Blog

One of the most remarkable things, in my opinion, is the way organizations misuse bots. The idea was simple: a website receives many visitors, and you want to help all of them. Some of those visitors have questions. And, in turn, a large portion of them are actually asking exac…

Imagine you're trying to send someone a message on their iPhone, but they don't currently have an internet connection. For example, they may have run out of mobile data or temporarily have no mobile data coverage. In that case, you may prefer to send a regular SMS instead. Assum…

In the past, I previously wrote about how organisations can scale both vertically and horizontally in the event of unexpected success. In short: during periods of high demand. Especially when that demand is sustained. Yet it appears that the sale of the Nederland Dal Vrij subsc…

This article should not exist in an ideal world. But I still need to talk about it for a moment. It has taken us years to convince everyone that software updates should be installed immediately. This took some time because not everyone works with computers all day, every day, a…

I recently teased that we might want to take a look at other forms of AI as well. Because it's important to understand that AI is much broader than ChatGPT or DeepSeek, to name just two examples. That kind of AI tries to hold conversations. It was designed to blow people away w…

Glad to hear the AI trilogy was well received. And I am glad it was. But I got the question: "Yeah, great that you talked about ML, LLMs, and transformers in part three. But you never really went deeper into the technical side." That's true. And I think that's exactly the line …

This is a continuation of what has now become a short series. It bothers me that there are still so many misunderstandings surrounding AI. So here’s a quick peek inside the “black box” that modern AI seems to be for many people. As it turned out, this became a four-part series.…

To further open up the “black box” of AI, this time a slightly more technical article. I will keep it as clear as possible, even if you do not work with it on a daily basis. To begin with, it is important to understand that AI is a hype term, and essentially an umbrella term. W…

I read NOS.nl almost every day. But every now and then I scratch my head at their IT articles. Like now again with this article. The thing is, AI is not a pure "black box", although for laypeople it often feels like that. And AI is not an "uncontrollable force". AI is in its co…

Not everyone wants an “always online” account on their computer. In the past, Windows accounts were local by default and you handled things like backups yourself. In Windows 11 that option seems to have disappeared during setup, but luckily there is still a simple way to create …

Animations on the internet, and especially micro-animations, are more than just visual decoration. They are often the finishing touch in professional web solutions. When used correctly, they can genuinely contribute to the user experience. Think of subtle visual feedback that ma…

We have reached a point where Europe is waking up technologically. A healthy development, not only for Europeans, but for the world we help shape in the process. The forgotten linchpin: smartphones One of the most underestimated topics is the mobile phone. We all have one. It s…

Since AI is popping up everywhere, you undoubtedly hear the term “blockchain” far less often. Let’s bring it back for a moment, purely out of nostalgia, and uncover what it actually is. Technology explained in a nutshell. What does it stand for? Block. And chain. A chain of bl…

Digital theft is always a serious matter. As software developers, we therefore follow such incidents very closely. Our focus on information security has led Exclusive-IT to create our specialized division, Forendox, which is fully dedicated to these kinds of issues. For this rea…

You heard that right. Europe needs to show courage. Right now you hear everywhere that Europe is supposedly falling short. I doubt that. But I want to zoom in on my own field, technology. Let us be very clear. Europe is not falling short. Europe has simply leaned too long and to…

We received a surprising number of questions following the last blog, especially about my wife’s role. You asked: what is a UI/UX designer? Great question. So here’s a short blog post about it. UI = User Interface (what it looks like). UX = User Experience (how it feels). Why it…

In 2026, Exclusive-IT celebrates its 20th anniversary. We look back with pride on two decades of expertise and service. That expertise, however, began developing over 20 years ago. Exclusive-IT emerged from it, and now, in 2026, it has been 20 years already. We are very grateful…

The days leading up to Christmas invite us to slow down. A moment to literally pause and take in everything around us. It also reminds me of software development: less rush and more attention makes everything better. Over the past year, we have had the pleasure of collaborating …

Artificial intelligence is hilarious. It seemed like a fad, but people now seem to take it seriously. Maybe it’s time for a reality check. There is no intelligence. This article may not be for the layperson, but for those who can follow: there is no intelligence in AI. What is…

In an earlier article I wrote about PID and how this basic principle is applied all around us. From cars to drones. Not everyone could immediately picture it, which is understandable. That is why this time I made a special blog: an interactive one. This time you get to take cont…

More than ten years ago, I was already looking forward to it. No more copper in your computer, but glass. Unfortunately, in 2025 it is still not a reality at the office or at home. A shame. Whether it is your smartphone or even your desktop computer, the circuit boards inside us…

In both Windows 10 and Windows 11, it may happen that File Explorer freezes or appears to freeze when you try to mount an ISO file. The solution is to temporarily disable a setting and re-enable it immediately after mounting. The setting in question is: Start(menu) → All &r…

It had been on the horizon for a while. Alphabet, Google's parent company, has declared war on ad blockers. This week, it's official: Chrome no longer allows the extension called uBlock Origin to be used. And that’s not surprising. Alphabet, the parent company that includes Goog…

The internet originally began as an attempt to connect people with each other. A network independent of geographical boundaries, designed to bring us closer together, all wiser. Although we may not always realize it yet, the internet is one of the greatest inventions that have s…

For some, it’s a daily annoyance. For others, it’s a non-issue. Emails opening slowly on iOS devices, from iPhone to iPad. But what’s going on? And why does it affect some users and not others? As a software developer, a “coffee-machine conversation” like this can catch your att…

Yes, I know. A bit of a pun. "Little LAMP" is, of course, a play on "Little lamb". Mary had the latter, Exclusive-IT offers the former. So, what is Little LAMP? That’s simple. It is our server software that we use to turn any Linux server into a solid, hardened, portable, scalab…

You heard that right: you shall not thank your AI. But seriously: that was the call made by ChatGPT director Sam Altman, who asked the world to stop thanking AI. And honestly, I get it. I really do. But I still had to laugh. Let me explain. First, the hard truth: AI is not a hum…

Security is constantly evolving. As we’ve stated before: real security remains strong even when all the details are known. ‘Security through obscurity’ is still widely used, but it offers no lasting protection. Transparent and verifiable security does. What is less widely known …

Everyone knows what a website is. Virtually every company has one. But surprisingly few businesses know what to do when things suddenly get busy. Today, I want to talk about scaling. That can mean scaling up or scaling down. When a website gets a lot of traffic, it may be necess…

In a world full of IT, there is an underrated hero. A piece of code most people don’t even know exists, yet it appears virtually everywhere in IT. To name a few examples: Cruise control in your car Drones in war zones Central heating Rockets in space exploration Ventilators i…

Initially, the IT sector seemed slower to respond to inflationary pressures compared to industries such as energy and retail. However, price increases are now becoming apparent in this sector as well. It is understandable that rising personnel and operational costs need to be ac…

As the year comes to a close, we would like to take a moment to reflect on everything we have achieved together. Your trust and collaboration have been invaluable to us, and we are truly grateful for being a part of your success story once again. The past year brought exciting c…

On November 21, 2024, PHP 8.4.1 was released, marking the first version of PHP 8.4 officially suitable for production environments. This release brings a range of innovative features and performance enhancements that hold great promise for custom software, web applications, and …

There comes a point when a company encounters its growth opportunities and realizes that its current systems are no longer sufficient. This doesn't always happen in SMEs, but when success grows quickly, the need to scale up can suddenly become clear. How do you approach that? Th…

The fourth quarter of 2024 is approaching. It’s a great time to reflect on the trends in the software development field. DevSecOps, AI automation, and sustainable software development are becoming increasingly mainstream. This has been in the air for a while. Nevertheless, it’s …

When doing business online, it’s hard to avoid payment providers. A forest of opportunities, but also potential pitfalls. As an entrepreneur, you simply want to sell your products or services and get paid. Your choice of a payment provider is often based on the payment methods t…

Automation has become a bit of a dusty word. However, its use is only increasing. Very rapidly, in fact. From smart sensors and robotic arms to smart web applications in the office. It's here to stay. In 2024, we see more and more tasks in offices being supported by Robotic Proc…

Information security is an important topic. So important that Exclusive-IT has a specialized branch for it: Forendox. For that reason, this time there is only a reference to a recently published article on the Forendox blog titled: How further developed software protects us in a…

Tracker is now available to all our customers. If you haven't worked with us via Tracker yet, here is a brief introduction. For large projects, Tracker has always been an essential part of our DevOps SDLC. Tracker is our in-house developed platform for modern, pleasant, and effi…

In the Dutch news, it has been reported last week that intelligence agencies and other entities are urging us to start considering post-quantum security. But what did they mean by this? And just who was this message meant for? Uh, quantum? First, let's briefly discuss what Quant…

Software is ubiquitous nowadays. Some projects have recently been completed, while others were created 20 years ago. For owners of the latter category, this often raises many questions. As an entrepreneur, you may have needed software in the past decades. And more often than not…

The new internet lacks more use of Websockets and WebRTC on top of stateless HTTP. There, I said it. And yes, that was quite technical. But feel free to keep reading, because I'll first explain it in simple terms before concluding technically with a solution that I hope programm…

In this article, I would like to clearly outline the differences between various types of software companies. I aim to elucidate their approaches, the solutions they offer, and in what scale they operate. My objective is to provide some structure amidst the apparent chaos that c…

It can often happen. There's a challenge, and for some involved parties, the solution seems to involve throwing some "IT at it." While enthusiasm is great, this doesn't always end well. Some projects end up being a downright disaster. But why does this happen? And more important…

A flying start with your idea on the internet? WordPress makes it possible in a snap. With a range of plugins, adding functionalities seems like a breeze. Implementing a comment form? Piece of cake. But appearances can be deceiving. An abundance of choices doesn't necessarily me…

The demand for vacations is steadily growing, resulting in an increasing need for booking and reservation systems that can be customized to one's liking. But this demand is not new. It has just made a comeback. For small entrepreneurs in the recreation market, connecting to a la…

With the end of the year approaching, we would like to take a moment to express our sincere gratitude for the trust you have placed in us over the past year. As a valued partner of Exclusive-IT, you have contributed to our success, and we are proud that we have also been able to…

The Netherlands is a service-oriented country. Thanks to IT, businesses can efficiently deliver services, ranging from core business functions to helpdesk support and internal administration. The benefits of software integrations Within your organization, you may be using variou…

In the face of climate change and the urgent need to reduce our global ecological footprint, we find ourselves in the midst of a crucial period of change. The energy transition, which aims to reduce our reliance on fossil fuels and promote the transition to sustainable, renewabl…

Banks have naturally been using computers for internal processes for decades. Even the familiar and nearly disappearing ATM has an operating system. Online banking has also become an indispensable aspect in our financial landscape, both on the web and in apps. However, software …

Most people have just become accustomed to the public discussion about AI. However, another discussion is already underway among internet users and tech enthusiasts, namely the one about social media. And despite the title, there is probably no case of Betteridge's law of headli…

Version control is an absolute must, regardless of which method, philosophy, guideline, or other approach is chosen during software development. And this applies not only to teams. With version control, every change in text, including programming code, is smartly and efficiently…

Regressie is a term used to indicate previously resolved undesired software behavior. Essentially, regression is simply a bug that has somehow reappeared. Bug? Undesired behavior in software is often referred to as a 'bug'. The process of detecting and fixing bugs by developers …

Technology is advancing rapidly, while legislation is catching up at a slightly slower pace. Nevertheless, Europe is working hard to keep up with it. For instance, Europe is the first to introduce legislation regarding artificial intelligence, and is working on legislation for s…

This blog article is for programmers. If you're not a programmer, I think it's better for you to skip this one. So, before we begin. I must admit, we're venturing into uncharted territory with this daring statement of mine. Brace yourself, for here it comes, armed with a sprink…

In the world of software development, it is not always easy for clients to make the right choices. There are many different methods, techniques, and philosophies used to deliver high-quality software. As a client, it's important to know what to look for and which approach best s…

While everyone often has their own area of expertise, we also all share one "language": money. But in addition to hearing a price, it is also important to understand that cost. This can be done, for example, by asking for an explanation, by requesting an itemized quote or even b…

Potential clients sometimes ask why they should consider a smaller software company as well. While I always address this in a focused and detailed way, in this blog I want to discuss a more macroscopic perspective in general. So let's look at some numbers as a starting point. T…

Open source or closed source? That's actually the wrong question. Ask ten software developers which is better: open source or closed source. Chances are you'll get eleven different answers. It's a discussion that has been going on for decades. Sometimes it almost feels like th…

If you're a website owner who is looking to stay ahead of the curve, then you've probably heard of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning (ML). These two technologies are revolutionizing the world of web development, allowing developers to create more sophisticated an…

European consumer regulators, such as the Dutch ACM, recently published research results about "dark patterns". It concluded that 148 of the 399 websites surveyed used them. That's nearly 40% of a relatively small number of websites surveyed. While this trend is still growing. …

By now, halfway through December, the cold is impossible to miss. Yet December is also a very warm month at Exclusive-IT. It is not only a time to look back on the past year, which has once again flown by as if it were nothing. But December is also a month to once again thank ou…

With energy consumption rightly under a magnifying glass and people taking a look at where things can be more economical, it might also be wise to take another look at IT. It has become essential and will not go away. The benefits are enormous, everyone can see that. Yet it is a…

WordPress has drawbacks and weaknesses. Okay, that's out of the way. But then let's also go over the nuances for the right context. Like other website systems, WordPress can be the right choice, I'll conclude with that. But let's start at the beginning. Website systems are often…

Data has almost become a dirty word. Statistics, telemetry, measuring, tracking and knowing. Yet it's a little different. There is nothing wrong with it, provided you don't throw norms and values overboard and work ethically. Indeed, it is essential to gain important insights. I…

If you have a website then there are a number of things you need to pay attention to and think about. This is extra important if you are in complete control. However, most websites use shared responsibilities by renting. But which responsibilities are yours? Roughly speaking, th…

Finding the right balance in e-commerce solutions is a challenge. And yet it can be done. A modern entrepreneur naturally focuses largely on online sales. The potential scaling has the advantage of generating sales that are simply not possible with the same investment by other m…

Sometimes a small idea grows out of control. And when that moment comes, it's time for new solutions. This blog will help us keep a grip on the news we share. It will not only serve as an archive, but it will also become the central place from which we will share news from now o…