RainStorm Consulting News & Insights

New DNA Sequencing Service website provides modern refresh for national provider

Mon, 26 Jul 2010 11:44:36 -0400

We're happy to announce the launch of a new website for the DNA Sequencing Service, online at umainedna.com.

While the DNA Sequencing Service doesn't serve the general public-- you need to have some DNA samples that need to be sequenced, after all-- scientists nationwide who are clients of the UMaine-based agency will find it easier to do business using the new site.

Backed by a modern design and standards-compliant, rock-solid code, the site features a simpler, updated navigation, more information on services and requirements, and an easy ordering process.

The site is also a welcomed brand refresh for the agency, whose previous website was pushing the eight-year mark.

If you or your institution needs DNA sequencing, 48-hour turn-around and guaranteed service are just a website away.

Web-based oceanography book adds to open-source learning universe

Mon, 05 Apr 2010 08:00:00 -0400

Following in the footsteps of other open-source web-based learning initatives such as MIT's OpenCourseWare, RainStorm is proud to announce our participation in the all-new Ocean Optics web book project.

As the web development agency for the project, we helped to conceive, design, and build the entirely free, web-based oceanography textbook written and produced by Curtis Mobley and a group of contributors.

The book's nine chapters span introductory to advanced-level topics in ocean optics, written primarily by the three scientists at leading national organizations. A comments module invites readers to leave thoughts and additional information, and the book's content is designed to evolve and grow over time as the field advances.

At the heart of the Ocean Optics web book is a LaTeX-to-HTML converter, allowing the authors to compose sophisticated figures in a native language which is then seamlessly translated to images for display in the web browser. This process ensures that the authors can present advanced information that is then accessible to anybody with a web browser and an internet connection- no special tools required.

The Ocean Optics web book project is powered by SiteTurbine, RainStorm's own suite of web-based tools for site management. To learn more, visit oceanopticsbook.info.

Maine CTE portal gives a fully-featured website to 25 Maine high schools

Fri, 08 Jan 2010 16:33:41 -0500

For many high schools, building and maintaining websites can be a cumbersome challenge. Besides the costs associated with building a site, schools must also find the resources to pay an outside firm, or find staff with the technical skills and time available to keep their sites updated.

MACTE- The Maine Administrators of Career & Technical High Schools- serves Maine's network of career and technical high schools. Recognizing the need for a modern, updated website themselves, MACTE also sought to help its members build and maintain their own fully-featured websites without placing a large burden on school staff.

Working with MACTE, RainStorm Consulting built and launched the Maine CTE Portal, a network of 25 inter-connected, modern websites for Maine's CTE high schools across the state.

No longer limited by outdated sites, Maine's career & technical high schools can now promote their students and inform the community with their own sites. Each site features news, highlights student successes, and includes detailed course and program information. In addtion, Maine high school students can now apply online at any of the 25 CTE school websites.

In any economy, the need for career and technical education continues to increase as employers expect an ever-growing range of high-tech skillsets from students. Maine's career & technical schools have been meeting that need for a long time, and they are now better prepared to tell the world about themselves and make it easy for other students to join in.

To learn more, visit MaineCTE.org and begin your search of Maine's network of career & technical schools.

RainStorm celebrates 10th anniversary

Fri, 06 Nov 2009 10:37:37 -0500

Last Thursday, RainStorm celebrated our 10th anniverary in business with a small gathering that included staff and family. We told stories, ate cake, and toasted 10 years of service to our clients.

On October 30 1999, founder and CEO Brian Rahill registered the domain name "rainstormconsulting.com". As a web development and software company, we think its fitting that our anniversary is defined by a domain name registration.

For those who may not know, the company began in 1999 as a search engine optimization firm before the word "Google" was a household term. Soon after, our first hosting clients came on board.

In 2001, RainStorm provided search marketing, web hosting, and web design services to a handful of clients.

By 2004, RainStorm hosted over 300 websites for small business and education clients in 20 states. In addition to search marketing and hosting, database-powered sites became a major offering.

2008 and 2009 will go down as banner years for RainStorm. If you haven't visited us lately, we've moved to a beautiful new space to accommodate our continued growth. We also received the "Non-profit of the year" award from TechMaine for our work on the Maine Adult Education portal, our second year winning a TechMaine award for our work.

Our first 10 years would not have been possible without our many clients, who we are grateful to every day. Thank you for being a part of our first 10 years, and we hope to see you in the next 10!

RainStorm Consulting announces office move

Thu, 11 Jun 2009 16:57:22 -0400

After months of preparations, we're excited to announce we've settled into a beautiful new office space on Main Street in Orono, Maine.

To our clients and friends, please update your records with our new location and mailing address, but please note, our phone, fax, and website addresses remain the same.

Please note, our new mailing and street address:

148 Main Street
Orono, ME 04473

Our phone and fax numbers remain the same.

If you're passing by, drop by and say hello. We'll be happy to give you a tour of RainStorm world headquarters!

Maine Adult Education website honored as non-profit site of the year by TechMaine

Wed, 03 Jun 2009 20:56:21 -0400

We're pleased and honored to announce that MaineAdultEd.org, a portal website connecting over 80 local adult education programs, has been chosen as the Best of the Web Non-profit website for 2008 by TechMaine at their annual awards ceremony. Working closely with the Maine Adult Education Association (MAEA), the site came to be after many years of planning and the involvement of dozens of educators, support staff, and generous funders.

The website faced stiff competition for the award, and we congratulate the two other nominees in the category: Sephone Internet Solutions of Bangor for their work on the Demsey Challenge website, as well as the MaineMerchants.org website built by Portland's Pemaquid Communications.

Our entire company traveled to the TechMaine awards event, where we were joined there by Kathi Medcalf, the director of the portal project for MAEA, who we partnered with to develop the site. It was particularly special having Kathi present, as her leadship as past president of MAEA transformed a concept into a reality for Maine's rural adult education programs, many of which are now guiding communities through our economic challenges with their services. For background and a progress report on the project, read our case study.

Thanks again to TechMaine for sponsoring the event and honoring us and the website.

RainStorm earns two TechMaine award nominations

Fri, 29 May 2009 13:10:04 -0400

Thank you to TechMaine, our state industry association, for honoring us with two TechMaine awards at this year's ceremony, to be held next week in Portland:

Our fearless leader, CEO Brian Rahill is a finalist for the CxO of the year award for ""[leading] RainStorm Consulting into the most exciting period of the company's history: heading into their third consecutive year of record profits, hiring new staff and making investments in the company that will drive its long-term success."

In the web awards, we're honored that MaineAdultEd.org is a finalist for Non-profit website of the year. The site is actually a network of more than 80 local adult education websites, joined together by a state-wide portal, course search, and more.

We wish our best to Brian and to all of the other nominees. If you're attending the awards, stop by our table to say hello!

RainStorm welcomes office manager Nicole St. Pierre

Mon, 18 May 2009 08:00:00 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is happy to welcome Nicole St. Pierre to our growing team as office manager.

Whether handling the phones, managing billing accounts, or assisting with email and website support, Nicole will be a visible part of our renowned customer support.

Behind the scenes, her volleyball experience is sure to come in handy during our company recreation events, where she will likely be top ranked in company badminton games.

Nicole is a graduate of the Univeristy of Maine, Orono with a degree in psychology. She lives in Bangor.

RainStorm programmer Ray Kolbe earns top certification

Thu, 14 May 2009 16:38:03 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is pleased to announce that programmer Ray Kolbe has earned the title of Zend Certified Engineer, the industry's highest certification for PHP programmers. PHP is the world's most widely-used open-source web development language, powering millions of websites worldwide.

Ray, 24, is of only 5 people in Maine with the certification, making him one of the state's elite web programmers. He joins fellow RainStorm Consulting employee Matt James, who earned his own Zend certification in 2008.

"This honor is a testament the dedication to excellence that Ray demonstrates every day," said RainStorm Consulting CEO Brian Rahill. "We're proud to have him on our team and we're pleased to continue to advance our learning to better serve our clients."

Ray is a resident of Bangor and a graduate of Husson University. He has been employed as a programmer with RainStorm Consulting since 2008.

Case study: Building a statewide network of adult education websites

Tue, 05 May 2009 16:35:07 -0400

With multi-million dollar budget cuts looming, Maine's Adult Education Association partnered with RainStorm Consulting on an ambitious project: To launch powerful new websites for Maine's local adult education programs. The goal: To attract more learners, more revenue, and to re-define adult education in Maine as a viable, modern statewide network.

Testimonial

Project:
Maine Adult Education portal

Website address:
http://www.maineadulted.org

Development time:
June 2008-December 2008

Download this case study (PDF, 45k)

The status quo

Despite rising revenues and increased enrollment in 2006 and 2007, the Maine Adult Education Association (known as MAEA) and its geographically-diverse network of local member programs faced significant budget cuts and an aging, disconnected brand in need of a refresh.

The transformation

Working with a strategic marketing firm, MAEA committed to an ambitious plan to overhaul and unify its brand. The primary goal: to present its dozens of unique local programs as a unified, statewide network offering a consistently excellent and affordable educational product for Maine people.

MAEA stakeholders and RainStorm Consulting defined the key to this strategy as new websites for every one of Maine's local programs, with each new program website sharing a set of powerful features and consistent design elements. At the center of this network of connected program websites is the "portal" site, MaineAdultEd.org, a single destination combining over 3,000 courses from programs as far as 380 miles apart.

The Maine Adult Education portal and related program websites are built upon SiteTurbine, a suite of web-based software developed by RainStorm Consulting for educational clients. Highlights of the more than 80 websites include:

State-wide course search: On http://www.maineadulted.org or from any one of more than 80 individual program websites, prospective students can search the entire statewide catalog of adult education courses, in addition to the courses offered by their local programs. This statewide reach empowers students to locate the best courses in the area, in turn helping adult education programs of all sizes promote their offerings
Online registration: Using their new website, local adult education programs can begin accepting online course registrations in about 15 minutes using only a PayPal account. This process eliminates costly overhead and time involved for individual programs and allows them to open an additional revenue stream as well as provide an added convenience for their prospective students.
Simple management, outstanding support: Using the suite of web-based tools provided by SiteTurbine, local program directors and administrators can easily customize their websites with local content, news items, and frequently asked questions for students, all with basic internet skills. No costly website maintenance or software downloads are required — in fact, RainStorm Consulting provides unlimited telephone and email support to all staff using the websites.

Testimonial:

"Our students have readily embraced the online registration and payment option and have found it to be quick and convenient. We have found that it broadens our potential customer universe — we've gotten many more registrations from outside our traditional population base this semester."

- Ellen Dickens, Director of Union 74 Adult Education

The results

Expanded audience, expanded revenue: In just the first four months since the launch of the Maine adult education portal and program websites, over 40,000 Maine people have visited the site, viewing nearly 360,000 pages. More than 1,000 Maine citizens have registered for classes online, earning five-figures in revenue for individual programs.
Smaller programs, equal success: Revenue and traffic is not centered solely on larger programs in more populous areas — in fact, five of the ten most active program websites are from less populated, geographically-disparate areas in Maine. This significantly increased access means not just additional revenue for programs facing budget challenges, it also means that more people are finding and taking advantage of new educational opportunities.

For more information

RainStorm Consulting is proud to partner with educational organizations of all sizes to help them attract students, promote their mission and realize success on the web.

To learn more about how your organization can partner with RainStorm Consulting to succeed on the web, contact CEO Brian Rahill: (207) 866-3908 or brian@rainstormconsulting.com.

White paper: Using PayPal for your website payment solution

Tue, 07 Apr 2009 15:03:44 -0400

If you're considering an online payment solution for orders, donations, or registrations, you may be wondering which of the myriad options is best for you or your organization.

Download this white paper (PDF, 37k)

At RainStorm Consulting, we can work with a variety of merchant services, but for many people and organizations, using PayPal can be an easy, powerful, and affordable solution for accepting many different types of online payments.

The white paper below presents information on the benefits of using PayPal for your organization's website payment processing solution. This white paper is intended for stakeholders making decisions and/or IT staff considering a payment and/or donation solution for their organization's website. It should take about 5-10 minutes to read.

What is PayPal?
PayPal is a web-based service for accepting and processing payments between people and organizations worldwide. By establishing a secure, easy-to-use system, PayPal transformed the process of accepting credit cards and payments online by making it affordable and safe for individuals and organizations.

Why is PayPal a safe, secure payment solution for my organization?
PayPal is as secure as your bank or credit card company. PayPal uses the same nationwide system that banks use to accept and process credit cards and debit cards. This means your transactions are equally as secure as using your credit card or debit card at a retailer or through your bank. In addition, PayPal is subjected to the same state and federal regulations as banks and credit card companies.

PayPal is an industry leader in fraud prevention. While you may have heard that PayPal is subject to high rates of fraud, the reality is that PayPal exceeds industry standards for fraud prevention, detection, and resolution. In fact, PayPal is one of the only worldwide payment processors to maintain its own dedicated team of fraud resolution professionals who will work with you to thoroughly investigate and resolve any potential concern on your behalf.

In short, we believe that PayPal is the safest method for accepting payments online short of owning your own credit card company.

Who should use PayPal as a payment solution?
PayPal is ideal for individuals and/or non-profit organizations with limited budgets and resources. While traditional online payment solutions can take months to setup and often include prohibitive monthly fees for small organizations, PayPal processing can be setup and configured in days with basic Internet knowledge.

We recommend using PayPal if you want to earn additional revenue by:

Selling your products online: You can sell one or many products on your site using PayPal using a single-product checkout or a traditional "shopping cart" approach.
Accepting registrations or class sign-ups: PayPal works great for accepting conference registrations or class sign-ups. Registrants can select multiple products, add them to a cart, and check out securely.
Accepting donations: PayPal can be used to accept and process donations via credit card and even check. You can set customized fields for the donor's name or specific donation target.

In all cases, PayPal provides a secure checkout, confirmation notices, and refund and shipping options.

Do my customers need to have a PayPal account to pay via my website?
No. This is a common misconception about using PayPal. Please note, when you use PayPal as a payment solution, your customers can pay you using all major credit cards, debit cards, and even their checking account.

While they do have the option of paying you using their PayPal account, they do need to have an existing PayPal account, nor do they need to create a PayPal account in order to pay you.

What do I need to setup a PayPal account?
You will need an email address and bank account to setup a PayPal account. The email address (along with your contact information) will be used to establish your account. Your bank account number and bank routing number will be used so that you can easily transfer money from your PayPal account into your bank account.

It will take a person with average Internet competency about 10-15 minutes to setup a PayPal account. You will want to have your bank account information on hand when creating your account. After the setup step is complete, it can take 3-5 days for PayPal to perform its security confirmation of your bank account so you can withdraw funds directly from PayPal to your bank account.

How long will it take to implement a PayPal payment solution on my website?
When your account is setup, it can take from 15 minutes to 3-5 days to configure your website to accept and process payments. Because we work to meet your specific needs, the setup time depends on how we have configured your particular site to work with PayPal. In any case, this approach is by far the quickest and simplest way to setup your site to accept and process payments.

We will guide you through the entire process, including walking you through account setup and configuration as necessary.

For more information:
To learn more about how RainStorm Consulting can help you accept payments online, contact us at (207) 866-3908 or via email: contact@rainstormconsulting.com. We'll be happy to work with you to decide on the correct payment solution for your needs, and we'll guide you through the entire process including answering questions about costs, security, and more.

For more information about PayPal, visit the PayPal security center online:
https://www.paypal.com/cgi-bin/webscr?cmd=_security-center-outside

New Spruce Run website

Fri, 27 Mar 2009 16:00:00 -0400

We're pleased to announce the launch of an all-new website for Spruce Run, a Maine non-profit dedicated to ending domestic abuse and online at SpruceRun.net.

The site features an entirely new, modern design and many new features, including:

Detailed information on Spruce Run services for domestic abuse victims and their families and friends. A wide range of information is presented to help people find local services, resources, and get answers to many common questions about the difficult subject of domestic abuse.

Expanded news & events help Spruce Run promote its announcements and events directly via its website and through RSS.

Interactive quizes for adults and teens are designed to help people think about potential abuse in their personal relationships.

The website is easy for Spruce Run staff to maintain thanks to WordPress, a free open source content management tool. J Group Advertising designed the site and developed the copy, while RainStorm built the accessible, standards-compliant website including custom theme development for WordPress.

RainStorm Consulting partners with adult education to launch network of statewide websites

Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:00:00 -0500

We are pleased to announce our participation in the development and launch of MaineAdultEd.org, a new web portal connecting Maine's adult education programs into a powerful network of websites to serve people all over Maine.

The Maine Adult Education portal, launched in early January and online at http://www.maineadulted.org, features a searchable directory of more than 3,000 adult education courses, with online course registration, program locations and directions, course details, news, and much more. In just three months since launch, more than 48,000 people have visited the site, with more than 1000 online course registrations.

We recently partnered up with Maine Adult Education Association leadership to conceive and produce this new project. At the centerpiece is SiteTurbine, a suite of software tools designed to enhance academic and small business websites. The SiteTurbine software suite powers all aspects of the portal and program websites, including the statewide course directory, online ordering, news, and much more.

At the core of the new adult education portal is a network of fully-featured websites for more than 70 of Maine's local adult education programs. Each local adult education program website includes a program's local courses, news, student help section, and program information. This network of program websites is a key piece of the portal's strategy to make it easier for Maine people to find new, affordable educational opportunities. Previously, many of Maine's adult education programs-- particularly in rural areas-- had little or no web presence and were not inter-connected. With the launch of the portal, visitors to any local program website can search and locate courses at any other adult education program and find the best course options using the interactive maps on the program websites.

To search for adult education courses throughout Maine, please visit the Maine adult education portal online at http://www.maineadulted.org.

RainStorm Consulting welcomes new programmer Ray Kolbe

Tue, 23 Dec 2008 13:40:14 -0500

Adding to its talented team of web development experts, RainStorm Consulting is pleased to welcome programmer Ray Kolbe to the company.

Ray, 24, is a 2008 graduate of Husson University with a Bachelors degree in Computer Information Systems. He lives in Bangor.

As a programmer, Ray will be teaming with RainStorm programmer Matt James to build and enhance SiteTurbine, the company's suite of web-based software tools. Ray is also pursuing his Zend certification, a top honor for PHP programmers worldwide.

"We're proud to have an elite programmer like Ray joining our team," said Brian Rahill, president of RainStorm Consulting. "Our commitment to our clients shows through the talented, dedicated people we hire to support their goals, and Ray makes a great addition to this already stellar group."

We're hiring! Hard-working PHP programmers apply inside

Mon, 29 Sep 2008 10:03:20 -0400

We're searching for a detail-oriented, highly-motivated PHP programmer to join our web development team. If you're fluent in PHP, MySQL, server administration, and you can demonstrate your passion and commitment to excellence on a daily basis, you'll get an amazing opportunity to work on meaningful products in a truly different work environment.

To learn more, visit rainstormconsulting.com/jobs/.

When you're ready to apply, send your resume and cover letter to brian@rainstorminc.com.

RainStorm Consulting launches new website

Wed, 27 Aug 2008 16:59:00 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is pleased to announce the launch of its new website. The new site presents a bold new look for the company and its services. Featuring company news, an updated and expanded portfolio, and additional support features for clients and partners, the site is a major step forward and represents RainStorm's expertise in standards-based, hand-crafted web development.

Project Highlight: Maine Family Literacy Initiative

Tue, 03 Jun 2008 08:15:00 -0400

On June 2nd, the Maine Family Literacy Initiative (MEFLI) welcomed First Lady Barbara Bush to its annual awards ceremony in Biddeford. Mrs. Bush presented more than $300,000 in grants to literacy programs throughout Maine on behalf of the Barbara Bush Foundation for Family Literacy.

During that same ceremony, MEFLI unveiled its all-new website, designed and hosted by RainStorm. The new MEFLI website features news and events powered by NewsStorm, grant information and downloads, and a custom installation of ReviewStorm, grant-tracking software enabling the organization to track and process grant applications.

To learn more about how the Maine Family Literacy Organization is promoting literacy throughout Maine, visit them online at MaineFamilyLiteracy.com.

RainStorm Consulting programmers earn highest industry certification

Thu, 29 May 2008 11:11:00 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is pleased to announce that its staff of programmers, Jeremy Knope and Matt James, have each earned the title of Zend Certified Engineer, currently the industry's highest certification for PHP programmers worldwide.

With their PHP 5 certification, Jeremy and Matt join an elite ranks which includes only two other programmers from the entire state of Maine, and just a small fraction of the tens of thousands of active PHP developers worldwide.


Jeremy Knope and Matt James (L-R)

"Congratulations to both Jeremy and Matt for this achievement," said Brian Rahill, president of RainStorm Consulting. "We are proud of Jeremy and Matt for earning this honor, and proud of the message it sends about our commitment to excellence here at RainStorm."

PHP is the world's most widely-used open-source web development language, powering millions of websites across hundreds of thousands of companies and organizations worldwide. As awarded by Zend, the PHP company, the certification ensures that both Jeremy and Matt meet and exceed the highest standards in development knowledge, practices, and experience in their field. Jeremy Knope previously earned the same certification for an earlier version of PHP.

Jeremy Knope, 27, is a Bangor resident and has been employed with RainStorm Consulting since January 2005. Originally from Vermont, he holds a degree in New Media from the University of Maine. Jeremy is co-creator and lead developer of SiteTurbine, RainStorm's own custom suite of website tools. Jeremy was recently named Maine's Technology Innovator of the Year at the 2008 Technology Awards Gala sponsored by TechMaine (formerly MESDA).

Matt James, 25, of Bangor has been employed with RainStorm Consulting since November 2007. A 2005 graduate of the University of Maine with a degree in New Media, he previously worked for a web development firm prior to joining RainStorm Consulting. An expert in usability and interface development, Matt is also a developer and active participant in the Mac software development community.

RainStorm Consulting programmer Jeremy Knope honored as Maine's Technology Innovator of the Year

Thu, 29 May 2008 10:42:00 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is pleased to announce that web programmer Jeremy Knope has received the prestigious Technology Innovator of the Year award at TechMaine's 2008 Technology Awards Gala, held on May 20th in Portland.

As one of three nominees for the award, Jeremy earned the honor for his efforts as co-creator and lead programmer of SiteTurbine, RainStorm's custom suite of web-based applications. SiteTurbine modules for news, email marketing, photo galleries, and e-commerce power high-profile academic and business websites in Maine and 20 other states. Jeremy was also acknowledged for his contributions to the Mac software development community as well as his work with open-source server architecture.

"We're proud to have an innovator like Jeremy on the RainStorm team. Jeremy's continued focus on making the next big idea a reality for RainStorm and our clients has set him apart for many years. It's great to see Jeremy getting the recognition he deserves for his hard work," said Brian Rahill, President of RainStorm Consulting.

RainStorm Consulting receives MTI grant to enhance SiteTurbine

Wed, 09 Apr 2008 09:15:00 -0400

RainStorm Consulting is proud to announce its second Maine Technology Institute grant for continued development and enhancement of SiteTurbine.

The grant, awarded in March 2008 by the Maine Technology Institute, will be used to complete a significant range of enhancements to several of SiteTurbine modules for the benefit of those organizations which utilize the modules. The outcome of these enhancements will be faster load times, quicker updates, and smoother future upgrades to the modules.

SiteTurbine modules NewsStorm, ContactStorm, and FormStorm are all slated to receive significant upgrades to their front-end display components, ensuring that the public websites they are installed on load faster, serve their content more quickly, and are easier to manage by organizational staff.

"We are grateful to the Maine Technology Institute for its continued commitment to Maine's emerging technology businesses," said RainStorm president Brian Rahill. "This grant will allow us to continue to ensure that our products are innovative and market-leading, both in Maine and nationwide."

This recent grant is the second RainStorm has received from the Maine Technology Institute to support the development and expansion of SiteTurbine. The first grant awarded to RainStorm by the Maine Technology Institute, received in September 2007, provided the resources for an expanded, enterprise-level permissions and user account system across the SiteTurbine system.