CMS Jam Content Management Systems: News and Resources

This is just a really quick tip for those of you considering several different content management systems. If the CMS you are considering doesn’t have an easy way to back up the database and files (preferably automated), take it off of your short list and choose one that does. Backups are critical, and because CMS’s generally use a database to store all of your content (rather than you hard-coding the text into each page), you’ll need an easy way to backup that database. (Databases are generally not easy to backup for the non-techie). So no matter what features you need in the CMS you choose, make sure backup of the database and files is included in that list.

That’s the CMS Jam top o’ the day…

Over time, definitions of web-based applications tend to change. In many cases, what were once separate systems tend to be combined in mashups and how we define such systems must necessarily change. I believe we are at a crossroads in which various types of systems and sites have undergone enough iterations that we now become confused with what each means.

Although CMS stands for “content management system”, and that in itself seems like a simple thing to define (a system that allows us to manage our site content), it has historically evoked some sort of complex system that cost many thousands of dollars and could only be managed by a team of uber-geeks. I think we’ve finally begun to realize that a CMS doesn’t have to involve high…

If you frequent social networks, you’ll have seen a fair amount of buzz in the last few months about using WordPress as a CMS. I’m here to tell you that for 99% of you out there, that would be a bad idea. Don’t get me wrong. I love WordPress. I have blogs that use WordPress, including this one. I even have one non-blog that uses WordPress - as a CMS! But that doesn’t mean everyone should run out and use WordPress as a CMS, and I’m here to tell you why.

Why should most people not use WordPress as a CMS? Because it is decidedly NOT easy to do so for the average Joe. Perhaps in time it will be, but for now…

In case you’ve been living under a CMS rock, I want to make sure you know about the best demo site that ever lived - OpenSourceCMS. This site has a fairly extensive array of open source (free) CMS packages already installed, and you can play with (test) every one of them. You can [...]

Welcome to the official kickoff post of CMS Jam! So, what is CMS Jam all about? CMS is the acronym for Content Management Systems, and that’s what this blog is all about…managing your site content.

There are hundreds (maybe thousands) of content management systems on the market, and I certainly don’t intend to touch on all of them. Some are extremely high-end (or simply high-priced), and are usually aimed at the large enterprise market. You probably won’t read much about those products here. This blog is aimed at a completely different segment of the web population. I’m here to help you determine which CMS is best for your small-to-medium web site.