[Web4lib] RE: CMS (Content Management System)

[Jerry Yarnetsky, mjcpl reference]

Greetings,

I am personally a fan of Textpattern which I used to develop our library's
website and special projects.

http://www.textpattern.com
http://www.mjcpl.org
http://rivertorail.mjcpl.org

If you know CSS and XHTML, TXP is quite elegant. Many call it a designer's
CMS.

Here's what I like...

* You can divide a site into as many or as few sections as desired and each
can have it's own template and style sheets (as desired).

* TXP uses XML-like tags for dynamic content and behaviors that are easy to
use. You don't have to mess with PHP code.

* Conditional tags are wonderful -- one template can handle many situations
using conditionals.

* It uses "forms" which are snippets of code you can use over and over.
ie... use a form for your navigation and output that form onto a dozen page
templates. Need to make a small change your navigation? Make it once instead
of a dozen times.

* There's a healthy development community that has developed powerful
plugins and templates. http://forum.textpattern.com and
http://www.textpattern.org (plugins and templates)

* multiple-user privileges so you can set up writer-editor models of content
contribution as desired.

Weaknesses...

* Image handling on the administrative side needs to improve.
* Pre-made templates are not plug and play.
* Plugins are in constant beta-- TXP itself is rock solid, but many of the
plugins are in development and you run into bugs. Or worse, the plugin
developer gets busy and can't address the problems -- thus you have to punt
and find other solutions. Don't get me wrong, many of the plugins are
freaking amazing too. This is a problem with any system that allows 3rd
party additions.

For straight-forward sites, Textpattern is great. Good luck!

Jerry Yarnetsky
reference-technology librarian
Madison-Jefferson County Public Library
420 W. Main St.
Madison IN 47250
(812) 265-2744
information at mjcpl.org
www.mjcpl.org