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Posted by larry on 11/30/07 18:48
It's generally a web content manager.
A PHP and MySQL based program that ruins on a web server or on a web
hosting site.
Benefits:
Where traditional quality web pages you need some experienced people
to help order and layout on the site and keep content up to date the
CMS (which is what Joomla is) provides a lot of the looks as a
template (like a power point, sets the fonts, colors, etc.) and also
give the user a simple interface to add and manage what get in the
site, such as web-based text editors that work like word processors,
an a way to manage what pictures go there.
Joomla and others have easy to add modules that add functions to the
templates like offering a way to do multi-lingual sites or add an
event calendar, etc.
Mainly it gives you something that looks good without having to have a
consultant do everything. They may set it up and do some maintenance
once in a while but you can have your non techie staff maintain the
content.
Drawbacks
Just like all to many power point templates the tend to all look the
same, as the templates still present content generally in the same way
with just different fonts and colors and the boxes rearranged. So it
may look like a "me-too" good looking site.
If you want to do something that is not capable in the template then
you have to do some custom work, depending on what it it it may be
more important to roll your own then use a CMS (if you want to look
cutting edge, a CMS may not be the look you want)
A CMS does what the CMS does, some of the choices in the CMS workings
and design are not always the choices of other people (that's why
there are sooo many CMSs) Some people just don't like the 'feel' of a
CMS.
Related to PHP Development
If you want to develop something using PHP, Perl, Ruby or whatever
language and not do EVERYTHING, than a CMS may be helpful to provide a
web front end, authentication, etc. All you need to learn is how to
write to work within it (usually not too complex) and then you can
make your own modules. But again not every PHP developer may like the
way CMSs handle authentication, user management, or some other
feature.
As a PHP developer I looked at CMSs the ones I looked at didn't meet
my needs (but Joomla and Drupal were pretty close), I did find a Wiki
more useful and am working on integrating that and creating a CMSish
front end for part of it. The main thing with CMSs wikis, etc, is you
really need to first work out what you want to do with your web
service or web site, make a 'shopping list' and then you can go
shopping for what works for you.
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