Sustainability can mean a lot of things to a lot of people. In Silicon Valley business terms it can mean sink or swim in an ocean of sharks. MonkeyBrains is a local, independent ISP (internet service provider) that started up at the height of the last boom and is a shining beacon of hope that companies can come out of a bubble alive and kickin’.
We first met Alex from MonkeyBrains when he hooked us up with killer WiFi and Live Video streaming for Vloggercon06 at The Swedish American Hall. The MonkeyBrains crew did such an amazing job and were so cool under pressure that we felt the need to dig deeper to hear their story. Thanks Alex and Rudy for having us over!
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[tags]monkeybrains, monkeybrains.net, rudyrucker, alexmenendez, isp, colo, colocation, sanfrancisco, geeks, ryanishungry[/tags]
it’s so admirable to see people like that who maintain independence in a digital world of greed. a beacon of hope indeed.
-taxiplasm
Loved it madly. It is inspiring to see those folks out there. Pretty fine, I mus t say. I also want to figure out how to do something with these guys. Well Done.
Milt
Great video, Thanks Ryanne and Jay! The Monkey Rock! If you want to contact Monkey Brains (or leave a message that we may not hear for a month) call 415.974.1313.
The best is to just come by the office and take us out to coffee (call to make sure we are there!)
984 Folsom St. Second Floor.
Rudy
Very funny, I like their attitude, but boy their website shows why you need to get professionals in to do some things!
Monkeybrains.net screams ‘amateurs’ and I don’t think these guys are. Go and pay a couple of thousand dollars and get a professional redesign and content management system, it will do you good even if it means doing something on the wrong side of the pyramid for a change!
I know I am commenting on an old post I just thought it had to be said
Dave
Spend a couple of thousand dollars on a redesign? “Yeah, I’m not going to host with that ISP because the owner drives a dented, old station wagon.”
By and large an ISP doesn’t need a complex, flashy website. And those corporate redesigns are awful — all the websites look the like they used the same template.
Truth be told, Alex’s girlfriend (a designer) is mucking with a new look. So, if you see a change isn’t due to Dave from the UK’s comment – I thought punk came from England???
Punk came from England but died about 30 years ago
Presenting your business as one that is run by competent people with up to date knowledge is a long long way from getting a flashy over-designed website. Your site is your shop window to the world and your’s looks like it hasn’t had a paint job or clean out since the web was invented. It may have lost you a lot more business than you have ever realized; a tech business with a confusing and outdated site, not a great showcase for your skills!
Check out cssmania.com or similar to see how varied pro web designs can be. I think you need something original but that certainly does not mean slap-dash amateur with HTML ready for Netscape 4! I don’t care what car you drive (I don’t even drive) but I do want to feel my data is in safe hands!
A couple of thousand dollars was a rough figure for design and CMS development, you can do for less but just like fitting out your own storefront with the help of your local handyman rather than using shopfitters, you will save money but the results risk looking cheap, nasty and unprofessional.
I wasn’t trying to be mean, just when I see a bad site I have to comment, sorry! Good luck with your redesign
BTW I used to work for an ISP with a terrible site, and it still is.
cssmainia… I do like css. I have a little here: monkeyview.net
Let me check out that site…
OK, the first one I looked at blows:
http://www.kcm.org/index.php?p=home
Too junky, too much stuff going on.
This one is neat
http://www.ayakaito.com/
I did css-ize the site a couple of years ago. Maybe I’ll just update the CSS file and see if it looks a little better…. always open to trade: will host your website for CSS work.
Phew, was up till 4am knocking out the new site. Got a wild hair to just do it at 10pm last night. Any comments? (not, support section not yet ported over… have done the ’services’ section)
rudy…i’m digging the new site.
its fast.
Clean, but has all the info there.