Choosing an Open Source CMS: Beginner's Guide电子书

Choosing an Open Source CMS Beginner's Guide

Table of Contents

Choosing an Open Source CMS

Credits

About the author

About the reviewers

Preface

What this book covers

Section I: Opening up to Open Source CMSs

Section II: Thinking your choices through

Section III: CMSs by breed

Section IV: Open source CMS tips

What you need for this book

Who this book is for

Conventions

Reader feedback

Customer support

Downloading the example code for the book

Errata

Piracy

Questions

I. Section I - Opening up to Open Source CMSs

1. Do I Even Want an Open Source CMS?

You need a CMS!

CMS alternatives

Which CMS?

What about you?

About this book

Approach

Let's get started!

2. Evaluating Your Options

Genres of Content Management Systems

Portals or general-purpose CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top general-purpose CMSs

Blog CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top blog CMSs

e-Commerce CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top e-Commerce CMSs

Wiki CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top Wiki CMSs

Forum CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top forum CMSs

eLearning CMSs

Core Features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top eLearning CMSs

Collaboration CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Top intranet CMSs

Photo gallery CMSs

Core features

Possible uses

Example sites

Top photo gallery CMSs

Different types, but strong overlap

Understanding CMS technologies

PHP is most popular for CMSs

But why does the technology choice matter?

Summary

II. Section II - Thinking your choices through

3. Understanding your Requirements

Setting our expectations right

Time for action-setting your expectations for "The Yoga Site"

What just happened?

Creating intended outcomes

Pop quiz

Have a go hero-different goals for different sites

Measuring your site

Time for action-measuring the scale of your site

What just happened?

Are you expecting a lot of visitors?

Pop quiz

Have a go hero-take some measurements!

Working with others

Time for action-determining compliance and interoperability needs

What just happened

Have a go hero-learn the terms

Determining additional feature requirements

Time for action-choosing additional features

What just happened

Summary

4. Building the Site

Get hands-on experience with a CMS

Time for action-taking a test drive

What just happened?

Checking out a live demo

Pop quiz

Have a go hero-test drive some more CMSs

Create navigation structure

Time for action-creating navigation structure

What just happened?

Do you need a different navigation structure?

Pop quiz

Understanding technical requirements

Time for action-understanding technical requirements

What just happened

Installing a CMS

Before the installation

Creating a database

Uploading files using FTP

Using phpMyAdmin

Managing file permissions

Time for action-install WordPress

What just happened

Have a go hero-set up your navigation structure with WordPress

Have a go hero-set up Joomla!

Summary

5. Content Editing and Management

Adding content to our site

Time for action-adding a page

What just happened?

What is WYSIWYG? Why is it important?

Adding images

Time for action-adding images

What just happened?

Have a go hero-image formatting options

Have a go hero-adding a video

Maintaining content

Time for action-adding metadata

What just happened?

Tagging is keywords on steroids!

Have a go hero-adding links

Allowing people to contribute

Have a go hero-determine multiuser needs

Summary

6. Templates and Plug-ins

Giving a professional look to our site

Using templates

Time for action-finding a good template

What just happened?

Template selection criteria

Where to find templates

Have a go hero-shortlisting some more templates

Time for action-setting up a template

What just happened?

Different CMSs have different templates

Free, paid, or custom

Have a go hero-setting up a template in your favorite CMS

Enhancing functionality with plug-ins

Plug-ins, or modules, or extensions

The plug-ins that you need

Time for action-finding a photo gallery plug-in

What just happened?

Time for action-showing a photo gallery on our site

What just happened?

No coding required

Uninstalling a plug-in

Have a go hero-set up an e-commerce extension

Summary

7. Extending and Customizing

Customize a template

Fixing the site logo

Time for action-replacing the default logo in our template

What just happened?

Changing the site color

Changing the menu style

Time for action-advancing customization via CSS changes

What just happened?

Have a go hero-fixing submenus

Customizations may need code changes

What is a programming language? Is it easy?

Understanding the code architecture

Understanding the level of support

And there are books!

Finding professional help

Summary

III. Section III - CMSs by breed

8. Blog CMSs

The first question-do I need a self-hosted or service-based CMS?

Top blogging CMSs

Let us cover the top choices

Taking WordPress for a test drive

Time for action-managing content with WordPress

What just happened?

Extending WordPress

Time for action-customizing the design

What just happened?

Customizing the theme

WordPress widgets

Add unlimited power with plug-ins

Comments or spam

Additional resources

Evaluating Movable Type

Time for action-managing content with Movable Type

What just happened?

Customizing Movable Type

Additional resources

Expressing opinions with ExpressionEngine

Time for action-managing content with ExpressionEngine

What just happened?

Customizing ExpressionEngine

Additional resources

Searching for more alternatives

Additional help is also available

Summary

9. Web CMSs

Do you want a CMS or a portal?

Evaluating CMS Made Simple

Time for action-managing content with CMS Made Simple

What just happened?

Time for action-exploring customization options

What just happened?

Have a go hero-is it right for you?

Diving into Drupal

Time for action-putting Drupal to the test

What just happened?

Have a go hero-figure out your way with Drupal

Drupal code quality

Is Joomla! the best choice?

Joomla! gives you more

Have a go hero-set up a full site with Joomla!

SilverStripe—easy and extensive

Notable features

Is it for you?

ezPublish—enterprise CMS

Notable features

Is it for you?

Umbraco—rising high

Notable features

Is it for you?

DotNetNuke—the first you may notice

Notable features

Is it for you?

Plone—for Python lovers

Notable features

Is it for you?

dotCMS—enterprise and Java

Notable features

Is it for you?

Where to find more?

Summary

10. CMS for e-commerce

Content or commerce?

So what are your options?

Magento—open source e-commerce evolved

Time for action-adding products with Magento

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Notable Magento features

Single page checkout

Product attributes

Full control over design

Magento as a CMS

Other features

Is it for you?

VirtueMart—bringing e-commerce to Joomla!

Time for action-adding products and selling them

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Is it for you?

What about Drupal and WordPress?

Freeway—e-commerce for products, events, services, and subscriptions

Time for action-selling weekly yoga class registrations

What just happened?

Have a go hero

Other notable features

Other notable e-commerce CMSs

osCommerce and variants

PrestaShop—a breath of fresh air

DashCommerce—for .Net

Looking for even more?

Summary

11. Team Collaboration CMSs

Why a collaboration CMS?

Can we use any CMS on the intranet?

Alfresco—an enterprise CMS

Time for action-planning the Yoga Site with Alfresco

What just happened?

Alfresco Explorer

Have a go hero-add a space and some users

Time for action-creating workflows and revisions with Alfresco

What just happened?

Document detail page

Have a go hero-workflows with multiple users

Alfresco can do much more

Finding alternatives to Alfresco

Mix and match

Summary

12. Specialized CMSs

Wiki CMSs: The power of collective contribution

Time for action-creating events listing for the Yoga Site

What just happened?

Have a go hero-explore the power of Wikis

What makes Wikis special?

Other Wiki software

Additional resources

Discussion forums: helping each other

Time for action-discussions on yoga products

What just happened?

Have a go hero-trying out more with phpBB

What makes forums special?

Other forum software

Additional resources

Photo galleries: Sharing memories

Time for action-posting team photos online

What just happened?

Have a go hero-digging into Gallery

What makes galleries special?

Other photo gallery software

Additional resources

Online learning: facilitating learning

Time for action-creating a yoga course

What just happened?

Have a go hero-take a test

What makes e-learning special?

Other e-learning software

Additional resources

Other specialized CMSs

Summary

IV. Section IV - Open source CMS tips

13. Hosting your CMS-Powered Site

Do I need hosting?

Keep this in mind—hosting evaluation parameters

Hosting on your own machine

Finding a good host

Common tasks and problems in hosting

Making sense of the welcome email

Time for action-create a database with cPanel

Using FTP to upload files

Changing permissions for files or folders

Editing files with an online file manager

Time for action-editing a file using cPanel File Manager

Apache configuration with .htaccess

You may find this useful—some hints and tips

Summary

14. Getting Involved in the Community

Where to go for support

Have a go hero-checkout the support systems of your favorite CMS

Searching for an answer

Keep this in mind—asking good questions

Recommended message structure

Have a go hero-recommended reading

How can you contribute?

Summary

15. Working with a Specialist

Basics of Software Project Management

Software development Stages

Recommended readings

Finding the right expert

Finding experts online

Look for CMS experts

Outsourcing requires different thinking

Further reading

Tracking progress and controlling

Online project management tools

Handling risks and conflicts

Risk management

Conflict resolution

Succeed with your project—recommendations

Summary

16. Packt Open Source CMS Awards

Why an award?

Award methodology

2008 award winners

Drupal

Background

Joomla!

Background

DotNetNuke

Background

SilverStripe

Background

What makes it most promising?

CMS Made Simple

Background

Plone

Background

dotCMS

Background

ImpressCMS

Background

MiaCMS

Background

Other finalists

Most valued professionals

Summary

Index