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Content Management
Software, Programs - Open Source
There are a number of Open
Source CMS suites (scripts are included in this
link) available. The one area where OS software universally fails to
live up to its potential is in the area of documentation. It is almost
as though the techies go out of their way to make it tough to figure
out. The
OpenCms Project is a good place to start - provided you have a
programmer on staff (or you happen to be a weekend hacker
yourself).
OpenSymphony
is an Open Source project dedicated to "providing enterprise class
J2EE applications and components. Our components aim to be specification
compliant, and should work in any J2EE compliant application server.
(Although some components only require a servlet container rather than a
full J2EE app server)". English translation, please?
Another self-proclaimed "leading
source" is ArsDigita,
"the leading provider of flexible, open source e-business software
and solutions."
Cofax
is another Open Source Web-based text and multimedia publication system.
Cofax was developed as Open
Source software. Majority of the code was written by Knight Ridder
employees, with additional code contributed by others under an Open
Source license.
MMBase
opensource.go.com
powers the www.go.com
websites such as www.NFL.com,
www.ABCNEWS.COM,
and www.ESPN.COM.
Orion
Server - According to their page "Orion is a server created in
order to take care of many of your problems for you. It provides your
application with a foundation that is robust, scalable and easy to
develop with. It focuses on performance and lets you focus on your
business logic." ... Uhm, okay, but what application are they
talking about? From what I have been able to read between the lines of
the rather obtuse web site is that this program is a Java
something-or-other that has something to do with content management and
helps you serve "applications" via the web. What kind of
applications is a question that is not immediately answered. On the
upside it's one of the few with a solid and fair price on the web site -
$1,500 for a commercial server, free for development and non-commercial
use.
If you can't handle a do-it-yourself
install, but have the luxury of a good geek with programming skills, I
would encourage you to have him or her have a look at WhamWorks, Master,
and the Open Source code available before you even put out a RFP to the
Big-League companies. You could save a BUNDLE. You may also want to buy
into the new Seybold
Report: Analyzing Publishing Technology. This report covers
technology and business issues facing publishers. Twice a month you'll
get inside the stories shaping print and Internet publishing now.
Userland
Frontier - The site is a bit heavy on the "techie" and
some assumptions are made that the user will understand the jargon they
favor. After looking through the site I am not convinced this product
does a heck of a lot more than FrontPage or DreamWeaver can do, with the
help of a script or two here or there. It's limited to Mac and Windows
servers, so it's useless to the vast majority of Unix-based
shared-server sites (like mine). At the cost of $899.00 (I have heard
this is "per year" but their site a vague on the specifics)
they are worth looking into if you happen to be one of the small number
of those on NT or Mac servers. Don't expect much in the way of sales or
service support. I was approached for feedback by one of their
principals and told him that I thought that the site was confusing and
it was hard to figure out just what it was they were selling. I was told
"if you don't want to do the work to find out what the product is,
your feedback isn't that useful." (Gosh - I thought that was the
salesman's job, not the customer's) Then I was rudely dismissed ... next
time I offer any CMS people advice it will be under "billable
time".
Zope
claims to be the leading Open Source web application server. Zope is a
little in love with jargon, but hey, it's free, who's complaining? There
is a Zope
Book here that explains the system.
I strongly suggest that if you save a
half-million smackers that sending 10% of the savings to the Open Source
Supplier, or to support Open
Source in general would go a long way to proving you are a corporate
citizen who gives when you receive. If they don't want it, Send
it to me! <g>
