OUR SERVICES - Source Efficent, Inc.
 
In a modern day society where numerous electronic devices and/or software applications exist to perform a varying host of functions; not only can it be difficult to make the most suitable selections, but also it may be exceedingly costly.  Then, one must determine how to integrate the resulting army of stand-alone pieces of equipment and/or programs.  No sooner that one has comfortably settled into an arrangement, one's needs change, the technology  approaches obsoleteness, or the consumer is subject to further licensing or upgrade outlays (also known as the "upgrade treadmill").  All the while, the user has been forced to navigated through the constraints of such proprietary products with little flexibility or control over the resource.
  • Best Practices → We routinely take the pulse of technological advancements in order to remain abreast of the latest developments.  Accordingly, we are able to advise clients on the best available choices at the time as well as the future direction in which we believe the technology is headed.

OUR SERVICES

Holistic Consulting:  After listening to clients' short and long-term objectives, we exhaustively evaluate the current state of their technological operations.  Based upon our findings, we provide recommendations concerning:
  • Cost-Effective Alternatives → This often includes a review of the open source options available.  Generally, for every proprietary application, there are a myriad of open source equivalents.  For instance, Microsoft Word can be substituted with full-featured word processors like OpenOffice  Write, and AbiWord (which have similar interfaces to MS Word) or more light-weight utilities such as KWord and Ted.   As one of open sources' most well-known  offerings, OpenOffice constitutes a complete office suite akin to Microsoft's Office and even contains useful features that MS Office does not by default (i.e., PDF creation).
  • Streamlining → Always with an eye toward seamlessly weaving together both our clients' hardware and software, we explore all possible avenues to facilitate their operations.  Whether networking for more efficient file sharing and management or printing, transforming a computer station or television into a robust cross-media  center, consolidating an out-dated and unwieldy server farm, reallocating rather than retiring aging machines that may enjoy an extended shelf-life serving another purpose, imaging machines for ease of later restoration, or the like; we invite the challenge of finding a creative technological solution that treats its constituent parts as strategic phases on the path to a deliberately conceived larger whole.  Simultaneously, you can rest assured that we are considering cost-effectiveness, user-friendliness, and reliability.        
  • Customization → While our amassed knowledge is transferable from one client to the next, we approach each project as a unique specimen.  Any solution that we employ is tailored as we recognize that one size does not fit all.  When we draw upon open source alternatives, we rescue our clients from the "upgrade treadmill" of proprietary software because routine updates and upgrades are released at no charge.  We also arm them with the freedom, autonomy, and flexibility to pivot from one open source program to another for free anytime -- whether they have out-grown their present software, their needs have changed, or they simply desire to try something different. 
    To capture the extent of the diversity within open source software, one can survey the medley of obtainable LINUX distributions alone (i.e., Ubuntu, Debian, Symphony, Mandriva, etc...).  They possess countless distinct features.  They are aimed at consumers who speak varying languages, live in assorted regions, work in particular fields, or use certain devices.  Some distros (as they are called) behave like the Windows interface and others like Macs.  Moreover, should we deem that a hardware expenditure (i.e., server for hosting a website, replacement computer, new purchase, etc...) is necessary, we assess the potential merits of a custom-built machine.  If the proper course, we can and will roll up our sleeves to begin constructing!  This route allows us to position our clients ahead of the technological curve by delivering a more powerful piece of equipment with hand-picked components than that which is offered pre-assembled off-the-shelf.
Website and Web Application Design:  While we can create websites and web applications using a medley of platforms, we specialize in Drupal -- an open source content management system, which the White House has adopted, together with The Nation; The New Republic; The Economist; The World Bank; the NBA and NFL Players Associations; and Thomson Reuters.  Drupal is an incredibly flexible platform with thousands of individually available modules plus a multiplying number of specialized distributions.  Due to the breadth and depth of our professional experience in law and communications (ranging from broadcasting to congressional speech writing and press management) we are distinctively capable of assisting you or your organization with the messaging and media elements of building a presence on the web.  

General Services:  In addition to our more specialized consulting, we also offer some general IT services including data recovery as well as system restoration, imaging, and maintenance, to name a few.
For data recovery (as with many of our services), the initial consultation and/or diagnostic  is complimentary.  Specifically though, if we discover that the extent of your disk damage is so severe requiring a costly disk hardware specialist, we will advise you of such.