SilverStripe - a first look

[ergophobe]

Here's another in my comments about testing CMS. As I mentioned in my ModX Revolution Review [webmasterworld.com], these tests concern either CMS that I've never used or haven't used in so long it amounts to the same thing.

In other words, these are not expert reviews. These are just first looks in hopes of kicking things off and getting responses from people who know the system and can correct, augment or confirm my very superficial investigations. In other words: if this is your favorite CMS, relax. Don't get upset, just let me know why I'm wrong.

My motivation is to find something super simple for non-techy, busy people who need a very simple interface to enter search and rescue-related information as it's happening.

Silverstripe

Silverstripe has a super easy and streamlined install. Great so far.

The admin section is fairly straightforward and everything was understandable out of the box. Again, that's a positive.

At the same time, I'm looking for something super simple for the end user and this just doesn't seem like it.

As one example, I think that when someone is creating a page and they click on the "add image" icon on the toolbar, they should be able to upload an image. In Silverstripe, they have to first go to Files & Images, upload the "asset", then return to Site Content (aren't images "content"?) and navigate to the image that they've just uploaded and include it in the post.

To me that's just too many steps for people who are in a hurry and trying to get information online in response to developing situations. Not being able to enter images from the edit page one of my pet peeves, to be honest. Did I miss something with Silverstripe? Is this really the only option?

And then, another thing that I think is great of usability and ease of use for the unwashed: when I'm logged in and looking at a page, if I have sufficient privileges, there should be an "Edit this page" link on that page.

Silverstripe has a very separate admin and public function. I can certainly see the rationale, but it's not what I'm looking for.

[freelancer]

As one example, I think that when someone is creating a page and they click on the "add image" icon on the toolbar, they should be able to upload an image. In Silverstripe, they have to first go to Files & Images, upload the "asset", then return to Site Content (aren't images "content"?) and navigate to the image that they've just uploaded and include it in the post.

Ergophobe, I think anytime someone is creating content with any given tool one has to generally work within the design constraints of that given tool.

For instance. If I am going to work on a given project I know I am going to have to have access to certain given assets within that projects folders .

I can see where you feel there should be an option to upload from the content folder but is'nt it common practice anyway (especially for a non-techy) to upload css,images,templates, what have you ahead of time , before you start a project ? Maybe not but I think its just a matter of saying , ok , I am going to do this , so I will need to upload these images to the upload folder. Or, I want to use this particular style sheet so I will upload it to a style sheet folder .

I really do not see how that is such a hurdle for a non-techie. Its really not an extra step , its just you have to be click on the Files and Folders tab and upload any needed media for a given project. Then when you have uploaded everything its all available from the content editing window.

Its really not an extra step , its just that you need to do it from within the Files and Folders tab one time for a given project. All of those assets are now available from the content editor.

Not being able to enter images from the edit page one of my pet peeves, to be honest. Did I miss something with Silverstripe? Is this really the only option?

You can enter images from the edit page as long as they are uploaded .See above.

Either way , you would have to upload , so again , as I said above , this is not an extra step , it just has to be done within the Files and Uploads tab/window . It probably best to keep images and stuff in separate folders anyway . Would'nt you agree ?

Regardless , I am still just getting hands on with this CMS myself so I am not really that familar with all the options .

[ergophobe]

Of course, different people have different preferences on the way they work and I'm sure Silverstripe is designed that way because some people prefer it.

Perhaps it's really not that different as you say, and I just have an irrational hangup on this particular feature. Maybe my habits are too ingrained, but a new user approaching it without bias just wouldn't care.

I would love to see some head-to-head usability testing with neophyte users. I'm betting that for creating a new page, the Wordpress-style workflow would win by a large margin. It's much more similar to how you add an image to a Word, Powerpoint, InDesign, etc document.

All of which makes me think that you raise a good point and I should just get a few people who don't know either system to see if they can create a page with images and see whch they prefer or which one gives the highest success rate.

is'nt it common practice anyway (especially for a non-techy) to upload css,images,templates, what have you ahead of time.

If you're talking about design elements, sure. I'm talking about the images that will illustrate the pages. So let's say someone has a gardening site and everyday they write an article and every article is illustrated by one or more images.

With Wordpress or Drupal or many others, they say "I want to write today's article", they press a "write article" button of some sort, start writing and when the time comes to insert an image, they press another button and stay on the same page but get an image management popup and simply upload and insert the image. It's all integrated organically into the document creation workflow.

In one case it's a completely separate action and the images, files or other assets are not integrated into the document creation process. In the other case, it's a single linear process. All someone needs to do is figure out what the "add image" icon looks like on the document creation page and they're good to go.

Of course, that's all just my impression and without usability testing, one can't say definitively.