[Hidden-tech] Need Contribute technical help

[Jen Kramer]

Hi all -- I've been working with Contribute since it first came out in 2002.
It was really miraculous then, because it allowed clients to edit their own
sites without knowing HTML, and without writing a custom content management
system (which was your only option back then). It was the only inexpensive
way to provide client editing functionality that was within most small
business budgets.
 
I would stay far, far away from Contribute these days. There are so many
advantages to a well-built CMS driven site, it doesn't make any sense to go
back to Contribute. To start with, the client must purchase the software
(list is roughly $150), whereas for a CMS, they just need a web browser.
Then you have to get Contribute to talk to the site. Not necessarily hard,
but my clients always seem to wind up locking up files, something breaks and
they're not able to connect anymore, and then I have to go to the server and
clean out a bunch of files that Contribute generates that should have been
deleted but weren't. I can't tell you how many times I've gritted my teeth
to go play PC Help Desk person for my client.
 
If you don't want to go with a full-blown Wordpress/Joomla/Drupal solution,
I would recommend you take a look at CushyCMS, http://www.cushycms.com/.
Adding a few CSS tags to your static HTML site will generate editable
regions your client can edit via the CushyCMS site. The site overall remains
static and editable in Dreamweaver, but your client will also be able to
edit it without buying special software.
 
My advice -- it's almost 2010. There is almost no reason not to build your
site in a CMS. Watch what's coming on the horizon -- even though we may have
a hard time believing it in the backwoods of New England, mobile phone
technology gets bigger by the day. It won't be long before most websites
will be expected to load one way on a PC and another way on a mobile phone.
(It's already here for larger sites.) That's not a terribly daunting
prospect with a CMS-driven site, but it's pretty tough to do well with
static HTML. 
 
Build your sites looking forward and start checking out the great free open
source content management systems that are out there these days. For the
most part, you can find books, training videos, and even college classes
that are teaching this technology now. Joomla, Drupal, and Wordpress all
have thriving communities supporting development and third party extensions.

 
I built a great looking, fully debugged, cross-platform compatible, 10 page
Joomla site in 2 hours yesterday, from setting up the hosting to doing my
final checks on the site.  That never happened in the Dreamweaver days.
 
Thanks,
Jen
 
.........................
Jen Kramer 
4Web, Inc.
Creators of Highly Customized Joomla Websites
www.4webinc.com <http://www.4webinc.com/> 
802-257-2657
jen at 4webinc.com
Twitter: jen4web
Read our blog! www.joomla4web.com <http://www.joomla4web.com/> 
 

  _____  

From: hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net
[mailto:hidden-discuss-bounces at lists.hidden-tech.net] On Behalf Of Town
Websites
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 9:48 PM
To: 'Susanna Opper'; hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: Re: [Hidden-tech] Need Contribute technical help



Interesting post, thanks Susanna, I've wanted to play with Contribute for a
couple clients as an alternative to converting a site to use a CMS but have
not tried to configure a site yet.  If nobody else chimes in I may be able
to spend half an hour or so trying to get a simple page set up through
Dreamweaver's contribute hooks.

 

My experience working with Adobe's more complex and less frequently used
features is that you often need someone with specific training and some of
the features don't seem to work as well as you'd think they should, or don't
work cross platform etc.   That's not to detract from the many Adobe things
that are both easy to use and provide great functionality, just to note my
experience that you may need someone with the specific expertise to even
tell you if you can do what you want to do.  Good luck, do let us know if
you're able to get Contribute to work for you.

 

Charlie Heath

Town Websites

 

 

From: Susanna Opper [mailto:susanna at shawenon.com] 
Sent: Thursday, October 01, 2009 8:37 PM
To: hidden-discuss at lists.hidden-tech.net
Subject: [Hidden-tech] Need Contribute technical help

 

I've just spent a whole day trying to make Contribute CS4 work and it still
doesn't. The product is not supported by the vendor; the Web developer who
wants me to use it can't help either.

 

I expect to be in all day Fri. If you have the expertise, please let me
know.

 

Many thanks,

--Susanna

 

-------------------------------------

Susanna Opper

Shawenon Communications

Our distinction is communicating your distinction

413-528-6494

susanna at shawenon.com

www.shawenon.com

 

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