E-book details

Choosing an Open Source CMS: Beginner's Guide. Find the best CMS and start working with it to create web sites, blogs, communities, e-commerce sites, and intranets

Choosing an Open Source CMS: Beginner's Guide. Find the best CMS and start working with it to create web sites, blogs, communities, e-commerce sites, and intranets

Nirav Mehta

Ebook
There are many powerful open source CMSs available to take the pain away from managing a web site. These systems are feature rich, often easy to use, and free. Unfortunately, there are so many choices it's tough to be sure you're choosing the right one. How can you be sure that you are selecting and working with the right tool?
This book will guide you through choosing the right CMS for your needs. You can be confident in your choice of CMS for the needs of your project. It will also help you make a start using the CMS, and give you a feel for what it's like to use it ñ even before you install it yourself.
Are you bewildered by the many open source CMSs available online? Open source CMSs are the best way to create and manage sophisticated web sites. You can create a site that precisely meets your business goals, and keep the site up to date easily because these systems give you full control over every aspect of your site. Because open source CMSs are free to download, you have a huge amount of choice between the various systems.
Yet there are many open source CMSs to choose from, each with unique strengths ñ and occasionally limitations too. Choosing between the bewildering number of options can be tough.
Making the wrong choice early on may lead to a lot of wasted work, because you'll have a half-finished site that doesn't meet your initial requirements ñ and needs to be restarted from scratch.
This book will show you how to avoid choosing the wrong CMS. It will guide you through assessing your site requirements, and then using that assessment to identify the CMS that will best fit your needs. It contains discussions of the major CMSs, and the issues that you should consider when choosing: their complexity to use, their features and the power they offer. It discusses technical considerations such as programming languages and compliance with best practice standards in a clear, friendly way that non-technical readers can understand.
The book also contains quick-start guides and examples for the most popular CMSs such as WordPress, Joomla!, and Drupal, so that you can experiment with these CMSs, get a feel for how they work, and start using them to build your site.
After reading this book, you can be confident that your CMS choice will support your web site's needs because you have carefully assessed your requirements and explored the available options.
  • Choosing an Open Source CMS Beginners Guide
    • Table of Contents
    • Choosing an Open Source CMS
    • Credits
    • About the author
    • About the reviewers
    • Preface
      • What this book covers
              • Section I: Opening up to Open Source CMSs
              • Section II: Thinking your choices through
              • Section III: CMSs by breed
              • Section IV: Open source CMS tips
      • What you need for this book
      • Who this book is for
      • Conventions
      • Reader feedback
      • Customer support
        • Downloading the example code for the book
        • Errata
        • Piracy
        • Questions
    • I. Section I - Opening up to Open Source CMSs
      • 1. Do I Even Want an Open Source CMS?
        • You need a CMS!
          • CMS alternatives
        • Which CMS?
        • What about you?
        • About this book
          • Approach
        • Let's get started!
      • 2. Evaluating Your Options
        • Genres of Content Management Systems
          • Portals or general-purpose CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top general-purpose CMSs
          • Blog CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top blog CMSs
          • e-Commerce CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top e-Commerce CMSs
          • Wiki CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top Wiki CMSs
          • Forum CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top forum CMSs
          • eLearning CMSs
            • Core Features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top eLearning CMSs
          • Collaboration CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Top intranet CMSs
          • Photo gallery CMSs
            • Core features
            • Possible uses
            • Example sites
            • Top photo gallery CMSs
        • Different types, but strong overlap
        • Understanding CMS technologies
          • PHP is most popular for CMSs
          • But why does the technology choice matter?
        • Summary
    • II. Section II - Thinking your choices through
      • 3. Understanding your Requirements
        • Setting our expectations right
        • Time for action-setting your expectations for "The Yoga Site"
          • What just happened?
          • Creating intended outcomes
          • Pop quiz
          • Have a go hero-different goals for different sites
        • Measuring your site
        • Time for action-measuring the scale of your site
          • What just happened?
          • Are you expecting a lot of visitors?
          • Pop quiz
          • Have a go hero-take some measurements!
        • Working with others
        • Time for action-determining compliance and interoperability needs
          • What just happened
          • Have a go hero-learn the terms
        • Determining additional feature requirements
        • Time for action-choosing additional features
          • What just happened
        • Summary
      • 4. Building the Site
        • Get hands-on experience with a CMS
        • Time for action-taking a test drive
          • What just happened?
          • Checking out a live demo
          • Pop quiz
          • Have a go hero-test drive some more CMSs
        • Create navigation structure
        • Time for action-creating navigation structure
          • What just happened?
          • Do you need a different navigation structure?
          • Pop quiz
        • Understanding technical requirements
        • Time for action-understanding technical requirements
          • What just happened
        • Installing a CMS
          • Before the installation
            • Creating a database
            • Uploading files using FTP
            • Using phpMyAdmin
            • Managing file permissions
        • Time for action-install WordPress
          • What just happened
          • Have a go hero-set up your navigation structure with WordPress
          • Have a go hero-set up Joomla!
        • Summary
      • 5. Content Editing and Management
        • Adding content to our site
        • Time for action-adding a page
          • What just happened?
          • What is WYSIWYG? Why is it important?
          • Adding images
          • Time for action-adding images
            • What just happened?
            • Have a go hero-image formatting options
            • Have a go hero-adding a video
          • Maintaining content
          • Time for action-adding metadata
            • What just happened?
              • Tagging is keywords on steroids!
            • Have a go hero-adding links
            • Allowing people to contribute
            • Have a go hero-determine multiuser needs
        • Summary
      • 6. Templates and Plug-ins
        • Giving a professional look to our site
          • Using templates
        • Time for action-finding a good template
          • What just happened?
            • Template selection criteria
            • Where to find templates
          • Have a go hero-shortlisting some more templates
        • Time for action-setting up a template
          • What just happened?
            • Different CMSs have different templates
            • Free, paid, or custom
          • Have a go hero-setting up a template in your favorite CMS
        • Enhancing functionality with plug-ins
          • Plug-ins, or modules, or extensions
          • The plug-ins that you need
        • Time for action-finding a photo gallery plug-in
          • What just happened?
        • Time for action-showing a photo gallery on our site
          • What just happened?
          • No coding required
          • Uninstalling a plug-in
          • Have a go hero-set up an e-commerce extension
        • Summary
      • 7. Extending and Customizing
        • Customize a template
          • Fixing the site logo
        • Time for action-replacing the default logo in our template
          • What just happened?
          • Changing the site color
          • Changing the menu style
        • Time for action-advancing customization via CSS changes
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-fixing submenus
          • Customizations may need code changes
            • What is a programming language? Is it easy?
        • Understanding the code architecture
          • Understanding the level of support
            • And there are books!
        • Finding professional help
        • Summary
    • III. Section III - CMSs by breed
      • 8. Blog CMSs
        • The first question-do I need a self-hosted or service-based CMS?
          • Top blogging CMSs
          • Let us cover the top choices
        • Taking WordPress for a test drive
        • Time for action-managing content with WordPress
          • What just happened?
        • Extending WordPress
        • Time for action-customizing the design
          • What just happened?
          • Customizing the theme
          • WordPress widgets
          • Add unlimited power with plug-ins
          • Comments or spam
          • Additional resources
        • Evaluating Movable Type
        • Time for action-managing content with Movable Type
          • What just happened?
          • Customizing Movable Type
          • Additional resources
        • Expressing opinions with ExpressionEngine
        • Time for action-managing content with ExpressionEngine
          • What just happened?
          • Customizing ExpressionEngine
          • Additional resources
        • Searching for more alternatives
        • Additional help is also available
        • Summary
      • 9. Web CMSs
        • Do you want a CMS or a portal?
          • Evaluating CMS Made Simple
        • Time for action-managing content with CMS Made Simple
          • What just happened?
        • Time for action-exploring customization options
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-is it right for you?
        • Diving into Drupal
        • Time for action-putting Drupal to the test
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-figure out your way with Drupal
          • Drupal code quality
        • Is Joomla! the best choice?
          • Joomla! gives you more
          • Have a go hero-set up a full site with Joomla!
        • SilverStripeeasy and extensive
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • ezPublishenterprise CMS
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • Umbracorising high
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • DotNetNukethe first you may notice
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • Plonefor Python lovers
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • dotCMSenterprise and Java
          • Notable features
          • Is it for you?
        • Where to find more?
        • Summary
      • 10. CMS for e-commerce
        • Content or commerce?
          • So what are your options?
        • Magentoopen source e-commerce evolved
        • Time for action-adding products with Magento
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero
          • Notable Magento features
            • Single page checkout
            • Product attributes
            • Full control over design
            • Magento as a CMS
          • Other features
          • Is it for you?
        • VirtueMartbringing e-commerce to Joomla!
        • Time for action-adding products and selling them
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero
          • Is it for you?
          • What about Drupal and WordPress?
        • Freewaye-commerce for products, events, services, and subscriptions
        • Time for action-selling weekly yoga class registrations
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero
          • Other notable features
        • Other notable e-commerce CMSs
          • osCommerce and variants
          • PrestaShopa breath of fresh air
          • DashCommercefor .Net
          • Looking for even more?
        • Summary
      • 11. Team Collaboration CMSs
        • Why a collaboration CMS?
          • Can we use any CMS on the intranet?
        • Alfrescoan enterprise CMS
        • Time for action-planning the Yoga Site with Alfresco
          • What just happened?
          • Alfresco Explorer
          • Have a go hero-add a space and some users
        • Time for action-creating workflows and revisions with Alfresco
          • What just happened?
          • Document detail page
          • Have a go hero-workflows with multiple users
          • Alfresco can do much more
        • Finding alternatives to Alfresco
          • Mix and match
        • Summary
      • 12. Specialized CMSs
        • Wiki CMSs: The power of collective contribution
        • Time for action-creating events listing for the Yoga Site
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-explore the power of Wikis
          • What makes Wikis special?
          • Other Wiki software
          • Additional resources
        • Discussion forums: helping each other
        • Time for action-discussions on yoga products
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-trying out more with phpBB
          • What makes forums special?
          • Other forum software
          • Additional resources
        • Photo galleries: Sharing memories
        • Time for action-posting team photos online
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-digging into Gallery
          • What makes galleries special?
          • Other photo gallery software
          • Additional resources
        • Online learning: facilitating learning
        • Time for action-creating a yoga course
          • What just happened?
          • Have a go hero-take a test
          • What makes e-learning special?
          • Other e-learning software
          • Additional resources
        • Other specialized CMSs
        • Summary
    • IV. Section IV - Open source CMS tips
      • 13. Hosting your CMS-Powered Site
        • Do I need hosting?
          • Keep this in mindhosting evaluation parameters
          • Hosting on your own machine
          • Finding a good host
          • Common tasks and problems in hosting
            • Making sense of the welcome email
          • Time for action-create a database with cPanel
            • Using FTP to upload files
            • Changing permissions for files or folders
            • Editing files with an online file manager
          • Time for action-editing a file using cPanel File Manager
            • Apache configuration with .htaccess
            • You may find this usefulsome hints and tips
        • Summary
      • 14. Getting Involved in the Community
        • Where to go for support
          • Have a go hero-checkout the support systems of your favorite CMS
        • Searching for an answer
        • Keep this in mindasking good questions
          • Recommended message structure
          • Have a go hero-recommended reading
        • How can you contribute?
        • Summary
      • 15. Working with a Specialist
        • Basics of Software Project Management
          • Software development Stages
          • Recommended readings
        • Finding the right expert
          • Finding experts online
          • Look for CMS experts
        • Outsourcing requires different thinking
          • Further reading
        • Tracking progress and controlling
          • Online project management tools
        • Handling risks and conflicts
          • Risk management
          • Conflict resolution
        • Succeed with your projectrecommendations
        • Summary
      • 16. Packt Open Source CMS Awards
        • Why an award?
        • Award methodology
        • 2008 award winners
          • Drupal
            • Background
          • Joomla!
            • Background
          • DotNetNuke
            • Background
          • SilverStripe
            • Background
            • What makes it most promising?
          • CMS Made Simple
            • Background
          • Plone
            • Background
          • dotCMS
            • Background
          • ImpressCMS
            • Background
          • MiaCMS
            • Background
        • Other finalists
        • Most valued professionals
        • Summary
    • Index
  • Title: Choosing an Open Source CMS: Beginner's Guide. Find the best CMS and start working with it to create web sites, blogs, communities, e-commerce sites, and intranets
  • Author: Nirav Mehta
  • Original title: Choosing an Open Source CMS: Beginner's Guide. Find the best CMS and start working with it to create web sites, blogs, communities, e-commerce sites, and intranets
  • ISBN: 9781847196231, 9781847196231
  • Date of issue: 2009-04-17
  • Format: Ebook
  • Item ID: e_3c91
  • Publisher: Packt Publishing