Content Management Systems

[Tony Hardy]

Am I right in thinking that things like Drupal, Cargo, Wordpress etc all count as CMS?
What are they used for? Is it for clients that want to be able to update their site 2 or 3 times a week without having to sift through tons and tons of code?
Also, how do you go about implementing a CMS in a non-template based design, eg a design from scratch?

[Corrosive]

Am I right in thinking that things like Drupal, Cargo, Wordpress etc all count as CMS?
What are they used for? Is it for clients that want to be able to update their site 2 or 3 times a week without having to sift through tons and tons of code?
Also, how do you go about implementing a CMS in a non-template based design, eg a design from scratch?

Yes to all of those (except I have heard some purists refer to Drupal as a website development framework, ooh la la).

They are used for more than just client updates, they allow you to have functionality on a website by installing a plug-in, that previously you'd have coded from scratch. Database driven content allows things such as site search to be viable. They also offer a way to manage your content in a sensible way. Unlike some static sites with pages all over the place and no real clear structure.

As for the last question I am going to recommend ModX CMS again. By far the most non-templatey of the CMS I have tried. No being tied to a convoluted templating system, you create your own.

[Tony Hardy]

So are they only really massively handy if the site is huge with pages and files all over the place?
When you see people selling a CMS website, it could simply be a website knocked up on Wordpress etc?

Do you use them often?

[Corrosive]

So are they only really massively handy if the site is huge with pages and files all over the place?
When you see people selling a CMS website, it could simply be a website knocked up on Wordpress etc?

Do you use them often?

I'd say the main use of them is for customers to do their own updates. Fresh content is king (in many ways) and customers should have the ability to add a news item, blog post or details of their latest products without coming back to us every time.

It could indeed be a Wordpress based site that designers are selling.

We use them all the time. In fact I can safely say I have done one 'static' website this year so far. I try and sell the benefits of a CMS every time.

[Tony Hardy]

I knew you were gonna say that lol.
I have no idea how to integrate a CMS into a custom built site, is it a fairly simple procedure?

[Corrosive]

I have no idea how to integrate a CMS into a custom built site, is it a fairly simple procedure?

Depends which one you go for. That's a fairly broad question!

[Tony Hardy]

Well let's say I go for ModX.
I have a design that I want to intergrate a CMS into so the users can publish say a blog, without touching the code.
Does it just link in the same way a stylesheet does?

[Corrosive]

Well let's say I go for ModX.
I have a design that I want to intergrate a CMS into so the users can publish say a blog, without touching the code.
Does it just link in the same way a stylesheet does?

No, not really. You need to get your head round a CMS and what it is and can do. These are some great beginner tutorials; MODx Revolution for Complete Beginners Part 1 – Introduction | The Coding Pad to start with.

[Tony Hardy]

Yeah I've just been having a bit of an explore around that site.
Looks like a very powerful tool. Think it may take some learning.

[daytona]

I spent a week on work experience helping set up an e-commerce site using Drupal and was pretty impressed with how simple and flexible it was.

sorry to jump in but i saw cms in the thread title and wanted to say "I've done that" :PPP

but yeah as corrosive rightly says it's the purpose of the site that determines the cms (or so i understand) but after using drupal for a week, i can see it's advantages.