Exactly what is a CMS

[gaydemon]

I'm a bit of a novice when it comes to CMS. What is and can a CMS actually do.

In some ways i wonder if its not just a huge term that can be used to most database programs that also have a online publishing facility.

Would you for exampel be able to run a whole directory / link list through a CMS. What about a TGP?

[Adam Mason]

Well, it stands for Content Management System and they're really good if you're a dummy like me on web code etc! I had mine built for me from scratch when the first site was built... so I still don't know any html code because the system does it all for me.

Basically, I just upload the films and images to the server and fill in a few fields in my CMS (like film name, release date, show until etc). So, I can edit and upload my content, fill in the CMS (about 2 mins an update) and walk away, knowing everything will end up in the right place. Great for holidays... except I don't have time for holidays!!!

So, my answer would be yes. My site has 280ish films (x 6 to 9 download options per film) and around 100 images per film split between members and public areas, as well as plenty of text.

[rawTOP]

You're right - anything that manages content and publishes it on the web is a CMS. Blogging platforms are CMSs, then there are custom CMSs...

[AlexManifestMan]

There are standard templates and custom ones. We use a custom one that was written for us. It automates functions like video gallery creation etc. We go into the admin and name a new gallery, indicate whether is video or images, select a model and an activation date. The CMS creates a folder on the ftp which I drop the movies or images into. In the case of images, it creates the thumbs, builds the gallery, associates the gallery under the model's list of galleries, adds a thumb to the update area and more.

They can be huge time savers. We put up several weeks of updates and then they turn on automatically on the date specified.

[gaydemon]

Thats what im wondering. I mean to me a Blog software like movable type is a CMS, what i use for gaydemon and other link lists - Gossamer Threads is also a type of CMS.

Is a CMS like Joomla and similiar a solution to everthing?

Take gaydemon.com for example, would such a CMS be able to handle all the different section, such as Link Directory (40000 links), Blogs, TGP gallery, Story archive etc etc.

Or is still better to use more customized CMS i.e. blog software for blogs, TGP scripts for TGPs etc?



You're right - anything that manages content and publishes it on the web is a CMS. Blogging platforms are CMSs, then there are custom CMSs...

[abostonboy]

Take gaydemon.com for example, would such a CMS be able to handle all the different section, such as Link Directory (40000 links), Blogs, TGP gallery, Story archive etc etc.

Or is still better to use more customized CMS i.e. blog software for blogs, TGP scripts for TGPs etc?

A custom CMS can handle what you design it for as well as integrate with other CMS (MT etc).

When you start going with an off the shelf CMS like Joomla or Gossamer then you really start to stretch the limits of the CMS. Many times the custom coding to get it to do what you want is more than just having one that suits your needs built from scratch. Usually the custom one will have exactly the features that you want and will be more robust as it was built for your needs.

[abostonboy]

p.s. When I say custom, I mean custom built for you.

For example, many sites now are having custom scripts built and using a Maxmind DB to filter ads to specific countries.

[dzinerbear]

I'm just going through this process and I'm using Joomla. I probably wouldn't recommend it for one main reason. The open source world is a pain in the ass.

Joomla could do everything that you're currently doing now, Bjorn, but you'd have to install third-party components, extensions, and plugins. And this is where the joy comes. Joe Blow webmaster decides he wants to create a gallery plugin; when it's finished he offers it to others as a Joomla plugin. Then as you try to implement it on your site, it works fine, but you don't like a particular aspect of it, so you e-mail him to ask a question ... and you wait.

If you're a good coder you may be able to fix problems yourself. But if you can't, you're stuck waiting for these developers to get back to you – if they ever do. If there's a technical issue with the product, you're often stuck fixing it yourself, hiring someone who can, or looking for another product.

So while open source products are great because they're "free," there's no financial incentives for these developers to offer support. And there also aren't strict standards, so you could end up with a product that is coded in a sloppy manner.

My designer and I have had some very good experiences where developers have actually gotten back to us quickly. And some plugins and components have been problem free, so it's not all bad.

But what I'm saying, if you're going to go the Joomla route, you need to (a) know what you're doing with scripts and PHP, (b) have access to someone who does, (c) have lots of time to learn a whole knew language (and I don't mean PHP, I mean a new kind of English because these developers use words in new ways and misuse them, which causes huge amounts of confusion), and (d) you need to be very, very flexible.

I think you already have a CMS. You're using Gossamer as your core, you installed another component called Moveable Type and integrated into your Gossamer. That's pretty much what Joomla does – some elements and functions come with the core, others you have to add on.

Anyway, I could blather one for another four pages ... this has been my life for the past month.

Michael

[gaydemon]

Thanks Michael, thats very informative!

I'm not actually thinking of getting any CMS and as abostonboy mentioned for me I woudl probably get a custom one made.

What im trying establish though is that say i do get a custom CMS, isnt that what I already have?

The product I once started using from Gossamer Threads is so heavily modified and custom made that its like no other install of the same product and extremly stable.

The only way for me to find out I guess its to try one out to see what they actually do.

So the next question is, what would the high end / mid of licenced CMS be?

[basschick]

the way you're using gossamer would be a highly modified cms, but i don't think of it as custom - to me a custom cms would be written for you from scratch so that the actual core of the script was original. MAS is my favorite high-end CMS, although i have never seeen it used for sites other than paysites.

MAS: http://www.mansionproductions.com/mas/

[RDude]

Interesting thread this is. I'm a big fan of CMS's and have messed around with quite a few. Mostly for mainstream sites but I have modified my few Word Press adult sites slightly to suit my needs better. I've learned how to create my own sidebar widgets and such through some great tutorials. As well as the ability to modify themes and such right in the files themselves. It has taught me so much.

I've been messing with html since 1992 and still tend to do things the old fashioned way. Which is kinda funny because I find myself pulling files down from my ftp only to find out later I could have changed something right in the Control Panel of the CMS. LOL.

Dzinerbear - you speak volumes here. I have gone through everything you have by the sounds of it. LOL. Except I didn't get so lucky with the programmers so I had to give up some of the scripts unfortunately.
I've used Joomla, Xoops, PostNuke etc. I always seem to gravitate back to Word Press though as it becomes more than just a blogging tool and into the CMS category.

If anyone is interested, http://www.jamroom.net is the script I'm using for http://www.hear-me-out.net Although made predominantly for musician promotional platforms, it can be modified in many ways. And from what I've heard from Brian (owner and main creator), I'm sure he'd have no problem looking into a customized version for you.
If you get a chance, look around my site and perhaps you'll see how it could easily be transformed into something that could be used for this business of ours. It allows for video as well of course. There are lots of options as far as user control is concerned etc. It would be great for a paysite IMO. But even for just a great porn site if you desire.

It's not a free script at all but the prices are pretty reasonable for the power it possesses - http://www.jamroom.net/Purchase

It's the best CMS I've ever had the pleasure of using. And no, I'm not on their payroll. LOL. I just like to share good things when I come across them.

If anyone decides to grab this and you have some problems learning the Control Panel, PM me and I'll be glad to help out. I know it inside out.