[Hidden-tech] Renamed: Content Management Systems

[Daniel Fried]

I hear ya,

That's why I started my comments (a couple messages ago) with the comment
that I don't like the term either.

But there is a huge amount of variation in the systems called Content
Management Systems, and the basic "add text to a page" style ones are just
the best known kind.

For our clients I tend to build a lot of very specific tools for editing
lists of things (along with the more basic tools for managing the basic
site).  My favorite example is a used car dealer that was having trouble
keeping the inventory list on its site up to date.  We added a simple form
where they could enter a bunch of basic information (year, make, model,
mileage, etc) and have the inventory list on the site be drawn automatically
from the information they'd entered.  We didn't change any other parts of
their site.  They can't edit the pages the way we've been describing, but
then again they don't need to), it's only the inventory list that ever
really changes, and now it's up to date on a daily basis.  Even with the
limited scope, this could still qualify as a CMS by some definitions.

Moving away from the web based definition of the term; I've also built a
Content Management System for the backend of some educational software.
That software not only let writers and editors work with the text passages,
it also processed them, automatically built lists of unique words, dug up
synonyms and antonyms for them  and made guesses at tips for struggling
readers which the editorial staff had to be able to edit.  That CMS then had
to process all of that information and bundle it along with recordings of
all passages, words and word parts into a proprietary format for inclusion
on a CD.  (NOTE: This process is not recommended for anyone that values
their sanity, if you have need of something like this I'd be happy to talk
to you about alternative solutions)

Of course this is all probably a lot more information than Bobbi ever
expected to hear.

-Dan

-----Original Message-----
From: Wesley Rosner [mailto:wrosner at blue-fox.com] 
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2005 11:39 AM
To: Daniel Fried
Cc: 'Mark Bucciarelli'; hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Renamed: Content Management Systems

I would like to toss my two cents in here and say that many of these 
CMS systems are not the solution at least for some of our clients.  
While CMS systems do ease the pain of maintaining a web site for a 
large site they are typically still fairly unwieldy.  I have recently 
been coupled the terms Content Management System with Dynamic 
Publishing.  The systems we put in place usually provide fairly 
specific meta data for the specific type of content.  This allows us to 
put together dynamic templates/pages that draw on a variety of content 
by using and cross referencing of keywords or other meta-data.  I am 
certainly pro CMS and pro open-source, but find those solutions don't 
always meet the real needs of my customers.

-Wes

On Apr 28, 2005, at 3:14 PM, Daniel Fried wrote:

>    ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group
>    ** Fill out the survey/skills inventory in the member's area.
>    ** Remember you must be counted to post .
>
> Sorry for the rename, I think we're getting off the original subject
> though...
>
> One caveat to your description Mark...
>
> Not all CMS's support or require editing through the browser (or even
> necessarily refer to websites, but that's a different issue).  
> Macromedia
> makes a product called Contribute which is an offline CMS.  Also, a 
> number
> of Blog software packages support editing through external 
> applications like
> w.Bloggar which run on your system, I'm sure other CMS's support this 
> kind
> of interface as well.
>
> -Dan
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
> [mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Mark
> Bucciarelli
> Sent: Thursday, April 28, 2005 3:01 PM
> Cc: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
> Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Looking for reasonable Web host
>
>    ** Be a Good Dobee and help the group
>    ** by filling out the survey/skills
>    ** inventory in the member's area.
>    ** Remember you must be counted to post .
>
> Bobbi Melville wrote:
>
>> Can someone explain what you mean by "content management?"
>
> content = web site text and graphics
> management = add/edit/delete content via your browser.
>
> Typically, the web site admin can define user/password login accounts
> for people that are allowed to edit the site.
>
> Many systems provide control over editing capabilities; for example,
> your press agent login can only edit pages under 
> http://yoursite.com//news.
>
> More advanced systems allow you to define roles by login account; for
> example, "contributor" and "editor".  A contributor may upload content,
> but that content is not made live on your site until an editor 
> approves it.
>
> This site is great:
>
>     http://www.opensourcecms.com/
>
> They have free on-line demos for many many Free Software content
> managment systems; for example, the WordPress demo is here:
>
>     
> http://www.opensourcecms.com/index.php?option=content&task=view&id=144
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion 
> list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>
> _______________________________________________
> Hidden-discuss mailing list - home page: http://www.hidden-tech.net
> Hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
>
> You are receiving this because you are on the Hidden-Tech Discussion 
> list.
> If you would like to change your list preferences, Go to the Members
> page on the Hidden Tech Web site.
> http://www.hidden-tech.net/members
>

--
Wesley Rosner
President
Blue Fox, Inc.
31 Bridge Street
Shelburne Falls, MA  01370
413.625.2199 x101 (Work)
413.625.6340 (Fax)
413.575.4848 (Mobile)

wrosner at blue-fox.com
www.blue-fox.com

"I.T. That Works"