Archive for CMS
Drupal – An Essential Primer
Posted by: | CommentsWhile not quite the most commonly used content management software package in existence, Drupal is certainly one of the most popular. One estimate states that it is used as the backend for 1.5% of all of current websites worldwide. The beginner user who is wondering whether or not to use Drupal could use a quick primer of the essential elements of Drupal.
A brief history of Drupal
Drupal began as a message board, and like many web success stories, rocketed in popularity when in 2001 it went open source. A user community quickly formed around the software package, one which grew past “global village” to start approaching “global small country.”.
The numbers for its support are amazing. Since 2005 there have been multiple “DrupalCons” held each year, with smaller events scattered throughout the world. It displays contents in more than 180 languages, and is used, purporetedly, in over 200. Its rabid fan base has used its open-source freedom to create for it more than 11,000 add-ons. Looked at from any angle, Drupal is rock star. As a side note, it also ranked second in a list of most secure content management software packages.
Sounds fantastic. Is there a catch?
First the good news – Lots of it
Well yes, there is, but custom dictates that we list the advantages first. The main advantage to Drupal is just how many advantages there are. This is an extremely powerful, flexible piece of software that offers just about any option that a webmaster could want out of a content management software package. The standard release contains support for RSS feeds, user account registration, page layout specifications, video, polls, and podcasts just to start.
More importantly is that it has the programming capabilities to handle much more. Drupal lets the webmaster program in a module-like setting that makes it easy for a user to develop a gorgeous web site from the ground up in little time: and again, if the software package itself somehow doesn’t contain what you need out of it, the many thousands of add-ons from the user community almost definitely will.
Now the bad news – Too much of a good thing?
If the avalanche of features above seemed intimidating to you, then you have an idea of what the primary drawback for Drupal is. This is not the most beginner-friendly content management software out there. It is generally considered that if all you want is a simple site that you can use Drupal no problem, but that if you want more than that, you need to commit to a little bit of self-education.
Part and parcel to that problem is that Drupal is generally considered to be among the bigger and slower of these systems. To be fair, there is some debate on this topic: one study showed Drupal to outperform Joomla, one of its main rivals. Nevertheless the impression persists. All things considered, if you are just looking for a very simple web site with little in the way of frills, your likely to get a lot of people tell you that Drupal is not the best place to start.
A positive balance?
Those drawbacks don’t seem to be getting in the way of Drupal’s continued popularity. And since many of the sites that use Drupal are high profile sites, such as Whitehouse.gov, London.gov.uk, Rutgers.edu, Economist.com and MTV.co.uk, the new user has a lot of examples to look it.
One thing is certain: if you ask the Drupal user community, they are sure to tell you to jump right in. That’s a hard endorsement to ignore. Also, most of the web hosting companies support the Drupal CMS.
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Get Out Of The PHP Memory Error Rut With WordPress
Posted by: | CommentsWe’ve all been there: You drag yourself out of bed in the morning, crawl to your computer, and boot up the oh-so-familiar blog space. But instead of finding your lovingly crafted website, complete with self-made logos and beautiful banners, all you find is this error:
“Fatal error: Allowed memory size of ######## bytes exhausted (tried to allocate ## bytes) in /home/user/public_html/wp-includes/phpfile.php on line 80.”
Before you start swearing at your monitor or worse—we’re thinking that stapler looks appropriately weighted for some hefty hucking—know that this issue is easily fixed, and doesn’t have to be the day-wrecker you feel it might be.
It’s worth noting that your exact error message may vary, but as long as it says something about your memory being more worn out than an obese man at a 10k, you’re golden: The issue has to do with available computing space, and you’re still reading the right tutorial.
The likely issue is that you’ve just installed a new plug-in or extension, and now WordPress is acting like an estranged lover. There are a couple of ways to correct the issue. The easiest is to disable any recently installed extensions and see if that corrects the problem. However, this is certainly less than desirable, as you likely want that new piece of code. With that in mind, you might try to expand the available memory space for your site. This can be accomplished in the following way:
Essentially, you’ll need to change the amount of memory available for PHP. This can be done in a number of ways, and it might be that there’s only one that works for your server. Always query your web host first—or if you’re feeling gung-ho, locate your php.ini file and do this to it!
Locate the following line:
memory_limit = 32M ; Maximum amount of memory a script may consume
Change “32M” to “64M,” and then cross your fingers. Some hosts limit the amount of memory you can delegate yourself to PHP, so if this doesn’t correct the issue, therein may lie your problem. If you can’t acquire access to php.ini, you might try adding the same line to the .htcaccess file in your WordPress main installation folder.
If none of those are possible, then you’re in a sticky boat, Pilgrim: Call up the tech-support you’re paying for and get them to do one of the things we just discussed.
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Alternative’s to WordPress – Other Content Management Systems do Exist
Posted by: | CommentsWordPress may be the ten-gallon hat and eight-hundred pound gorilla of Content Management Systems (or CMS, for the tech-savvy and initiated) but that doesn’t mean it’s the only kid on the block. In fact, there are quite a few other PHP-based management systems out there that are more than capable of getting the job done. We’ve compiled a few of our favorites here, and as long as you’re feeling brave enough to go outside the box, we’ve got the roadmap.
Geeklog
We know Geeklog may not look the prettiest, but this CMS is every bit as functional as WordPress and then some. Popular sites like Mac OS X hints have been using it for years, in case you need a reference. Geeklog is a ninja when it comes to mySQL, PostgreSQL and Microsoft SQL, as well as content syndication, mass user deletion, forums, and multi-language support. Not to mention the word “geek” is in the title, which tickles our pickle five ways to Sunday.
This CMS has been garnering an immense amount of attention for its ease of use and feature-rich editing. The system allows users to edit pages directly from the management software without having to go through any kind of complex administrative filter. Even images can be mangled straight from the source, making it easier than ever to manipulate your media. Not to mention that concrete5 is completely free and open-source, meaning you’re free to soak your hands in its code any day you’re feeling particularly daring.
Drupal
Ah, Drupal! It’s been reported that this CMS is being used by one in every 66 sites around the world, including some heavyweight, multi-national government institutions. It’s a weighty offering, and one that’s every bit as feature-rich as WordPress. It works with every kind of database server you can think of, and is also compatible with every operating system known to man. Not to mention its huge list of features, including multi-user file editing, multiple sites, and massively useful security restrictions. Drupal also supports one of the best user communities around (a fact touted by the developer often) making it accessible and and functional, especially when issues arrive.
That’s all we’ve got for you today! If you’re still suckling the WordPress source, maybe you’ll look into a few of our other favorites for future projects. No matter where you go, though, quality CMS isn’t hard to find. Whether open-source code, a massive user community, or a gorgeous user interface is your kick, you can always find something to match.
Feel free to post a comment if we left any killer WordPress alternatives out!
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An Overview of PHP-Based Content Management Systems Beyond WordPress
Posted by: | CommentsWordPress is far and away the most popular content management system (CMS) on the web. It’s for good reason, but like anyone holding the claim of first place, it still has its critics. If you are working with PHP and want a good content management system for your site, you have a gaggle of options. We’re going to run down a few of them here, and go over their advantages and disadvantages.
Geeklog
One of the most popular of the WordPress alternatives, Geeklog is a feature-full CMS that can use mySQL, PostgreSQL or Microsoft SQL server for its databases. It includes among its features content syndication, forums, calendars, polls multi-language support and mass user deletion. If you need help, it actually uses a wiki for its official documentation. Popular sites Groklaw and Mac OS X Hints have used it for years.
concrete5
Open-source CMS concrete5 has attracted attention for its ease of use. Not only is there easy editing of individual pages without having to go through an administrative interface of some kind, but even images can be edited from directly within its interface. It includes among its features search engine optimization, a tracker to check for latest software revisions, and a page history so that you can revert to any previous version of any page on your site. It’s among the newer CMSs so 3rd party content and themes are still catching up, but it appears that this is happening quickly.
Drupal
Drupal might be the largest and most far-reaching CMS outside of WordPress. In fact, one estimate has one in 66 web sites using it, including the governmental web sites for both the US and the UK. It has about as much compatibility as any software out there, running on any operating system using PHP and working with just about every main database software in existence. Among its arm-length long list of features are multi-user file editing, multiple security restriction methods, support for multiple sites, and support from communities in multiple languages (“multiple” seems to be the central word here). The gigantic community, in fact, seems one of Drupal’s main selling points: the Drupal web site lists more than 11,000 user-created modules.
PHP-Fusion
For something with a lot of miles on it but still simple and lightweight there is PHP-Fusion. It comes with most of the basic features like themes, forums, picture gallery support, spam protection and an in-site search, and it has support sites in 20 countries. It is considered one of the most stable and reliable CMSs out there.
Joomla!
Also, with strong community support is the open-source Joomla! Using object-oriented programming, Joomla!’s features include RSS feeds, polls, search capability, and language internationalization.
WordPress’s reputation is well-earned, but don’t fear the alternatives. One of the advantages of the information era is that there’s almost always more than one right way. If your web host uses them, take a closer look. You’ll find a lot of them to be of a high enough quality to make you not miss the biggest names.
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Joomla: For You, For Me, For Everybody
Posted by: | CommentsAll website developers looking for a CMS to base their projects on try to verify that the software will completely meet their needs with the most desirable features and options. This is expected, considering that customization is an indispensable tool of modern website and software development.
Choosing the best CMS requires one to ascertain as to whether he/she would be able to work with the system effectively and efficiently. Even the top three content management systems, WordPress, Drupal and Joomla, differ to a great extent. All of these CMS’ have their scoring points, and maybe some flaws as well. However, deciding on your suited CMS may become a lot easier after reading this article.
When in Doubt, go Joomla!
It seems like bringing everybody on board was always the idea of the Joomla developers. The makers of this CMS believe that people need to enjoy working on a solid CMS, and this is one of the primary goals of Jooma.
Joomla, by definition, actually means ‘everyone together’ in Swahili and this points to the inherent idea of using the CMS which Joomla has been developed. New entrants in web site development face torrid times when they are made to work with a CMS that makes their tasks difficult, due to complex menus and thousands of options. Making one’s way past all the unknown features and getting onto the right ones takes a lot of time and this is where Joomla scores heavily over its competitors. With the intuitive and easy to master tools, newbies find it extremely easy to use and make rapid leaps into launching their website. Having your way with Joomla is as easy as it comes. There are so many customization options that users find it almost tailor made for them to be basing their websites on.
Joomla gets past a very fierce competitor in the form of WordPress, and it does so by letting the users exercise full control over the appearance and outlook of their website projects. No wonders, the most attractive looking websites these days happen to be made with Joomla. Thus, jut in case you are considering making your own website to take the Internet world by storm, make sure that you do not forget to get a hang of this amazing CMS called Joomla.
Technical Requirements for Joomla 1.7.x and 1.6.x
PHP 5.2.4+
MySQL 5.0.4+
Apache (with mod_mysql, mod_xml, and mod_zlib) 2.x+
Microsoft IIS 7
More information can found at the Joomla official website: http://www.joomla.org/about-joomla.html
You can install Joomla with just a few clicks with any web hosting provider from our Top 10 Hosting List.
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When to Transition to a Content Management System
Posted by: | CommentsOver time, websites can become clogged with old and useless content from a variety of departments, people and organizational divisions. In turn, it becomes impossible to keep track of it all. This is a major issues faced by many companies that have entrusted their website to an outsourced developer of Information Technology Department. Therefore, content management software (CMS) can assist with organization, checks and balance and overall maintenance.
Appearance Differences
When a website is developed in individual pieces by different departments, the result is different appearances in different areas of the site. This can lead to clients and partners questioning the validity of the site. It is critical to always provide a seamless transition between one area of the website and another. This is another clear indication of the need for a CMS.
Reviewing CMS Options
However, it is not necessary to begin a CMS development project on your own without looking at the various options of CMS software. Most deliver a variety of templates to ensure consistency across the entire site. Also, they allow for the creation of easy forms and methods of managing content and users viewing that content.
Alfresco
One popular CMS is Alfresco which is an enterprise-grade CMS. The software delivers a system for document management, website management, records management, collaboration between users and a standardized content platform to ensure data is presented consistently and accurately. Also, Alfresco is an open-source project similar to WordPress, Joomla and Drupal which provides extensive support through a loyal community following.
Hidden Costs
However, just because it is open-source does not mean it is free. All open-source CMS’ require the training of staff, learning, buying support and managing correct server configurations. Money will be saved on the software but spent on the training cycle of the program.
Small Business
However, for small businesses that only have one server, the implementation of an open-source CMS is simple. For small businesses, many experts recommend the Joomla CMS because of its low technical requirement and high level of flexibility.
CMS’ have whipped many businesses of all sizes in all industries into shape by allowing for the organization and management of extensive content. Since most major businesses are migrating into some type of content management system, it is critical to know when your website has become too large or disorganized and it is time for a change.