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.
