Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
9 posts by 4 authors in: Forums > CMS Builder
Last Post: August 1, 2008 (RSS)
By Michael Blake - July 28, 2008 - edited: July 28, 2008
Hi,
Sorry for the long(ish) post but I could do with some advice on the following quandary. I run a few websites for clubs at no cost to them other than the web host fees. In the past I have used AM2 and also tried CMSB when it was new and perhaps a little too raw for me. Recently I have been learning Drupal CMS which is a good bit of kit. I need to convert one of my sites from the old Mambo CMS to something else and also update two other sites that I am managing, the obvious candidate being Joomla 1.5 of course. However now is a good time for me to consolidate my sites into one piece of software as that will surely prove beneficial to myself and the clubs I help out, my thought being that it would be good to become focused on one piece of software rather than the various systems that I am currently using.
I have always been very impressed with the help from Interactive Tools and wouldn't be averse to paying for good software rather than using the likes of Joomla or Drupal which although excellent are perhaps a little too complicated through trying to do everything for everybody.
Anyway, please could you clarify the following few points for me? -
Sorry for so many questions, this is a very important step for me as I decide which software I am going to concentrate my learning on. Web sites aren't an earner for me but I am keen to deliver a quality product to those that I assist with this work. I am angling towards IT and CMSB or AM2 but the lure of Drupal and Joomla is also there, hence I want to move forward and take the plunge but am really reliant on a little more information if possible. Drupal and Joomla deliver so many functions but in reality I perhaps need something a little better focused on delivering content and Interactive Tools seem to me to be the best option.
Many thanks for your time,
Mickey
Sorry for the long(ish) post but I could do with some advice on the following quandary. I run a few websites for clubs at no cost to them other than the web host fees. In the past I have used AM2 and also tried CMSB when it was new and perhaps a little too raw for me. Recently I have been learning Drupal CMS which is a good bit of kit. I need to convert one of my sites from the old Mambo CMS to something else and also update two other sites that I am managing, the obvious candidate being Joomla 1.5 of course. However now is a good time for me to consolidate my sites into one piece of software as that will surely prove beneficial to myself and the clubs I help out, my thought being that it would be good to become focused on one piece of software rather than the various systems that I am currently using.
I have always been very impressed with the help from Interactive Tools and wouldn't be averse to paying for good software rather than using the likes of Joomla or Drupal which although excellent are perhaps a little too complicated through trying to do everything for everybody.
Anyway, please could you clarify the following few points for me? -
- The sites I run are usually composed of static content and news items. The static content is probably changed once a year as new tournaments are compiled, after that the news items feature updates on tournaments and some book reviews. Would AM2 or CMSB be better suited to this, I have an existing AM" licence unused but from the IT website I get the impression that CMSB is becoming the better-developed software package?
- With CMSB can I have a summary list of new 'news' posted to the front page and then the full article on its own page (as in AM2)?
- With CMSB can I create different lists of say 'New Reviews', 'Latest News', Championship News' etc and then place each list in a different <div> or <table> within the front page of the site? I am thinking that CMSB could perhaps compile a featured list and treat like an 'include' to be placed within a dedicated position on a page.
- With CMSB can I easily add an 'iframe' to a page so that I can pull in a tournament table hosted on a partner website?
- Does CMSB create thumbnails that I can place into my book review articles?
- Can I get the 'comments' module added to a single type of content, for example just add it to 'reviews'?
- Is it possible to have certain types of content use a different template, for example could I have tournament news pages use a different template than 'club news'?
- Is it easy to add a 'form' that allows site visitors to send the club an email, it would need to be a form that say had some options for the email to be sent to different officials. I am very keen that we remove all email addresses from these websites so a multi-option form seems the best way forward.
- Finally - I need to create book reviews and think that CMSB can ensure that I have a regular layout, am I correct in thinking that CMSB will allow me to define fields for various page types so that I can click on 'create a review' and will be given a pre-defined page with options?
Sorry for so many questions, this is a very important step for me as I decide which software I am going to concentrate my learning on. Web sites aren't an earner for me but I am keen to deliver a quality product to those that I assist with this work. I am angling towards IT and CMSB or AM2 but the lure of Drupal and Joomla is also there, hence I want to move forward and take the plunge but am really reliant on a little more information if possible. Drupal and Joomla deliver so many functions but in reality I perhaps need something a little better focused on delivering content and Interactive Tools seem to me to be the best option.
Many thanks for your time,
Mickey
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
By Perchpole - July 28, 2008
Mickey -
In a word: yes.
:0)
Perchpole
In a word: yes.
:0)
Perchpole
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
By Dave - July 28, 2008
Hi Mickey,
Thanks for your message! CMS Builder can do everything you mentioned except email forms and comments - you'd need an extra script (or some custom programming) to make that work.
We get a lot of people moing over from Joomla, Drupal, etc. The general consensus is those are great packages if you want a site that looks and works exactly like they work. As soon as you want to do something outside of that "box", though, it can be very challenging.
CMS Builder takes the opposite approach. It makes it much easier to build exactly the CMS you need giving you complete control over sections, fields, website display, etc.
And once you get familiar with CMS Builder you can build very customized sites amazingly fast with it (as shown in our video demo).
Hope that helps, any other questions just let me know!
Thanks for your message! CMS Builder can do everything you mentioned except email forms and comments - you'd need an extra script (or some custom programming) to make that work.
We get a lot of people moing over from Joomla, Drupal, etc. The general consensus is those are great packages if you want a site that looks and works exactly like they work. As soon as you want to do something outside of that "box", though, it can be very challenging.
CMS Builder takes the opposite approach. It makes it much easier to build exactly the CMS you need giving you complete control over sections, fields, website display, etc.
And once you get familiar with CMS Builder you can build very customized sites amazingly fast with it (as shown in our video demo).
Hope that helps, any other questions just let me know!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com
interactivetools.com
Re: [Dave] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
Thanks for the replies, very helpful.
Dave, could you take a look at a page on the Mambo site for me and advise if CMSB can be used to construct a similar page layout? The page is one of numerous 'federation contacts' and I will need to replicate these, preferably not having to use tables as in this mambo layout. The page is at http://www.iccf.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=166
I reckon the answer will be that CMSB could create this layout or similar, just need confirmation if possible.
Thanks,
Mickey
Dave, could you take a look at a page on the Mambo site for me and advise if CMSB can be used to construct a similar page layout? The page is one of numerous 'federation contacts' and I will need to replicate these, preferably not having to use tables as in this mambo layout. The page is at http://www.iccf.com/content/index.php?option=com_content&task=view&id=166
I reckon the answer will be that CMSB could create this layout or similar, just need confirmation if possible.
Thanks,
Mickey
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
By Dave - July 28, 2008
Hi Mickey,
The short answer is yes. The popular articles (tracked by hits) and who's online would require extra programming.
Let me know if you need more details about any of that.
The short answer is yes. The popular articles (tracked by hits) and who's online would require extra programming.
Let me know if you need more details about any of that.
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com
interactivetools.com
Re: [Dave] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
Thanks Dave,
I appreciate your help, I think I will go with CMSB and get some custom work on comments etc.
Cheers,
mickey
I appreciate your help, I think I will go with CMSB and get some custom work on comments etc.
Cheers,
mickey
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
CMSB is certainly impressive, well done IT. I have found the program to be remarkably flexible and am now hoping to convert my sites to it asap.
Can I just clarify the status of those given permission to add content.? I would like to have some people able to publish immediatley whilst offering others the opprotunity to submit articles for consideration.
Q1. In essence I am asking if it is possible to give some users the status of a publisher and others the status of a writer?
Q2. Is it possible to provide a 'submit article' link and allow any site visitor the opportunity to add a news article as a 'writer'?
Thanks,
Mickey
Can I just clarify the status of those given permission to add content.? I would like to have some people able to publish immediatley whilst offering others the opprotunity to submit articles for consideration.
Q1. In essence I am asking if it is possible to give some users the status of a publisher and others the status of a writer?
Q2. Is it possible to provide a 'submit article' link and allow any site visitor the opportunity to add a news article as a 'writer'?
Thanks,
Mickey
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
By Donna - August 1, 2008
Hi Mickey!
Glad to hear you're enjoying CMS Builder. :)
The levels of access that CMS Builder currently allows are:
Writer - User can only access records they have created
Manager - User can access any records in this section
There isn't currently a "guest" or "for approval" account type, so to submit articles for consideration, you'd need to use a third party form -- perhaps an email form that sent it directly to you so you could then create the item in CMS Builder.
I hope this helps. :)
Glad to hear you're enjoying CMS Builder. :)
The levels of access that CMS Builder currently allows are:
Writer - User can only access records they have created
Manager - User can access any records in this section
There isn't currently a "guest" or "for approval" account type, so to submit articles for consideration, you'd need to use a third party form -- perhaps an email form that sent it directly to you so you could then create the item in CMS Builder.
I hope this helps. :)
Donna
--
support@interactivetools.com
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support@interactivetools.com
Re: [Michael Blake] Long Post (Sorry) Need to make a decision on CMSB
By Dave - August 1, 2008
Anothing thing you can do is create a field called "hidden" with a default value of checked. Then make it an "admin only" field. Then when writers add articles they'll be hidden until you (as the admin) go and unhide them.
Hope that helps!
Hope that helps!
Dave Edis - Senior Developer
interactivetools.com
interactivetools.com