Articles about Web Design
Here we are posting a series of informative articles about websites - how to get one, what is involved, how much does it cost, what are the options, and more. As well, we'll share what we know about email, web browsers and the internet.
What is CMS? |
| Jan 24 2008 at 5:50 PM |
There are many differences between using CMS or traditional website construction methods. However, the difference that may be of interest to a non-webmaster is this:
Updates
A traditional website needs to be updated by a webmaster or someone with knowledge of html and the ability to upload files using ftp.
A CMS website has an administrative back end that allows updates to be done through a text editor area using a browser (Internet Explorer, Safari, Firefox etc) and does not require a knowledge of html or uploading of files using ftp.
Both kinds of websites can be updated by a webmaster if the client does not wish to be involved in this activity.
Costs
Here at Goodwin Studios both website variations can cost about the same. However, adding pages, changing the menu, and otherwise increasing the scope of a traditional website will incur extra costs. As well, the cost of a traditional website increases depending on the number of pages needed. The cost of a CMS website is not dependent on the number of pages.
Features
If a client needs features such as blog, news, photo gallery, store etc., CMS is the ideal approach. CMS uses 'modules' which can be added easily and adapted to fit the design and needs of individual websites during the construction phase or at any time after.
Design
There is no difference in the design or look of a website using traditional or CMS methods.
How is this all possible?
CMS, short for Content Management System, uses an online database to generate dynamic pages and content. Put simply, a program is creating the pages, not a human. All the human needs to know how to do is ask the program to make a page or carry out a variety of other tasks.
Other advantages
A CMS website can be udpated by more than one person. Access passwords and restrictions can be used giving various members of an organization different access, or giving people in an office different access to different areas.
Add to your menu, add sub menu items, change the order of items in your menu - these things can be done quickly.
Optimize for search engines - you will have control over your own page titles, descriptions, and keywords.
Upload files to your media area - documents, images, photos - and link them from within your pages.
OK, I like it. How is it done?
At Goodwin Studios, we like to use Website Baker as it presents a very simple back end. Other CMS are Joomla, Drupal, and Wordpress. They all differ in various ways but Joomla and Drupal have a huge feature toolbox and are ideal for large community-based websites such as municipal sites, tourism sites, etc.
The difference is this - with Joomla or Drupal one starts with a highly complex website and development time is spent stripping away everything that isn't needed.
With Website Baker, one starts with a very simple website and spends development time adding the modules that will be needed by the client. The simpler the website, the less development time is needed.
Websites constructed using Website Baker, and other content management systems (cms) have two parts, the Front End and the Back End. The Front End is what the public sees when they visit your site. The Back End is where you or your administrators login and make changes to the content.
With every WB site we design, we offer a Help File in .doc format which includes Chapter 8, helps specific to your website.
Do I have to update myself when I use CMS?
No. We like CMS even when we are going to carry on as webmasters and handle the website updates. It makes our job easier too!
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