Fenixworkshop

Frequently Asked Questions

So you still have questions? Here are some of the ones that come up after people read the entire website. Please feel free to contact us about these or others that may not be answered here.

Table of Contents

General Questions

  • Do I have to have a high speed connection to work on my website from home?
    • No. As long as you have an internet connection, you can work on your site. If your site contains movies or lots of images, then you will want a high speed connection, but it is not required.
  • Do I have to have a web address already?
    • No. We will teach you how to get a web address if you want one. We will set you up with a generic web space for the duration of the course.
  • If I have a website up, can I change it? Do I have to own it?
    • Yes, you can edit your existing class with the information we teach. You do not have to own the website, but you do have to know the password information required to change files on the server.
  • Will I be able to build my website during class?
    • Yes. In general, about half of each class is spent in lecture and about half is lab time. The instructor is there for the entire period to help with specific questions and general guidance.
    • The workshops we teach are very "hands on". All classes have a one-to-one ratio of people to computers unless otherwise noted in the workshop description.
  • Will I have access to my website outside of class?
    • Yes. Everything is cross-platform and standards based. You will be able to edit your website/homework from any computer that is connected to the internet, from anywhere in the world! It is the "world wide web" for a reason, afterall.
  • Is there any followup or free consultation after I've completed my workshop?
    • No. Depending on the course you take, we do offer free internet hosting for 3 months after you complete the workshop, with an option to pay a nominal yearly fee after that (the yearly fee works out to less than $5 per month).
  • What if I miss a class — are there make-ups or am I just out of luck?
    • If there is room in another section of the same workshop you are taking, we can arrange for you to sit in on the session you missed. These are handled on a case-by-case basis. Talk to your instructor if you know you are going to miss a class.
  • What if I get sick — can I get a refund or a partial refund?
    • We can usually work something out, whether it is a pass for another class or a refund. To see more about refunds, skip ahead to the Registration Questions section.
  • Do I have to buy the software at the end of the class or is it part of the registration fee? Do I get a discount on software? How do I know it will work on my existing computer?
    • In many cases, you do not need any additional software besides what you already have. For example, even though we'll teach you how to edit HTML using BBEdit, HTML can be edited with any TEXT editor, including the standard WordPad in Microsoft Windows and TextEdit in Mac OS X. No additional software is necessary.
    • Of course, if you take a specific course to learn an application (Dreamweaver, FileMaker Pro, Photoshop, Microsoft Office, etc), then it will be up to you to get the software for your home computer. We are not a software reseller, but we can show you where to get the software if you don't already have it.
    • We are also currently working on some posibilities with a couple of local resellers to maybe offer software in class for you to purchase at a discount. Check with your instructor or contact us to dig up more details.

Registration Questions

  • Are discounts available for groups? Repeat attendees? Referrals?
    • Yes. Registering for more than one workshop at a time will save money. Also, registering more than one person for a workshop will save money. If you bring a group and register 5 seats in any given workshop, we'll only charge you for 4 seats and give you the 5th for free.
    • In order to register a group, you will need to contact us by phone at 503-336-4712 or our contact page.
    • Finally, we do offer discounts on future workshops if you have taken several workshops and refer others to register. Contact us for details.
  • What is your refund policy?
    • We offer complete refunds if you withdraw from a workshop at least one week prior to the beginning the first scheduled session. If you do not ask to withdraw at least one week prior to the first session, but are still before the first session, we will refund 85% of the tuition. We will not refund any money after the first session begins, except in extreme cases involving doctors, lawyers or emergency airplane tickets.
    • If you are not eligible for a refund, contact us anyway. In most cases we can arrange for you to take a future class equivalent to the one you have had to miss.
    • Please note, for any actual refund deadlines, we will need notice in writing that shows the date you first notified us for a refund. You can mail it to us at
      Fenixworks
      1007 SW Morrison
      Portland OR 97205
  • Do you take VISA/MC?
    • Yes. Yes we do. However, at this time, we do not accept American Express.
    • We use Nova Systems to process our credit cards. They are the largest credit card processor in the country and have very stringent requirements about who can use them. We pass off all credit card transactions to their website, which is why it looks slightly different from this site. We never see your credit card number, they handle the whole transaction for us on their secure web form.
  • Can I pay with a check?
    • Yes. We can invoice you or your company if you prefer to pay with a check. Full payment must be received before you will be allowed to attend the workshop. Contact us with your information if you need us to send an invoice.
  • Can my company sign me up with a P.O.?
    • Yes. Call us at 503-336-4712 to arrange for this.
  • Can I put down a deposit and pay the rest later or do I have to pay it all up front?
    • Contact us to make payment arrangements. In most cases you will have to pay the entire registration fee before the first session of your selected workshop begins.

Location Questions

  • What's parking like in that part of town?
    • Our classroom is across the intersection from the Smart Park garage on SW 10th Ave.
  • What public transporation can I use?
    • We are located at 1007 SW Morrison, near the intersection of SW Morrison and SW 10th Ave. Every Westbound Max line that goes through downtown Portland passes by. The stop to watch for on Westbound Max trains is "Galleria/SW 10th Ave" and the stop on Eastbound trains is "Library/SW 9th Ave". You can also use the Portland Streetcar in either direction to SW Morrison.
  • Why do I sometimes see a different address for Fenixworks than 1007 SW Morrison?
    • Fenixworks has been in business for a number of years as a web consulting firm. In the past we have used a drop box for our mail correspondence and bills, but since moving to our SW Morrison address in the Fall of 2007, we have tried to consolidate our mailing and shipping address back into one location.
    • Even though the web is lightning fast at getting new information, it sometimes takes a while for the old or changed information to go away. Our previous addresses included one on SE Main St and SW Barbur Blvd. Please don't use those anymore and stick with 1007 SW Morrison, Portland OR 97205.

Workshop Course Questions

  • What if I'm only interested in one part of your workshop? Do I have to pay for and sit through the whole thing?
    • No. We do have "modular" workshops (beginning in October 2006). You can register for one specific class and only come once.
  • What's the difference between the Dreamweaver workshop and the HTML workshop?
    • Dreamweaver is an application with its own menus and windows. You use Dreamweaver to build web pages and the course will teach you how to use Dreamweaver to do exactly that.
    • HTML is the language of the web. Dreamweaver creates HTML pages for you so you don't have to know anything about HTML. But like driving a car, if you are proficient at the "under the hood" stuff, then you can make the car perform better. HTML is the "under the hood" stuff in Dreamweaver.
  • Will I get any hard copy instruction/cheat sheets or am I on my own?
    • We have handouts for every workshop. If you are in an extended workshop, you will receive handouts in every class.
  • Does the website really work when I'm done with the class? How do I keep it working? What if I need help or want to make a change later — do I have to take the whole class over again?
    • The purpose of our workshop trianing is so that you can maintain your own website after you've completed the course. You will have the basic tool set you need and should be comfortable with making edits to your site.
    • If you need help that is beyond the scope of what we taught, then we can encourage you to take another workshop (see discounts for multiple courses above).
1007 SW Morrison • Portland, Oregon 97205 • 503-336-4712 voice