![Chris Gaelic - owner of Netlist](graphics/chris-gaelic_168.jpg)
In early 1996 when Netscape 1 was just becoming popular, Chris Gaelic saw the potential of the newly emerging Internet and left his information technology job at Fisher and Paykel to start up Netlist and focus on developing internet applications to power websites.
Right from the start, the company was driven by the following key principles:
- Quality Content is the most important requirement for any web page. Pretty graphics, clever animations, java applets etc., are not going to bring viewers back. Viewers will only come back if the site is useful.
- Special effects can have a very important place in a web site, but only when they add value to the content.
- A web site must be affordable to create and keep up to date. We believe that, where-ever possible, the best person to keep a web site up-to-date is the owner of the site.
There have been massive changes in the Internet since then, with faster speed, and massive improvements in web browsers and development enviroments. Evolving web standards and best practises for security have become paramount. For a long time screen sizes were getting bigger, and now we're providing for mobile devices with tiny screens as well.
In this heady environment, Netlist has been quietly focussing on it's core business - building websites and online applications tailored to meet the needs of our customers, and allowing them to manage their own online presence. We were among the first to develop a content management system, and we provided 'cloud' solutions for our business clients long before the 'cloud' became a buzz-word. We were doing 'business-to-business' data sharing long before xml standards evolved to make it easy.
Our 'CommunityBuilder' content management tools make it easy to manage your own website, and we have used them to set up community websites throughout Northland - providing communities with a way of promoting themselves on websites which they own and can keep up-to-date. You can see links to all of these on our More Websites page.
Today, we continue to focus on what we do best - providing cost effective, owner-managed websites and web applications for our customers. Some of our larger customers are:
![CRV Ambreed are an international organisation that provides animal breeding and official ear tag services to the farming industry CRV Logo](logos/logo_CRV.gif)
![Farmers of New Zealand are a professional advocacy organisation for New Zealand farmers NZ Farmers Logo](logos/logo_NZ-Farmers.gif)
![Leader Products (NZ) are an Australian company that supplies animal ear tags and specialty equipment to the farming sector Leader Products Logo](logos/logo_Leader-NZ.gif)
![Cuisann provides a range of specialty gluten-free foods to a network of retail customers throughout New Zealand Cuisan Logo](logos/logo_Cuisann.gif)
![Allflex (NZ) are an international company that provides animal ear tags to the farming sector Allflex Logo](logos/logo_Allflex.gif)
![Zeetags are a New Zealand company that provides animal ear tags to the farming sector Zeetags Logo](logos/logo_Zeetags.gif)
![The Development Foundation owns the Development Mine websites that provide psychological assessment services for their corporate clients The Development Foundation Logo](logos/logo_The-Development-Foundation.jpg)
![Halliwell Shoes and Eyecatcher Shoes are a leader retailer of imported and quality shoes Halliwell Shoes Logo](logos/logo_Halliwell-Shoes.jpg)
![The Native Plant Nursery are a leading supplier of New Zealand native plants Native Plant Nursery Logo](logos/logo_The-Native-Plant-Nursery.jpg)
![RV Explorer is my 'fun project', and provides a comprehensive pictorial travel directory, with trip planner and online maps, for motor caravanners in New Zealand RV Explorer Logo](logos/logo_RVExplorer.png)
This is often a collaborative effort, where we work together with other graphic designers, or contract out specialist skills, to achieve the best possible result for our customers. The advantage in this approach is that our customers can benefit from using the same graphics team that they may have already used for establishing their branding. To date,we have worked together with:
![Making Waves is based in Whangarei Making Waves Logo](logos/logo_Making-waves_48.png)
![](logos/logo_Ultimo-Group_48.gif)
![Big Fish Creative are based in Whangarei Big Fish Logo](logos/logo_Big-Fish-Creative_48.gif)
![Folders is based in Kaitaia Folders Logo](logos/logo_Folders_48.png)
![Creative Council are based in Auckland Creative Council Logo](logos/logo_Creative-Council_48.png)
![Different Design are based in Waipapa in the Bay of Islands Different Design Logo](logos/logo_Different-Design_48.gif)
We enjoy a challenge - whether it's creating a complex e-commerce website with business-to-business data sharing, or a simple website that presents your business effectively to the rest of the world. We can introduce to you great graphic designers, help you with the all important search engine optimisation, as well as all the other important details you need to address in order to promote your business or organisation online.
We're only a phone call (ph: (09) 577-2277) or mouse-click away.