To CMS or not to CMS…
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- TedUmptious0
Ok,
I'm back after spending most of the day researching this thing. My original point was that the CMS systems just seemed to be gearing towards blogs or site that functioned like blogs. Expression Engine looks interesting as it definitley caters for all styles of sites. ANd it looks like it has the legs and support to last into the future. I will be giving it ago on a personal project just to figure it out.
However I think Contribute is perfect for the site I'm working on as I can set up Dreamweaver templates and basically let them do the work. I'm using Slideshow pro also which will look after the images.
The client, like most clients goes 'I want to be able to update it myself' when in reality they'll never update it and will come running back if they have to deal with control panels. I think they appreciate the simplicity of the Contribute setup.
Everyone wins.
- hmig0
"When the only tool you have is a hammer, everything looks like a nail" (Abraham Maslow)
- hmig0
But answering to TedUmptious about blogs being used as a CMS relating to portfolio websites i can only say http://www.joshuadavis.com/news/… did it pretty well.
- TedUmptious0
Joshua's is good... technically, but design wise hmmm not my cuppa!
- Shepstar150
If you just update it 3 or 4 times a year I would go without. A CMS is nice but only if you update your site often.
Setting up the CMS will take longer than updating the site for next few years manually.Secondly it sounds if your customer won't pay more for CMS, so i would only give him the possibility to use a CMS and update his site himself if he is willing to pay for the work.
- TedUmptious0
Hi Shepstar,
Thats what I was thinking. They won't pay for CMS and I'd prefer to get a little cash everynow and then for doing updates. Nominal from them = lunches for me. :)
- Shepstar150
Hi Ted,
exactly if you never have installed a CMS I can tell you, if you don't get paid for the work, don't do it. It will take you ages until you get it working your way.
Or you wan't to do it so you learn how to do it. But then I would find someone who is willing to pay for it at least.And if you can make a deal for the updates I think that would be the best. Tell them if you built a CMS it would cost them more than if the just pay you for the little updates. If the need a CMS in 3 years, you can still make one.
- acescence0
if your plan is to never do anything beyond a little rinky dink static site for your clients, then by all means hook them for future updates. i try to get my hands on and install every CMS out there in my free time, and take it for a test drive, so I know the ins and outs and what does what best. you don't want to be struggling to wrap your head around a cms for the first time whilst trying to launch a site with tens of thousands of pages.
- YAYPaul0
The trouble with blog engines as a CMS, as i found, is that your are severely limited in functionality and layout, unless you hack the hell out of it.
- neverblink0
(Menos & TheBlueOne; check your inbox)
..ok, continue thread now
- Checked and I sent you an email in return..did you not get it?TheBlueOne
- nevermind...thanks!TheBlueOne
- :)neverblink
- Fizik0
I'd say blogging engines, the better ones, are totally bendable into full fledged CMS tools. But there's always a fair bit of template work involved etc... but you'd be doing that anyways for a static site.
A number of people use Textpattern to get their portfolio sites going ... as it's not totally stuck in blog land. Blogs are about posting content, maybe with some dates etc. So are portfolios basically.
http://www.textpattern.com- oh, and vs. expression engine ... it's easier to get started/installed ...expression engine tends to be over the top really......but it is decentFizik
- pascii0
if there is NO content, there is NO need for a CMS. did you hear that, marketing people?
- TheBlueOne0
Just came across this which looked interesting for something small:
- jkmohr0
all of you really do need to look into symphony. i've tried a couple others and they were extremely confusing. watch a couple of the screencasts on symphony and you won't look back.
http://symphony21.com
screencasts: http://overture21.com/wiki/getti…