phpWCMS Now and Future
Posted: Tue 31. Jan 2006, 04:25
Hi everyone:
I'm a designer, primarily of print materials, but also websites. I am fairly capable of mastering the technical side of web technology, but only with a well-explained roadmap and some help and advice. I've got good PHP reference materials and understand it to a degree. I've also gotten quite good with CSS, box model stuff and all that.
Because my designer brain can't handle the "heavy-lifting" involved with the backend of a data-driven site, Dreamweaver can only take me so far. I recently began the search for a good Open Source CMS. I thought I found something good in Mambo/Joomla, but after investing a lot of time I realized how limited a system it is (and how convoluted it's "logic" is).
I stumbled on phpWCMS as the top-rated CMS on OpenSourceCMS and gave it a look. My initial impression is that I can do more of what I want and have more control than I'd ever have with M/J (with those systems I found myself struggling to fit what I wanted into their logic and bumping into wall after wall -- although I do think M/J is exactly the right tool for many users) and I was very pleased with my first foray into adding some sections, articles and menus.
I would like to give phpWCMS a try, and did an install today on one of my SiteGround sites today, but I have some questions:
1. I'm a bit confused by the current state of the project. On one hand it seems robust and active, but I'm noticing that many posts here in the forums are a year or more old. I understand (and actually prefer) that it may be a small community, but I'm trying to determine how vital it is.
2. Is there a balance between using phpWCMS as a primary CMS while also integrating some of Dreamweaver's dynamic tools? (I fully intend to use DW as my primary editor for CSS and page layout -- I'm trying to move toward pages that are as close to 100% pure CSS as possible).
3. Can anyone detail the future of the User Administration system, in terms of things like assigning user-level access to certain functions or site sections -- the ability, for instance, to restrict editorial access based on assigned user levels, etc.?
I have other questions, but rather than try to lay them all out at once, I'd love to get some preliminary input. I hope to become part of this community. Thanks!
I'm a designer, primarily of print materials, but also websites. I am fairly capable of mastering the technical side of web technology, but only with a well-explained roadmap and some help and advice. I've got good PHP reference materials and understand it to a degree. I've also gotten quite good with CSS, box model stuff and all that.
Because my designer brain can't handle the "heavy-lifting" involved with the backend of a data-driven site, Dreamweaver can only take me so far. I recently began the search for a good Open Source CMS. I thought I found something good in Mambo/Joomla, but after investing a lot of time I realized how limited a system it is (and how convoluted it's "logic" is).
I stumbled on phpWCMS as the top-rated CMS on OpenSourceCMS and gave it a look. My initial impression is that I can do more of what I want and have more control than I'd ever have with M/J (with those systems I found myself struggling to fit what I wanted into their logic and bumping into wall after wall -- although I do think M/J is exactly the right tool for many users) and I was very pleased with my first foray into adding some sections, articles and menus.
I would like to give phpWCMS a try, and did an install today on one of my SiteGround sites today, but I have some questions:
1. I'm a bit confused by the current state of the project. On one hand it seems robust and active, but I'm noticing that many posts here in the forums are a year or more old. I understand (and actually prefer) that it may be a small community, but I'm trying to determine how vital it is.
2. Is there a balance between using phpWCMS as a primary CMS while also integrating some of Dreamweaver's dynamic tools? (I fully intend to use DW as my primary editor for CSS and page layout -- I'm trying to move toward pages that are as close to 100% pure CSS as possible).
3. Can anyone detail the future of the User Administration system, in terms of things like assigning user-level access to certain functions or site sections -- the ability, for instance, to restrict editorial access based on assigned user levels, etc.?
I have other questions, but rather than try to lay them all out at once, I'd love to get some preliminary input. I hope to become part of this community. Thanks!
