Managing large website without CMS or PHP skills possible?

is dreamweaver the solution?

[followgreg]

I am planning to setup a local coupon type of site, and I could not find any CMS that would have the features I want and a clean understandable code and back end management.

So I'm planning to develop using pure HTML and dreamweaver or frontpage, the site even though it's for local stores promotions could have quite a few pages after a few months.

Am I being crazy of thinking I can manage like 1000's of page / 12's of categories without a database driven solution?

[Webwork]

Not crazy. Just depends on the nature of the website.

If it's evergreen content you're building then wise use of CSS & SSI can make your life manageable.

If it's a site with an ever changing subject matter or products then yes, you're crazy or soon will be.

[followgreg]

hmmmm I see, I just have the experience of fairly small sites (less than 200 pages) and the content of this coupon site will be changing everyday so I will have to update stuff all the time.

I was thinking that with some dreamweaver templated I could made it without totally going crazy but I dunno.

Is there a solution out there for people like me, not really technical...not a total noob either though.?

[outrun]

I used to use Macromedia Contribute before I started delving into CMS, easy to use if your a Dreamweaver person.

[followgreg]

I'm using contribute too and it's sufficient for most of my needs until now.
changing the content is not what worries me....I'm worried with the overall organization, archives etc..

So far I could not find a CMS that would allow me to simply make this project happen without custom programming which is not the best since it's a fairly small project.

[outrun]

Etomite has a small learning curve, there are things to learn but its one of the easiest CMS that I have ever used.

[Wai_Wai]

Why not use a CMS and ease your webmaster's life by much? :P
As to the problem that you can't find a suitable CMS, what exactly are you looking for? There may be realy some CMS available, but you simply don't notice?

Do you know how to code? If so, I can recommend some developer-based CMS to you, so you can build up from this CMS eaily to satisfy your wants.

[followgreg]

Actually no I don't code, let's say I know how to tweak here and there but I'm far from being a coder...I'm quite good with pure xhtml/html but this is not coding. I whish I was...

I can get some help here and there with friends though if tweaking the CMS is not that complicated.

I found out that what I need for my site is very similar, almost 100% the same as xpbargains or slickdeals (the .net one) the first one is made with XOOP I think but seems to be highly customized.

If I do everything static I think that I will spend my life updating the site.

Any suggestion highly appreciated! :)

[Wai_Wai]

Hi, followgreg.
Not sure if I can mention any product name or their website in this forum.
I once tried to suggest something similar in one forum, but got clipped.
I'm asking the mod about that. Hopefully it can reply me soon.

[topr8]

>>Managing large website without CMS or PHP skills possible? [or equivalent]

simple and true answer: not possible

just learn to use a database,
or pay someone to set up a simple no frills backend for you

[followgreg]

Wai_Wai, you can send me a stickymail to tell me about your solution :)

Yeah I guess I will have to pay someone to do it somehow.