Forums: Discussions for entrepreneurs and small business.

Both Drupal and Wordpress allow you to completely customize the template.


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Blog - http://www.buggy.id.au/

Wordpress.com allows for a remotely hosted blog, but if you go to Wordpress.org you can download their software and upload it to your own domain, which allows for full customization.


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chuck fuller

:-D This is really one of those major helpful threads. Now I`m all fired up on content managers. I think....I have the content ready to start, so everyone`s advice is helping. Thanks!

Here`s my 2 cents - based on the kind of site you`re describing, I`m agreeing with Chuck that a blog engine might be the most reasonable target option. A blog is just a bunch of categorized, dense text, implemented via a rudimentary content management system.  Typically, in my line of work, I see content management systems implemented because of a high volume of content "fragments" (i.e. small pieces) that need to be updated and managed through specific business processes, and to specific standards. I can`t imagine why an informational site, once fairly well-established, would change its template, navigation or other site structure elements very frequently (you`ll throw off the "comfort factor" for the fans you`ve created, plus perhaps impact the SEO, which takes a while to develop). I`d advocate an article-centric engine like Wordpress, and, if you`re up to it (and your template needs are complex), possibly try to download the website template that Wordpress generates into a WYSIWYG website editor program....if you need to make significant site changes (this helps you avoid having to hand-code much HTML).

Would it be true to say that the overall design of a site is one thing, and the way content is put onto that design is entirely separate? Can I separate the basic appearance of the site from the content itself?

I`ve envisioned this site to look like Wikipedia, in the sense of its layout. It won`t need a lot of tabs along the top, only a number of menu items. Those will break down as the Home, Dictionary, Articles, and a few others.

The problem is that each "word" will have its own page, and each article is an editorial article. I want to be able to quickly highlight a word or phrase on any page, and paste a link to another page or an article. It should be pretty much as simple to insert a hyperlink as it is here on the SuN forums, with the "insert link" button.

I`m knowledgeable enough that I could also live with the manual link editing offered on Wikipedia. In fact, the only reason I`m not using wiki software is that it`s my understanding that it`s designe for multi-party editing. I could likely turn that function off and have 90% of what I want on my site. I`d just like to add a couple of other design elements, and I`m not sure if a designer can get into the underlying wiki application and add those elements.

I`d like to easily archive and/or arrange articles so they can be categorized by topic. I also need a search engine as competent as the one on Wikipedia.

Beyond that, I want my designing partner to have enough control over the underlying software that we can make it look pleasing to my eye.

A content manager would give me the capability to write, upload, or copy-and-paste articles or words, without having to go through the designer, making me more involved in the site adminstration.

It`s true that during the design phase, there`s a lot of changing. After that`s been set down, it`ll stay that way pretty much for the rest of time. So I suppose a related question is if a content manager is a "component" or some sort of "module" that connects with the underlying design and layout of the basic site?

Craig

From what you just described I`d recommend using Drupal. You`ll be able to customize the look to any style you require. With the TinyMCE plug-in you`ll get a WYSIWYG editor with an insert link button.

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Blog - http://www.buggy.id.au/

Excellent, and thanks Richard! (I`m keeping track of each of these recommendations, and will discuss them with my developer as well.)

:-)

I would suggest TextPattern.  It`s slightly more robust than a simple blog engine, but still fairly simple to use.  I have used it to power full websites with no problems.

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Steve James Fresh Yields- a new media firm, providing ecommerce solutions, redesign consulting, web design, email campaign management, and internet marketing.

(Makin` a note on TextPattern too...)

Y`know, I went to the TextPattern site, and it`s laid out very similar to my intent. What`s interesting is you`d think they`d demonstrate their search feature by having a search line right on their own site.

The more I think about it, I wish more of these types of sites would demo their product by using all the features of their product on their own sites. Enh...that`s okay..I`m getting some really good ideas here. :-)

I am new to startupnation.com but just read your need for a web content manager program.  I wanted to suggest checking out InterScape, Inc. where we have created a program called WebPilot that allows the user to maintain the content on their personal or company website. We provide the layout and you are then able under our hosting to add, delete, and edit content and media on the website.  What makes this prgram so unique is that it is all based online which means it can be accessed from anywhere and also it is VERY EASY to use. Check it out...www.interscapeinc.com ...look up WebPilot. Hope this is helpful.

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Jaclyn Ray, Project Manager InterScape, Inc.