Options for Managing Dynamic Content

For complex custom sites what do ASP, PHP, LASSO, ZOPE, etc. have to offer

[askjv]

I manage data-base driven websites which require custom CMS for the site owners and visitors. But these are small businesses without endless budgets. I learned at a Mac-based ISP using LASSO with Filemaker. LASSO now runs on NT servers and can utulize SQL. There is also a DreamWeaver plug-in now, but so few ISP's offer it. I'm looking for a solution that my coders can learn and implement with major flexibility.

ZOPE seems to have an interesting alternative with it's object-oriented database system, it's new CMF-content management framework (Plone.org). I like its open-source nature. But again, the ISP's that offer ZOPE are even more scarce.

On a thread in 2002 someone did an interesting comparison of what file extensions were most popular with ASP first and PHP second.

Any recommendations on which is the best learning investment for buidling CMS at this time?

[engine]

askjv,
Welcome to WebmasterWorld [webmasterworld.com]

Interesting topic. I have some experience but I'll try and round up some of the troops with greater knowledge. There's quite a few around here.

Enjoy your membership of WebmasterWorld

[korkus2000]

I would say either PHP or ASP. PHP being the most flexible. ASP is easy to learn using VBScript but binds you to a windows box. PHP is a little different in structure(Not as loose as VB), but runs almost anywhere. Both will work very well for a CMS.

[Nick_W]

Okay, here's my take:

• PHP [php.net]
  
• Smarty Template Engine [smarty.php.net]

Forget learning some custom CMS, they're enevitably as hard as learning a new programming language and inherently cumbersome.

A decent CMS is not hard to put together, and programming them with a view to customization is simple.

But, it does take a fairly good knowledge of the programming language.

The good news is, you don't actually need to be some kind of programming whizz. You just need to pay attention to detail and keep the big picture (the fact that you need to re-use parts of the app on differnet projects) in mind.

I'm living proof: I'm no genius but I'm experienced, so I build everything with a view to re-use and try my best to make functions bullet-proof so they can be relied on again and again.

Hire PHP progammers that can demonstrate OOP CMS Apps they've built.

Nick

[rcjordan]

Run through the list at cmsinfo.org, but after over a year of waiting for just the right CMS, I've recently given up and started writing my own. I'm keeping my eye on blosxom [webmasterworld.com], which -while launched as a blog- really seems to have some core functionality that's I feel is needed in CMS.

[engine]

I thought this subject might stir some interest.

Same as rcjordan, we've been developing our own system as we've been dissatisfied with the options on offer.

We've gone for simplicity, useability and flexibility in a modular format based upon ASP. It's now up and running in real-world applications online.

I recognise the limitations so we have an expansion plans to enable upgrades in due course.

Time to go and look at rc's and Nick_W's suggestions for further research.

[askjv]

Good information, I'm excited to have found a resource like this and will check out the suggestions.

I was hopeful when Macromedia came out with CONTRIBUTE because it tackled the Word and Excel document conversion issue and it actually worked with my custom sites, but found it way too slow and buggy in it's first release.

[rcjordan]

>it tackled the Word and Excel document conversion

This might be more as a stand-alone app than CMS, but have you tried OpenOffice's html conversion of ms.doc files? I tried it about 2 weeks ago after a post here earlier --pretty good.