprietary system with lean, powerful open sourceOpen source software is computer software for which the human-readable source code is made available under a copyright license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open Source Definition. software.

Mike Miller, owner of Coffee Plant in Portland, Oregon, opened his shop's doors about five years ago. When he decided to create a website, he realized it had to be more than a cookie-cutter page with contact information and a few other perfunctory details. He wanted the site to reflect the look and feel of the physical location: a virtual mirror where visitors could explore not only the coffees but also the current artwork, music, events, a catering menu and even see the beautiful faces of his employees (with totally serious personal descriptions).

When they started, the site was attractive but static. Mike soon realized his vision required the ability to update content constantly. So OpenSourcery swooped back in and transitioned the site to Drupal, which allows Mike to update artist and event information. He has a newsletter. And the potential for employee blogs is ever-present.

Now one of Portland's finest coffee houses can boast a truly expressive site. We suggest not only getting a rocking cup of coffee from Mike and friends, but also checking out their wonderful sense of design. Mike created the logo for Coffee Plant, and his taste is in evidence throughout both locations.

Green Gables Design and Restoration, a high quality design/build firm, approached OpenSourcery's Randall Hansen in need of a simple, elegant portfolio site. They had a single page and very little content at the time, but they knew what they wanted. As a business that integrates "design objectives with construction realities," their websites needed to help facilitate multiple relationships.

The challenge Randall faced during this project was to keep the site design very simple. Green Gables' unusual site audience - which includes everyone from potential clients to other builders to sub-contractors - dictated that anyone could visit and find value there. Part and parcel of the simple design was the ability to focus on details of past projects, and for future work to seamless integrate with the existing look and feel.

As the images show, Green Gables now has a beautiful, easy-to-use portfolio site they can use to attract customers. And the incredible image quality captures Green Gables' design work for other professionals to view. Sometimes we visit the site, drool over modern fireplaces and dream of what could be...

Brett Schulz, Architect (BSA) is a small architecture firm with a wide range of project types. Their site had to capture residential, commercial, multifamily, institutional and interior design into a single, straightforward design. In addition to the site's value as an attractive portfolio for potential clients, Brett and Co. wanted to do justice to the spaces they've already created. OpenSourcery's Randall Hansen, himself a lover of architecture and design, built exactly the portfolio site they wanted.

Randall helped Brett find the domain, design the site, corral the content and secure hosting; he also taught Brett how to update the site and transfer files seamlessly.

Now the site is home to dozens of individual projects, each with a handful of photographic details and written description. The quality of their work is evident from every page, and we're proud to say the web design does exactly what it should: let the content speak for itself.

247 Townhall is a community forum dedicated to change. Users sign in to share videos, stories, events, trends, and audio. We love this site because it's functional and nice to look at, and, really, how can you not love a site that boasts Mos Def as a contributor?

Users can interact with the site on several levels, from observers to participating members. Members track their favorite content and comment on shared items. We also like that the process begins with new members submitting their personal stories.

We built 247 Townhall with open sourceOpen source software is computer software for which the human-readable source code is made available under a copyright license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open Source Definition. content management software Drupal, which allows users and site administrators to easily upload video, text and audio. The difficult work happens below the surface so most people don't even have to think about what's happening: upload an image and VOILA! It's cropped into form and displayed exactly where and how you imagined. Upload a video clip to the site and it's automatically posted to YouTube - without you needing to have a youTube account or experience.

Josh Tickell, America's pre-eminent biofuels expert, knew about OpenSourcery through his work with CEO Brian Jamison, himself a major biofuel proponent and supporter. Both Josh and Brian have invested a great deal of energy and resources into the advancement of biofuel as an alternative to fossil-fuels.

Josh came to OpenSourcery about a month before the opening credits rolled at the Sundance Film Festival; his documentary, Fields of Fuel, was set to appear. But he still needed a website to promote the project. Almost as impressive as the film itself were the site's requirements: accept and track online donations, host multi-media content, display print-quality photographs to journalists and allow blogging and content management from the road.

Working with Josh and the crew behind Fields of Fuel is one of our favorite examples of Agile developmentThe term Agile Software Development refers to a group of software development methodologies that promotes development iterations, open collaboration, and process adaptability throughout the life-cycle of the project. at its best. We were able to help a high-profile client create an incredibly feature-rich site in a short span of time. Agile allowed us to iterate quickly and make changes on the fly, all while remaining flexible and productive.

It's hard to argue with the results: Sundance Film Festival 2008 Best Documentary, a growing list of other awards and whispers of Oscar consideration in the future...

Pronetos founders Chris Blanchard and Wyatt Werner came to OpenSourcery with the idea of giving academics a network that went beyond mere socializing. They wanted the ability for members to share and review academic papers. Pronetos makes it easy for scholars to stay connected with thier colleagues, wherever they may be. Pronetos is a place for scholars to network, and build and share ideas with the greatest minds in their field.

Pronetos is also a content repository that allows readers and authors to interact and build new ideas. Scholars connect as they would at a conference, except this conference is attended by scholars from across the globe. They make interdisciplinary contacts. Exchange ideas. Collaborate. Gain exposure for their research. Stay current on trends in your field. In short, it is THE professor's network.

OpenSourcery built custom features for Pronetos.com with RubyRuby is a dynamic, reflective, general purpose object-oriented programming language that combines syntax inspired by Perl with Smalltalk-like features. Ruby originated in Japan during the mid-1990s and was initially developed and designed by Yukihiro "Matz" Matsumoto. on Rails, an open sourceOpen source software is computer software for which the human-readable source code is made available under a copyright license (or arrangement such as the public domain) that meets the Open Source Definition. application development framework known designed for rapid web development.