Web Hosting Geeks' Blog » open-source CMS http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog Web Hosting Industry News, Latest Trends, and Analyses. Thu, 09 Feb 2012 05:48:19 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 How Content Management Systems affect Web Designershttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/12/09/how-content-management-systems-affect-web-designers/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/12/09/how-content-management-systems-affect-web-designers/#comments Thu, 09 Dec 2010 19:15:43 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=1278 Content Management Systems (CMS) are growing extensively around the internet. They allow a vast amount of storage with the addition of tremendous functionality and customization. CMS is the next step in separating design from structure. The system began with cascading style sheets (CSS) and advanced further as a result of XML. In the years ahead billions of dollars are expected to be spent on the implementation of CMS into businesses.

Excellent Customization

A CMS are available in small or large and simple or complicated depending on business need. The price runs from very expensive (in the millions) to free with open-source CMS. Regardless, they are all based on the idea that content management allows web designers to focus on design. In the meantime, subject professionals built in a completely separate environment. The server then acquires the content, inserts it into a template and transfers it to the user.

CMS Workflow

The typical content management workflow by a web design consists of a designer creating something in whatever environment they feel comfortable with. Once the wrinkles are ironed out, it is sent to the server. If there are issues, notes are sent back in the content management environment. Concurrently, on the content side, the same process occurs. In the end, there are strict controls to prevent issues and ensure it goes to the server.

Web Designers and Content Experts

Designers are given the freedom to specialize within the content management environment. As content professionals add websites in a WYSIWYG platform, designers do what they do best: design. Content experts can add the content in a simplified manner, not using FrontPage or other website creation programs.

The good news for designers is content management systems remove most of the non-design tasks found in the standard process. Designers spend their time building templates building templates for various parts of the website. Due to the template-based environment of a CMS, changes can be made and seen by end-users almost instantly. All changes go through the typical workflow process and end in a publishing.

Content Management Systems were built to make everyone’s lives easier. Designers and content experts now have the ability to focus on their specialization and not have to concern themselves with non-value added tasks. This increases productivity while releasing various websites in a timely fashion. As content management systems become easier to use, the result will be an improved experience by the end user.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/12/09/how-content-management-systems-affect-web-designers/feed/ 0 The Advantages of a Custom CMShttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-advantages-of-a-custom-cms/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-advantages-of-a-custom-cms/#comments Thu, 09 Sep 2010 18:55:23 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=1101 Content management systems are one of the most important tools for any webmaster, especially if you need to maximize your productivity while staying organized in the management of your site. Surprisingly, most content management systems are free, open source software that are included automatically with your web hosting plan. However, creating a custom content management system is often the best option for web site owners that are in need of a more robust solution. Open source software can be changed by any developer with the interest and capability to do so. If you’re looking for a custom solution for your site management tasks then you may want to consider the following recommendations and advantages of custom content management systems.

Multiple Site Management

The most coveted feature of any custom CMS is by far the ability to manage several web sites simultaneously. Most open source CMS do not support this feature by default, however it is not too difficult to add this functionality with a bit of programming experience. If you do not have the skills to do it yourself or the money to hire a developer, you may want to consider a CMS that includes this functionality by default, such as SilverStripe. Many people choose to amend WordPress Multi-User to create a main hub through which they can manage hundreds of web sites.

Unique Site Design

Having a custom content management system will also give you the ability to create web site that are unparalleled by your competition. With an amended CSM you can add new modules to your site and experiment with unique navigational concepts. If you;re getting tired of the same old mundane look of the themes your CMS is compatible with, then you may want to consider having your CMS developed into a custom solution that supports more complex templating and unique site deign capabilities. If you want the best looking web site then you will need to have access to the best administrative interface possible within your CMS.

Client Satisfaction and Requirements

If you are a web developer with a healthy base of clients then you may want to consider the personalization benefits of being able to customize a content management system. When a client comes to you with a requirement you’ll no longer have to scramble for a solution because you’ll be able to amend their current CMS to include features that will satisfy all of their needs and preferences.

Custom Plugins

Plugins are by far the best aspect of a CMS, as they can drastically improve the functionality of the software in many cases. In fact, WordPress is known for having the largest plugin database, and this attribute is often accredited for the continuously growing popularity of WordPress. If you want the best CMS available then you will need to consider the overlooked advantages of custom plugins. Most CMS customizations will come in the form of a plugin or additional module, so if you are looking for a specific feature in your CMS you may want to enlist the help of a plugin developer before trying to change the entire interface of the CMS.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/09/09/the-advantages-of-a-custom-cms/feed/ 0 Types of Content Management Systemshttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/22/types-of-content-management-systems/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/22/types-of-content-management-systems/#comments Thu, 22 Apr 2010 18:57:44 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=860 There are literally thousands of content management systems available on the internet. Each one caters to different users offering a variety of features which are consistent across all sites.

There are four main types of content management systems that each of the thousands fall under. The systems include:

1) Homegrown
2) Commercial
3) High-end
4) Open Source

Homegrown content management systems are software created by a single development company for their own use of their own products. Consequently, every aspect of the system is catered to their specific needs since they’re the only organization utilizing it. The main issue is the development company relies on a single vendor to fix the bugs and create patches.

The second type is commercial content management systems. This is the most widespread offering many different pricing options, plans and features. Unlike homegrown systems, these are rarely customizable. Also it’s difficult to initially judge the functionality of the software since the company presents what they want you to see.

The third type is high-end content management systems. Out of the thousands of content systems available only a select few fall in to this category. One nice feature is their reliability as high-end content management systems deliver robust solutions. Unfortunately the consumer is going to pay a pretty penny for these services as they tend to be rather expensive.

The final content management system is open source. This essentially means that the software is available to anyone for free. The primary advantages are the price (free!) and that these systems are fully customizable since its open source code. The main limitation is the quality of the product. They often lack stability, security and support of certain infrastructures as you’d often expect from free software.

The selection of the type of content management system is based on customer need. If they are a company that needs customization and price is not an issue, a homegrown system or high-end system might be the most viable option.

On the other hand, if a price tag is problematic and customization isn’t important then a commercial content management system is the best choice. Finally, if the consumer isn’t concerned with stability, security and support and likes the price tag and customization options, open source is the way to go.

Like any type of product you get what you pay for. Those that have the money will purchase the best content management system, those that do not will function with a potentially unreliable product. Either way, the selection is based on individual need and due to the availability of thousands of content management systems; there are many options out there.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/04/22/types-of-content-management-systems/feed/ 0 Advertising and Marketing with Content Management Systemshttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/02/12/advertising-and-marketing-with-content-management-systems/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/02/12/advertising-and-marketing-with-content-management-systems/#comments Fri, 12 Feb 2010 18:38:36 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=752 Content management systems are web applications that enhance the productivity of your website by aiding in the creation, organization, editing, and publication of content and design. Many of these software are expensive all-inclusive programs that can handle just about any task required. However there are also free open source CMS that are capable of matching the abilities of the paid software with only a few minor adjustments. Regardless of whether you choose a paid software or a free open source CMS, using one will most definitely improve your online business by reducing the amount of time it takes to manage it.

How a CMS Aids Your Marketing Campaign

By saving time and money, your CMS will increase your overall ROI, thereby enhancing and expanding your advertising and marketing efforts. The advertisement of your website does not end when the audience reaches your website. Instead, the process of capturing visitors is only beginning once they reach your website. This is why it is important to make sure your website completes your advertising and marketing campaign, by using a good CMS.  The following are a few CMS features that improve the advertising and marketing campaign of your online business:

Enhancing Website Design

After spending your hard earned money on advertisement and marketing, the only way to make the money back is by monetizing your website. Unfortunately, if the design of your website is not professional then all of your advertising dollars are going to waste. A good CMS will aid in the construction and design of your website by fully automating processes that would usually need to be done manually. In fact, you can even contribute to the design of your website offline, as all of your website’s files are stored in a special folder on your computer by the content management system.  Then once you gain access to the internet, you can upload all of the changes you made while offline. Combine this convenience with the simplicity and automation offered by countless predesigned website templates, and it is easy to see why having a CMS is mandatory in online business.

Creating and Formatting Business Material with Ease

While you may already have access to a word processor of your own, you may find it interesting that   every CMS comes with a built in word processor that you can use to create templates for a multitude of purpose. In fact, you can also download predesigned templates online that can be integrated with you CMS very easily. This feature simplifies the process of writing and sending contracts, thank you letters, invitations, inquiries, invoices and any other business document.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2010/02/12/advertising-and-marketing-with-content-management-systems/feed/ 0 An Overview of Xoops CMShttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/24/an-overview-of-xoops-cms/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/24/an-overview-of-xoops-cms/#comments Thu, 24 Dec 2009 17:49:28 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=679 Content management systems allow a webmaster to expand their website considerably, without the added stress of organizing the process manually. The greatest aspect of these content management systems is that they are user-friendly to the extent that even the most novice webmaster can master them within a few short hours.  One content management system that is particularly user-friendly is the Xoops (eXtensible Object Orientated Portal System).

Xoops is a free and open-source content management system.  It’s ease of use and feature-rich interface make it highly suitable for novice webmasters looking to enhance their website’s content quickly and easily. Xoops is also used by professionals to create corporate business websites and blogs. All that is needed to enjoy the power of Xoops is an Apache web server, MySQL and PHP. There are so many features that come with Xoops, it is hard to pin-point all of them within one article, but nonetheless the following overview will give you an idea of what you can expect when using this robust content management system.

The Control of Xoops

Xoops provides complete control of every administrative element, giving you the ability to set limits and grant access rights with certain users. This will allow you to keep bothersome users from posting irrelevant or obscene content. With Xoops you are the boss of your domain. Xoops also provides theme-based template systems that give users the ability to enhance their websites overall design. One extremely impressive and unique feature of Xopps is that it allows you and your users to change the design of web pages, depending upon the permissions granted to that user.

The Freedom of Xoops

As Xoops is an open-source software, it can be enhanced with as many add-ons and modules as you’d like, and over time a good programmer can turn this already incredible software into an unbelievable content management system. All modules and add-ons can be enabled, disabled, installed, and uninstalled through the extremely user-friendly module administration system. Xoops also offers extensive user management, allowing webmasters to locate certain groups of users via a wide array  search criteria. Webmasters can also let users send private messages and email through an easy-to-use template based messaging module.

The Flexibility of Xoops

Xoops is also supported by many users and developers worldwide. With programmers and developers that span across the  globe and countless supportive websites in just about ever major language, it is easy to see why the popularity of Xoops has exploded so quickly. Not only is their multi-lingual  support groups, but the program itself is also multi-lingual supporting many languages including Korean, Chinese, and Japanese among others. Xoops is also ideal for the webmaster looking to enhance their search engine optimization, as there are numerous compatible SEO enhancing plugins available. Using these add-ons will have your site indexed at a higher page ranking with ease, and it will make the process of search engine optimization extremely simple. Xoops has already won multiple CMS awards due to it’s amazing features, ease of use and extensive multi- lingual support.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/12/24/an-overview-of-xoops-cms/feed/ 0 CMS Made Simple Content Management Systemhttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/11/20/cms-made-simple-content-management-system/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/11/20/cms-made-simple-content-management-system/#comments Fri, 20 Nov 2009 16:48:44 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=629 A man who gave up working in his father’s metal shop to building a good, solid content management system, Ted Kulp has been actively developing and tweaking CMS Made Simple for over five years.  Since its early beginnings, CMS Made Simple has grown from one man to a team of over ten developers who’s passion shows in their commitment to this product.  While not showing as a top open source CMS program contender, this piece of software has a lot to offer and is slowly growing in popularity.

Features

CMS Made Simple offers quite a few features.  SEO friendly URLs is at the top of the list and is a refreshing change from the standard CMS URLs that require a bit of fancy programming or modification to work with the major search engines.

There are a number of integrated features making this product an excellent choice – help, file manager with upload capabilities and an audit log.  User and group management are included as well as a group-based permission system.

CMS Made Simple allows for a unique web site design with the ability to change templates with ease.  The included admin panel is not only available in English but supports many other languages as well.  The program also boasts several extra features available with add-on modules – WYSIWYG, polls, blogging and calendar add-ons are just a few offered.

Support

The CMS Made Simple web site offers several avenues for support should the need arise.  Full documentation is available online as well as an FAQ, user forum, mailing list and an IRC chat channel.  If this isn’t enough, the company also offers a direct e-mail connection to a developer to have support issues handled when all other support routes fail to garner a user the answer they need.

The development side of this company’s web site allows users to report bugs and request features – a nice addition for regular uses of this CMS program.  This area also shows current releases and a roadmap to future developments of the software.

Beyond software

Going beyond simply producing and offering a CMS solution, CMS Made Simple also offers professional services for developers needing more assistance or something more than just what the program offers.  Among these services are support contracts purchased on a per-site basis, software development to help with solutions outside the standard program and the ability to contract one of the company’s developers for large projects.

Testimonials

As with any open source CMS program that may not be as popular as the biggies on the market, knowing that the product is stable and used by others is important.  The CMS Made Simple web site lists out many satisfied customers with complete testimonials regarding the product.  This web page shows the product is easy to use and is well-liked by many web professionals and business owners.

Final Thoughts

It definitely isn’t one of the more well-known open source content management systems out on the web but it is slowly growing in popularity.  CMS Made Simple is exactly that – an easy to use open source content management system.  This CMS program is worth checking out.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/11/20/cms-made-simple-content-management-system/feed/ 0 Textpattern: The Text-Friendly CMShttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/09/03/textpattern-the-text-friendly-cms/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/09/03/textpattern-the-text-friendly-cms/#comments Thu, 03 Sep 2009 16:38:12 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=505 In World Wide Web years, TextPattern is a mature CMS that has been around in alpha and beta versions since 2001 and finally distributed under the GNU GPL in 2004.  The product has been dramatically improved over the years and the most notable enhancements yet can be seen in the latest version release, TextPattern 4.20.  If you need an easier and more efficient way to manage your content, the features of this open-source CMS tool may be of interest.

Word Processing-Like Environment

One of Textpattern’s key features is Textile, an intuitive syntax that allows you to easily convert plaintext into well structured rich web content.  Often nagging elements such as hyperlinks, tables and image tags can be created with one or two markers, making it closer to working with ordinary text as opposed to complex code.  When you are ready to publish your content, Textile takes all marked copy and automatically converts it to clean, valid XHTML.  In addition, all articles you compose in Textpattern can be viewed in plaintext, XHTML or a rendered preview.

Versatile CSS Editing

Textpattern offers full support for CSS, offering two modes that allow you to customize and enhance the presentation of your site in different ways.  Manual CSS mode lets you to create or edit any CSS data directly from the administrative interface.  This enables you to quickly edit styles without dealing with the hassle that often results from uploading via FTP.  You can create your style sheets from scratch or by using one of many compatible WYSIWYG editors.  Automatic CSS mode is an advanced feature that utilizes an organized interface to make CSS parameters more comprehensive and manageable.  CSS can really enhance the performance of a website and Textpattern allows you to harness all the power of this optimal design technology.

Link Friendly

There are quite a few CMS tools that offer power and ease of use, but lack the features needed to easily increase visibility via the search engines.  This isn’t the case with TextPattern as the software excels in SEO-friendly pages and link management.  You can store an unlimited number of links in an unlimited number of categories anywhere you want on your site.  It also makes it simple to add news links through the built-in editor or a Javascript book marklet, which displays a popup window to use where ever you may be on the web.

Add-on Functionality

Although Textpattern is not supported by nearly as many plugins as open-source products like Joomla and Drupal, the platform is very extensible.  All available add-on components can be installed and maintained in a straightforward manner.  Once you have incorporated them, they can be easily enabled or disabled through the administrative interface where you can also access help and parameters used by supported plugins.

Conclusion

Textpattern is an open-source CMS product that is free to download and use.  The software requires PHP 4.3 or higher, MySQL 3.23 or higher and the Apache web server.  Its developer also strongly recommends the use of a Unix operating system, although it states that the software will “probably” work on any platform that supports PHP.  Being a free and user-friendly tool, you may want to check your system requirements and give Textpattern a test drive to see if it meets your needs before giving up your preferred CMS.

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]]> http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/09/03/textpattern-the-text-friendly-cms/feed/ 1 Assessing the Open-source CMShttp://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/01/08/assessing-the-open-source-cms/ http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/2009/01/08/assessing-the-open-source-cms/#comments Thu, 08 Jan 2009 21:18:05 +0000 Art http://webhostinggeeks.com/blog/?p=144 Many webmasters have a need to effectively manage content as it enables the creation of large, easy to maintain websites.  The problem is that not everyone can afford the high-end proprietary solutions such as IBM WebSphere and the Microsoft Content Server.  Fortunately, there are also several open-source systems on the market that offer a cost-effective means for achieving the same goal.  This article will shed some light on what you need to look for in an open-source CMS.

For the most part, every content management system is designed to produce the same results.  What mainly sets them apart is ease of use and features.  One product might lack some of the basic features but make up for them with add-on support.  A system that doesn’t have a WYSIWYG editor, for example, may offer support for an add-on module such as TinyMCE.   A product that has a complex interface could be enhanced by modifying the menu system or customizing layout templates.  When it comes to the open-source CMS, it isn’t so much about native features as it is flexibility.  You can access the overall flexibility of a system by viewing it from these angles:

Default Capabilities: The default capabilities of a CMS basically entail what is included with the installation, and determine if you can perform essential tasks without any problems.  When assessing the flexibility of any system, it is important to look for one that offers an acceptable level of basic functionality and provides the structure for creating a dynamic website.

Add-on Support: Most systems support add-on modules so it is up to you to find out what capabilities they possess.  Aside from features, consider how easy they will be to incorporate into the existing system as well.

Templates: Templates are a major part of any CMS as they allow you to modify the look and feel of your content.  If you are proficient with coding, you may want to find a product that lets you write your own templates.  In this case, you would need a system that supports the languages you are familiar with.

SEO: Many content management systems offer search engine appeal right out of the box.  However, not every product does.  Visibility is crucial for a large site so it is best to find a product that enables the easy creation of web pages and appeases the search engines.

Product Recommendations

The open-source CMS market is huge and there are a variety of products available.  Two of the most widely used systems on the market are Drupal and Mambo.  Drupal is a robust system with quality design and clean code.  It comes loaded with exceptional default capabilities as well as templates and layouts that are easily to manipulate.  Drupal is one of the most comprehensive systems available and the preferred choice for many businesses.

Mambo is easy to install and enables the simple management of content-rich sites.  The system includes a number of default features that provide support for multiple authors with little training required.  Both systems are SEO-friendly and support various add-ons for enhanced functionality.  Keep in mind that each product requires that you have a basic understanding of HTML and PHP.

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