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Let’s talk about Content Management Systems!
Let’s talk about Content Management Systems!
While we will discuss “website content management systems” (WCMS), there are a few types of content management systems:
- Enterprise CMS (ECMS)
- Web CMS (WCMS, we will discuss this one today)
- Document management system (DMS)
- Mobile CMS
- Component CMS
- Media content management system
A (W)ebsite (C)ontent (M)anagement system (WCMS) is content management system (CMS) software, usually implemented as a Web application, for creating, managing, and producing dynamic HTML content for websites.
QUICK OVERVIEW: CMSs are frequently used for storing, controlling, versioning, and publishing industry-specific documentation such as news articles, operators’ manuals, technical manuals, sales guides, and marketing brochures. The content managed may include computer files, image media, audio files, video files, electronic documents, and Web content. These concepts represent integrated and interdependent layers. There are various nomenclatures known in this area: Web Content Management, Digital Asset Management, Digital Records Management, Electronic Content Management and so on. The bottom line for these systems is managing content and publishing, with a workflow if required.
DESIGNING: When designing a website, deciding whether or not to utilize a content management system, a WebCMS or WCMS, is vital during it’s building stage. These days, we only build them using WCMSs. Years ago, people used to just use “static” websites instead of “dynamic”. Static has it’s advantages and disadvantages, just like CMS built sites have their advantages along with their disadvantages.
Advantages of static websites
- Quick to develop
- Cheap to develop (used to be more)
- Cheap to host
Disadvantages of static websites
- Requires web development expertise to update site
- Site not as useful for the user
- Content can get stagnant
Advantages of dynamic websites
- Much more functional website
- Much easier to update
- New content brings people back to the site and helps in the search engines
- Client is in control of content
- Much lower long-term website maintenance costs
- Eliminates the need to wait on a busy, expensive web designer
- Facilitates real-time web design content management
- Keeps information current and up-to-date
- Dramatically shortens web development time
- Improves Search Engine Optimization
This comparison is similar to comparing how the operating system of Windows was build to run on top of DOS as a simple graphical user interface (GUI) for less technically challenged people to use a computer. Website Content Management systems (WebCMS) was created for users to make simple updates to their websites without requiring knowledge of programming code or markup languages. Unlike Web-site builders like Microsoft FrontPage, Expression Web or Adobe Dreamweaver, Web CMS allows non-technical users to make changes to an existing website with little or no training. Furthermore, most WCMS runs via a web browser behind a secure admininstration panel log in. Web CMS can be thought of as the Administration Portal or Control Panel for managing your website content(in other words, what is on your website).
Most systems use a database to store content, metadata, and/or artifacts that might be needed by the system. Content is frequently, but not universally, stored as XML, to facilitate reuse and enable flexible presentation options
Types of content management systems
While there are many types of content management systems available. We like to use WordPress for our main CMS system. We find that many of the content management systems are just too complicated for our users to utilze.
Some of the more popular open source content management systems include
- WordPress (blog cms, our preferred WEB CMS for our clients)
- Drupal (full website cms)
- Joomla (full website cms)
- Zencart (shopping cart cms)
Windows 7
Microsoft has announced that Windows 7 will be commercially available on October 22nd, 2009. In other words, that’s the date when you’ll likely be able to walk into a store and either buy a computer with the operating system preloaded or buy a boxed version of the software to install on your existing computer.
The company has been indicating that it hopes to have Windows 7 out in time for the holiday shopping season, and an October launch certainly fits the bill. But if you’re in the market for a back-to-school computer this fall, it looks like you’re going to have to stick with Windows Vista, XP, OS X, or Linux.
On Back in July 2009, I pre-ordered 5 copies of the new Windows 7 from Amazon.com. The reason I decided to order from Amazon was that I am an Amazon “Prime” member and I get free two day shipping and no California sales tax. Here is a screenshot of Windows 7
Beta Releases:
Now, I was one of the luck ones to obtain the RTM (Release to Manufacture) versions of Windows 7, both 32 and 64 bit. I installed it on an older laptop. It was amazingly fast! I then installed it on my wife’s iMac using Sun’s virtual Box. It installs so much faster than Snow Leopard on her iMac. I also installed onto my home computer using the same Virtual Box.
I love Windows 7 and will be using it when it comes out in October.
17 Photoshop Tutorials for Designing Creative Advertisements
Advertisements often display a lot of creativity in design, and Photoshop is an excellent tool for those who are designing advertisements. Fortunately there are a number of tutorials specifically for designing advertisements, and others that demonstrate techniques that are effective for for these purposes. In this post we’ll feature 17 different tutorials that can help you in your own ad design.
Create an Amazing Ad in Photoshop
Create a Shoe Advertisement Poster Using Floral Elements
Create an Amazing Diamond Advertisement Poster in Photoshop
Design a Stunning Sneaker Advert
Create a Mobile Phone Styled Like the HTC Touch Diamond
Design a Sleek Nature Themed Advert
Creating a Successful Blog
Creating a Successful Blog
If you want to create a successful blog, it’s important to understand where traffic to your blog is coming from and what people do when they visit your blog. Luckily, there are a number of tools available to bloggers to help analyze the metrics of your blog.
1. Google Analytics
Google Analytics is considered one of the most comprehensive website tracking tools. Reports are available to the most miniscule detail and, users can set up custom reports, which comes in handy for bloggers who like to track specific advertising campaigns. Google Analytics is available for free.
2. StatCounter
StatCounter users love the features and services the tool provides. Advanced functionality is available for a fee, but most of the metrics a typical blogger needs are included in the free package. It’s important to note that the free version of StatCounter only counts up to 100 visitors at a time then resets and starts counting again. That means only the last 100 visitors to a website are included in the statistics displayed.
3. SiteMeter
SiteMeter offers a decent amount of metrics for free that enable typical bloggers to get a basic understanding of the type of traffic they’re getting on their blogs. Advanced functionality is available for a fee, but most of the information typical bloggers need is available through the free package. Like StatCounter, SiteMeter only counts up to 100 visitors at a time then resets and starts counting again.
4. AWStats
AWStats offers a good amount of metrics related to a website’s traffic, however, many users complain of its inaccuracies. AWStats is available for free.
5. MyBlogLog
MyBlogLog is a blogging directory and community that also provides statistics tracking to registered users of the site. Registration is free. The statistics provided by MyBlogLog are not as robust as those provided by most of the other stat trackers available.
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