Latest posts

Opening up data

Over the past few months we’ve been working with the City of York Council Business Intelligence Hub on a new Open Data platform for York. This website will act as a repository for publicly available data on almost any aspect of life in York. Initially the data is being supplied by the Council’s own internal business systems, but other public-sector organisations will be coming on board. The system could become the clearinghouse for anyone in York who wants to open their datasets to the public.

by Andy Reading 24 Mar 2015

York Museums Trust – new sites go live!

We recently completed the first part of one of the most interesting projects we’ve ever taken on: five responsive websites with interconnected navigation, shared content and a sophisticated third-party database. The sites are for York Museums Trust – the charitable body responsible for managing a number of York’s leading museums and galleries. The websites of each of their four leading attractions badly needed an overhaul, as did as the York Museums Trust’s own website.

by Jim Semlyen 15 Jul 2014

Portfolio update: e-commerce sites from Castlegate IT

We demonstrate some of the essential features and qualities of an industry standard e-commerce website, using recent Castlegate IT projects as case studies.

by Jim Semlyen 10 Apr 2014

Portfolio update: bespoke WordPress development

Examples from our portfolio demonstrate some of the ways in which Castlegate IT has used WordPress development to enhance websites or design them from scratch.

Portfolio update: web application development

Web apps allow websites to perform functions which go far beyond the simple presentation of information. The following projects from our portfolio demonstrate how web applications can enhance a website, improve user experience and even change the way in which a business operates for the better.

by Jim Semlyen 26 Mar 2014

WordPress for bespoke development

It’s easy to make a great blog with WordPress, but how can the platform be used to make a competitive, professional website?

by John Hughes 12 Mar 2014

Responsive design for ecommerce: Boxing Day 2013’s mobile sales prove the value

We asked local journalist Pete Wise to investigate the impact of mobile devices on e-commerce over Christmas Day 2013. Are buying habits changing, what’s the long term trend and with more consumers shopping online with mobile devices, what should websites be doing differently?

by Jim Semlyen 5 Mar 2014

Composerwave: music publishing 2.0

The music publishing industry has worked pretty much the same way for centuries – if a composer is deemed significant enough, one of a small number of publishers buys the copyright for their music. Composerwave is Music Publishing 2.0, a brand new approach to performance rights management.

by Andy Reading 6 Jan 2014

Can justified text be justified for the web?

Can justified text be justified for the web? The answer, in case you were wondering, is no! As you continue to read this article I will explain the disadvantages of justified text, and when it should be used. To begin, I would like to explain my reasons for writing this blog post.

by Andy Reading 4 Sep 2013

Designing content managed websites

Content management systems give users control over the text, images, and other media that appear on their website. They can be powerful tools, but they vary differently from the typical programs used to edit print media. We discuss the considerations required when designing for content managed websites.

by John Hughes 22 Aug 2013