Plain English:

The celebrated Chinese philosopher known as Confucius once declared that, "Clever talk and a pretentious manner are seldom compatible with the benevolent" and we feel that he was quite right:

Whilst we do recognise that a more 'formal language' does sometimes have its rightful place within industry and commerce, it does however seem that the 'I.T Industry' in particular has needlessly cultivated an entirely new and overly ambiguous language all of its very own. It's an exasperating fact that such language is often regularly employed in order to confuse, cover up shortcomings and to justify unwarranted high prices...

In total contrast Akumenta are very proud to promote the use of clear, friendly plain English, without the unnecessary use of 'spin', 'jargon', 'buzzwords', 'double-talk, 'hard sell' sales tactics, or any other kind of irritating nonsense!

We feel sure that you will find our honest and friendly approach quite refreshing...

If you do still crave a quick dose of hazardously concentrated jargon then try our very own [Jargon Generator!]

Spam:

As you're no doubt already aware, Spam is the name given to unsolicited and unwanted messages sent to your email address. In other words - electronic junk mail.

Accordingly, when providing services such as email / online forms etc, Akumenta will endeavour to apply various sophisticated systems in order to reduce the possibility of spam being received by our clients.

Additionally you can be assured that Akumenta will never send Spam of any kind for any purpose.

Some tips on Spam:

We all receive Spam (unsolicited email) and we all know how irritating it is. Despite it now being ILLEGAL to send Spam, According to British Telecom, around 80 per cent of emails sent over the internet, equivalent to 6.5 billion emails a day, are spam.

Above all, NO reputable or legitimate company would ever even consider sending you an email without your clear invitation or permission.

By that measure, any company that DOES send you an email without your direct permission, or without your clear invitation, (no matter how 'official' or genuine it may appear), is quite publicly, and truly unashamedly demonstrating their own complete lack of ethics, professionalism and respect for the law.

One simple rule: Never respond to unsolicited email!!!

Never respond to spam for any reason, even if it looks truly genuine, (not even to ask them to stop spamming you!). Just remember, if they REALLY were respectable, legitimate or trustworthy then they simply would not have spammed you in the first place...

 

Customer Confidentiality / Privacy:

Akumenta is often entrusted with sensitive third party information (such as private passwords for example) during the course of a task / project, or in order to enable the provision of certain services. Accordingly, without exception, please be assured that such trust will always be reciprocated by absolute professional confidentiality at all times.

Data Security:

Akumenta take great care to stringently safeguard all client's data, systems, passwords in all circumstances at all times. However, ultimately please be aware that our sophisticated systems are only as secure as our customer's choice and handling of passwords / log-in details!

Accordingly we ask and require that all customers please take fitting and constant care to keep such sensitive information strictly secure and private at all times. (This should include constant attention to the possibility of malevolent keystroke recorders, spyware or viruses being present on any computers being used to access secure systems, and to the possibility of unauthorised access to any associated network).

Additionally we respectfully require that all customers please utilise reasonably lengthy and complex log-in details / passwords in order to protect any secure systems or services provided by Akumenta (or Akumenta partners). Crucially, where more than one system is being handled by a single customer we also require that such customers please choose and utilise widely varying log-in details / passwords for each respective secure system. (Please be aware that you disregard these requirements and reasonable requests entirely at your own risk and consequently no liability will be accepted for any breached system; fee's may also be levied for any associated repair work consequently required). We do genuinely appreciate that complex / varying passwords may sometimes be inconvenient, however we strongly believe that good security should take priority over convenience (and the potential damage / repair work that could be caused by unauthorised access to any secure system).

To further reinforce data security, we do not permit FTP access to bespoke websites that we host, unless expressly agreed from the outset.

General disclaimer: In the unlikely and remote event of any unauthorised access to, disclosure, exposure, loss, alteration, corruption of any data or secure systems, Akumenta will not be held liable, financially or otherwise. This includes, (though not exclusively) any data hosted,

, sent or received by Akumenta (or authorised 3rd parties), or any data situated on a clients computer, server, network, mainframe, storage or processing device of any form. Additionally, if after thorough review and analysis, it is deemed that any breach of security / loss / damage / corruption has occurred as a result of the the above guidelines not being adhered to, Akumenta reserve the right to levy fair and reasonable fees for any restorative / repair work subsequently required.

Simply put, we cannot force you, but PLEASE use sensible / varying passwords & keep them safe, so that we can all sleep soundly at night!

Data Storage:

Please bear in mind that for reasons of practicality and also security, all project data, weather it be design work, coding, content, artwork, etc. cannot be stored indefinitely. Accordingly, if and where we are required to store any form of data in relation to any services, as a general rule this will be deleted upon completion, expiry or cancellation of such services.

e-Commerce:

Akumenta provide first rate, tailor made, secure and reliable online commerce and trading facilities, however Akumenta will not be held liable for any issues or losses, financial or otherwise, brought about by any form of 'glitch', error, omission, security breach or system failure.

Accordingly, Akumenta ask and strongly recommend that all e-commerce customers carefully review their transactions DAILY as a matter of standard good business practice. (You do NOT do so at your own risk).

Please also see "Data Security" and "Standards / Compliances / Requirements"

Hosting Services:

As an integral and hassle free service alongside all sites that we build, Akumenta provide fast, solid and reliable hosting without hindrance.

However, from time to time maintenance may be required in response to planned (or very rare unplanned) events, or circumstances beyond our control. This may in turn lead to a temporary reduction or pause in hosting and possibly other related services. In such an event, Akumenta will not be held liable in any form, for any issues or losses arising either directly or indirectly from any such service outages.

Hosting Content & Usage:

Akumenta reserve the right to refuse the hosting of, and the right to remove, anything deemed to be plagiarist, libellous, inflammatory, unlawful, or under any kind of dispute. Likewise, Akumenta will not be liable, financially or otherwise, if found to be unintentionally hosting anything that may be deemed to be to be plagiarist, libellous, inflammatory, unlawful, or under any kind of dispute.

Additionally, any attempt to use Akumenta's hosting or email facilities for deliberately malevolent purposes, such as hacking, the deployment of greyware, malware, spyware, viruses, bot attacks or the deployment of SPAM, will result in immediate termination of the associated account with no refunds being given.

Project Payments:

Once any project has been proposed and agreed, in order to commence any work Akumenta will typically require an upfront cleared payment of 30% of the established total development fee. Please note that such deposits are non-returnable. Subsequently, upon the completion of any project, the remaining balance (of the total development fee) will then be due immediately. For example, the completion of a web development project will commonly be signified by the 'launch' of a website (i.e. making it available on the World Wide Web).

Hosting Payments:

To reduce paperwork and bank charges Akumenta reserve the right to charge for hosting services in advance, for fixed 12 month periods. Once a hosting period is underway no refunds will be given under any circumstances; (this does not affect your statutory rights). Additionally, for smooth unhindered annual service renewals, Akumenta reserve the right to group associated hosting services into one annual renewal date.

Payment: Requested payments MUST please be received in good time before the associated hosting plan renewal date. With this in mind, payment requests will be sent out approximately 14 - 38 days before this due date.

Overdue payments: Late or bounced payments may result in the restriction / suspension, or in extreme cases, the permanent termination of the associated hosting account. If for any reason a hosting plan is suspended / withdrawn by Akumenta, or cancelled by request of a client, any overdue invoices / payments will STILL be due and no refunds will be given. Akumenta also reserve the right to levy reasonable interest against overdue payments. See related update below:

Important T&C update - Jan 2012: Please note that whilst being more liberal in the past, we have recently been compelled to instigate a strict service suspension policy with regards to late hosting payments. This means that without exception, where a customer has not formerly conveyed any potential issues regarding making payment, and where payment is not received by any advised due date, hosting will be automatically temporarily suspended until payment is received and successfully processed. No liability will be accepted for any issues or losses that this may incur. (Realistically this should never be an issue as we always issue invoices in ample time before any hosting renewal date. Crucially though, if you do foresee any issues making payment before any invoice due date please let us know immediately so that we may work with you to resolve the matter. We are human and we can help if you have an issue making payment, as long as you tell us about it in good time!)

Cancellation: Notice of any hosting service cancellation MUST be RECEIVED by Akumenta in writing at least SEVEN WORKING DAYS before the final due date of any hosting renewal invoice. Please note that a full years hosting fee will STILL be due if that years hosting is canceled outside of this very reasonable minimum notification period, or if the automatic renewal date has already been reached / elapsed.

Official hosting commencement dates for NEW Web development projects: In order to ensure uninterrupted hosting services and data security, (and also to keep our admin and overall fee's low), Akumenta will typically group together mixed commencement dates that may relate to a combination of hosting services* being duly provided and utilise a single clear and all encompassing multi-service start / renewal date. This single start date will represent the beginning of a 12 month hosting period and be established so as to reasonably and fairly signify a time at which significant services are / were implemented and provided by Akumenta through a clients request or out of established development necessity. Accordingly an initial annual hosting period (free or paid) may on some occasions begin some time prior to the actual 'launch' of a new Website, though this will ultimately depend upon what services were initially requested, required, implemented.

*(I.E. Web hosting / domain hosting / holding page / pro email / SSL digital certification / online databases etc)

Akumenta reserve the right to review fee's annually.

The above fair conditions are applicable to all Web hosting, e-mail and domain name hosting services.

Housekeeping / Content Update services:

Akumenta provide generously flexible content management / housekeeping services alongside Web Hosting services wherever agreed.

Akumenta's housekeeping services are very liberally accommodating, however please note that this does not apply to extra features, additional Website development, or anything that may constitute significant extra graphic design work, redesign work or additional programming and scripting.

Whilst Akumenta will always aim to accommodate all customers requests, we do however reserve the right to review and amend any housekeeping agreement at any time where 'overuse', 'misuse' or even 'exploitation' of this generously accommodating service is observed or considered.

Standards / Compliances / Requirements

All services / features / products are arranged, authored or supplied whilst considering the requirements and seemingly relevant compliances / standards that are known to apply at that time. No liability will be accepted if such requirements / standards later change or expand for any reason. In such an instance a nominal and fair fee will be levied relating to any subsequent work required. Additionally, no liability will be accepted and reasonable fee's may be levied if new requirements are brought to Akumenta's attention any time after the initial project outline and quotation.

Essentially this means that if the 'goalposts move' after we've carried out some work for you, whilst we'll always be generously helpful in meeting any further requirements, you may have to absorb the related costs or at least a reasonable percentage of the costs.

Additionally, with regard to e-commerce, please note that it is our customer's responsibility to call for and adopt the appropriate standards so as to adhere to any specific requirements set forth by their bank, transaction merchant or by the Payment Card Industry. Akumenta will not be held liable, financially or otherwise, for any issues arising from a customers failure to call for or adopt said standards. Please also note that if we reccomend a particular compliance, which not then adopted, we will not be responsible for any consequent issues or penalties.

Bandwidth:

Akumenta provide unlimited bandwidth for all hosted Websites. However, as with most service providers, Akumenta reserve the right to bring into force what is know as a 'fair usage policy' in extreme cases of bandwidth consumption. This simply means that any site found to be using an extraordinarily high amount of bandwidth may incur extra hosting fee's accordingly.

Copyright:

This entire site and it's contents remain © Copyright 2005 onwards by Akumenta and respective authors.

All work that we publish / provide / produce remains © Copyright Akumenta or respective authors and is published / provided / produced for its originally established usage only, by the originally established commissioning party. Elements of the work that we publish / provide / produce may also remain proprietary (by Akumenta or respective authors). As is standard practice with any commission work, 'redistribution' is not permitted without prior written agreement. Very generous extended licensing can be provided for additional usage upon request; please just ask!

We are proud of our work (and the many dedicated and painstaking hours that go into it), hence please respect our copyright / licensing; Unauthorised copying, modification, republishing, reselling, redistribution or 'content scraping', is prohibited unless otherwise clearly arranged and agreed in writing. Any unauthorised breach of copyright / licensing will be vigorously persued. Please just ask... we are decent, friendly and reasonable people!

Please & Thank you:

Most importantly, above all of these T&C, Akumenta pledge to always be friendly, polite, respectful... We're genuinely nice people, we are also highly flexible, dedicated, highly willing and generous in our work, so we just ask that you please return such courtesies to help make it all worth while! All said and done 'please' and 'thank you' cost nothing but can go a very long way :-)

With reference to the above terminology:The wording "our", "we" and "Akumenta" all refer to the individuals
providing the services being referenced within these T&C and throughout this Website; Akumenta being the
trading name of those individuals. Whilst "you", "your" and "customer" refer to anyone utilising Akumenta's services.

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