Design Challenges

Away Messages - A good idea?

Many of you out there use instant messengers such as AIM, ICQ, MSN, and the likes. It has become common courtersy to leave away messages for your friends when you carelessly leave your computers on for an extended period of time. Many people get creative, they use graphics, poetry, among other things to entertain their fellow chatters; this is a wonderful tool and idea.

Not only should you apply your creativity to your away messages, but you should take the same initiative when you are updating your site. If you know that your site is going to be undergoing maintenace, then create a redirect to a placeholder letting your visitors know that your site is temporarily down and approximate time of revival. This will not only allow you to notified your visitors, but it will ensure them that you are not out of business like many companies today and notifies them of the approximate time they can come back to get the information you are providing.