To CMS or not . and then to make sense of it all

Re-launching website

[jerzgirl]

Am helping a client to re-launch their B2B website. It's not a huge site and their content management needs not very complex (i.e. add press releases, tradeshow schedules/speaking opps., offer pdf library that requires registration to download white papers). Search engine visibility is also very important. They've got a web designer lined up to help with site architecture and look-feel.

Current topic I wanted to bounce off the forum here is what I'm finding is the answer to: "how will we make changes/add content ourselves?". It seems that the options are (1) use Contribute which will allow to edit content, set expiration dates, view edit/audit trail or (2) go for a CMS like a Joomla or Drupal.

Thoughts?

[BradleyT]

Drupal with CCK and Views could definitely handle this project.

You create a White Paper content type (using CCK) that has -
Name
Author
Description
Category
File Field

You then give a site author permission to create White Papers. They click Create Content -> White Paper.
They get a form with all of the above fields on it. It takes them less than a minute to upload a new white paper.

All of this is done without programming.

To display the white papers you set up a view. Views allow you to query a database without having to write any SQL. So you create a view that outputs a page of whitepapers that are all grouped by category.

What you get is a page that lists each category that has at least 1 whitepaper and it shows how many whitepapers are in each category. Clicking a category link then goes to a views page that lists all of the white papers for that category and their description. A quickly created template file makes this look all nice by using a 80x80 PDF icon next to each whitepaper and using a nice H2 heading for the name of each white paper.

Once you get the hang of it you'll be able to use views + cck for news & events, testimonials, basically almost any content type that could go on the site.

It's so easy and so powerful - it's like what Drupal was made for.

[lorax]

Sounds to me like "simple" is the keyword. Is the client comfortable with HTML and the process of uploading/synching file? IF not or they're not sure, then go with a CMS.

Which CMS?

WordPress - dead simple. Info architecture is somewhat restrictive but perfect for simpler websites.

Joomla - more complex. Info architecture is a lot less restricted and therefore more complex. I've found it to be good for users that have good organizational skills and have previous CMS experience or have built web pages before.

Drupal - about the same as Joomla but different. Info architecture is about equal too.

In all CMSs the choice and execution of a visual theme is a danger point but in the hands of someone who knows what they're doing each of them can perform really well. My choice in your situation would be WordPress

[spadilla]

There is also Unify which allows a very simple website to have editable blocks. Very lightweight and great for small brochure type sites.

[jerzgirl]

Client is not comfortable in HTML code per se, but they have used a CMS before and added pages, menu items, etc.
I'll look into WordPress a bit more but what is the thinking on Contribute as the tool? I ask this because this is what the web designer is suggesting.

[lorax]

Contribute is a paid for product as I recall. IMHO it's a bit unweildy for someone not comfortable with the process