CMS - Who has any prior experience?

[ThreeD]

What is your take on a CMS vs handcoding an entire website on your own? I am thinking in the lines of a huge php site running from a MySQL database. If you have any ideas or comments positive and negative experiences I'd be very happy

I've looked at Typo3 and Mambo so far..I may end up not using any of them, and handcode the entire page myself

 

[SaN-DeeP]

Handcoding a CMS is the toughest part today, you need to keep yourself updated with every new vulnerability etc. which popsup, these take additional time comparaively.

I will always go for a tohird-party cms and re-modify the code to my needs for example namepros.com is using vbulletin but the features enabled here are unique to namepros..

We are using Virtuanews Portal (NEws Script) here: www.techarena.in

You can go/select mambo, also check out xoops and drupal.

Regards,

 

[snareklutz]

Once you know how to code a design for a CMS, things get easy. My latest in development example: www.icytower.org

 

[KPR]

We are using Virtuanews Portal (NEws Script) here: www.techarena.in

thats exactly what i have been looking for and at a decent price.

thanks
Kev

 

[ThreeD]

thanks for the feedback guys :o) what's your take on typo3 and mambo? is it worth checking out in depth? A lot of large websites use cms's, do you guys know what they use?

 

[HFear]

I didn't really have a good experience with CMS systems. I've tried both PHPNuke and PostNuke (they're both very similar). When it comes to implementing your skin, it'll take more work to do it because you'd need to code it so that it works with the CMS. Certain files would need to be editted. I had to go through a lot of clicking and had to do alot of editting to get what I wanted. It was very frustrating, so I decided to stick with hand-coding since it was much easier.

 

[barefoottech]

Mambo ,My Favourite And the Best CMS
With over 50+ Mambo Based WebSites of my own ,including My Main Home site, I must like it.
As for customising it ,it is easy as ,if not easier than hand-coding

 

[ThreeD]

thanks for the feedback once again Barefoottech, do you have any examples of your sites? I installed mambo and typo3 and played around with it a little earlier today. It seems to be easy to work with, I'm just concerned that it's not original enough, design wise.

Can a CMS be completely customized when it comes to design? The data it takes from the DB shouldn't be any problem, I'm just trying to figure out if the design can be altered the way I want it to be, in other words fully customized beyond recognition

 

[chippy]

whilst the CMS system i use is probably too basic for you, i have created 180+ templates for it now.

the CMS system is cmsimple.dk and when i say basic i mean basic, it allows the obvious with login and update via a familiar word type enviornment, plugins via 3rd party developers etc.

like i said, it may not give you what you are looking for, but in the design sense, you can make a site look like absolutely anything.

it is a GPL CMS script which stipulates you must keep their link as well.

script site here: cmsimple.dk
templates site here: dotcomwebdesign.com

cheers

 

[barefoottech]

thanks for the feedback once again Barefoottech, do you have any examples of your sites? I installed mambo and typo3 and played around with it a little earlier today. It seems to be easy to work with, I'm just concerned that it's not original enough, design wise.

Can a CMS be completely customized when it comes to design? The data it takes from the DB shouldn't be any problem, I'm just trying to figure out if the design can be altered the way I want it to be, in other words fully customized beyond recognition

Yes Mambo can be modified
It comes with three or four Builtin templates (depending on version)
But new template(s) can be installed easily
These can be installed as a default design or on a page by page basic.
Any type of screen look can be achieved at all.
The templates are composed of three main parts .
Index.php :- HTM Layout and Module placement PHP code is placed here
Template_css.css :- The css File for the Index.php
Graphics Sub-dir:- All the Referenced graphic and Icon files

Using the Admin Cpanel of Mambo ,Adjustment and Modification can be
done to the HTML & CSS Files
But major design changes should be done externally using normal editing programs.

The biggest mis-conception of MAMBO and other CMS programs is that they have a "Look". Yes ,if you just use the builtin Templates.

They are just a blank piece of paper and can be made to look like any design
needed. No different to HTML and asp .You can incorporate FLASH (fla & .swf),Gif,Jpg,PNG into design. If you can display on screen, MAMBO can use it.

As to any Demo's of Mambo , err yes , Most of my sites are Mambo.
All 100+ of them. I use MAMBO now for all my new sites
Example of different
http://BareFoottech.net (Home site )
http://888Pokerplay.com (Same template modded)
http://Your-bible.info (different template and look)
http://MamboMumbo.com (different template and look)

 

[.PJ]

Hardcode a CMS yourself I would say, people do offer help and try to help if you get stuck along the lines.

I think if you hardcode a CMS you can customize the feel, control and layout of the admin seciton, members section and the whole site its self

I did work on one, but I have no time with work any more, so I cant finnish it really, I might patch it up to a useable state and release the source code though.

Good Luck

PJ

 

[barefoottech]

Hardcode a CMS yourself I would say, people do offer help and try to help if you get stuck along the lines.

I think if you hardcode a CMS you can customize the feel, control and layout of the admin seciton, members section and the whole site its self

I did work on one, but I have no time with work any more, so I cant finnish it really, I might patch it up to a useable state and release the source code though.

Good Luck

PJ

Why re-invent the wheel
Mambo and other GPL CMS already in the Marketplace ,have hundreds of people who have extensive development and design experience behind the scenes . One person could never desgn and support something as complex.
Your statement about patching and No time supports my argument.

I could design something like Mambo myself , I Have 25 yrs of commercial db and Unix Development experience. But I don't because Mambo offers a solid package ,backed up by Hundreds of Open Source developers and Miro who offers the Commercial Version (JANGO ).
How many other CMS GPL are available with a Commercial version available as well .

 

[ThreeD]

thanks for the great feedback Barefoottech and the rest of you. I'm currently going through mambo and typo3, checking them out to see if they fit my needs and requirements. I definately think a modded and fully customized CMS is the way to go for me and my current project. I'll let you all know how it goes.

A friend of mine has already used mambo for one of his sites - he just used a basic template though, that's why I was having 2nd thoughts. If it however is possible to fully customize the looks and feel of the website and just keep the backbone - that's exactly what I'm looking for

thanks again for the great feedback!

 

[vrom]

I have experience with both TYPO3 and Mambo.

TYPO3 is professional tool, which is good for hi-end corporate sites
(multiple domains, flexible design etc).
Mambo is not so complex and professional. It is good for simple low-bidget 20 pages sites, simple community sites etc.

Here is the list of some sites made with TYPO3:
Epson Corporation
http://www.epson.at/
http://www.epson.be/
http://www.epson.cz/
http://www.epson.de/
http://www.epson.nl/
http://www.epson.pl/
http://www.epson.ch/
http://www.epson.lt/

DaimlerChrysler AG (Mercedes-Benz)
http://bb-infoportal.mercedes-benz.com/portal/home.0.html

Stanford Networking Research Center
The Stanford Networking Research Center (SNRC) is a strategic partnership between visionary industry leaders and Stanford University's School of Engineering.
http://snrc.stanford.edu

It is very difficult or even impossible to make and easily manage those sites with Mambo.