Help me choose my first blog/CMS solution?
March 18, 2010 2:22 PM Subscribe
Please tell me about the current state of the art for blog and/or content management systems?
I'm interested in helping someone start a blog/site that is going to be geared towards helping to sell someone's scale models and crafts.
We're going to get a domain name, so this should be pointed at what will likely be a paid hosting service, so it will need to be something I can host or install on the hosting service.
It should be something that I can use for both time-based posts like ongoing projects as well as setting up more static pages where I can have side-bar links or an individual gallery section.
It should also have a fairly easy to use interface so my client can use it herself to post and update things on her own.
I'm also interested in security, of course.
I'm interested in helping someone start a blog/site that is going to be geared towards helping to sell someone's scale models and crafts.
We're going to get a domain name, so this should be pointed at what will likely be a paid hosting service, so it will need to be something I can host or install on the hosting service.
It should be something that I can use for both time-based posts like ongoing projects as well as setting up more static pages where I can have side-bar links or an individual gallery section.
It should also have a fairly easy to use interface so my client can use it herself to post and update things on her own.
I'm also interested in security, of course.
Best answer: Yep, Wordpress plus one of the various simple eCommerce plug-ins is likely your best bet.
posted by maniactown at 2:56 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by maniactown at 2:56 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: I love the flexibility and ease of use with Wordpress. Many times if I want to try a new feature on one of my sites, all I have to do is search for a plug-in and it's already available and free. I install it and now I have upgraded my site in a matter of minutes. I'm a big fan.
posted by visual mechanic at 3:06 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by visual mechanic at 3:06 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: Nth-ing Wordpress. Been using it for years with minimal trouble (and most of that self-inflicted), and I'm currently playing around with the pre-beta version 3.0 which has more features to make it even easier (and loving it). Security? WP is one of the biggest targets for hackers but their response to vulnerabilities is impressively fast, and installing security fixes (as well plug-in/add-on functions and styles/themes) has gotten "1-button" easy. Excellent for setting up non-blog pages and the plugins maniactown points to are (mostly) very usable and (totally) free. My only qualm is with stylin' the pages, which means either living with a pre-packaged theme or getting ever deeper into css and php (self-promotion disclaimer: I'm working on a super-flexible styling theme for non-experts and would be honored if you and your client try it when it's ready for public consumption).
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:15 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by oneswellfoop at 3:15 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: If I can set up a wordpress site, I'm pretty sure anyone could! I've been very happy with Bluehost.com, which has a handy 1-button set up especially for Wordpress; I'm sure there are plenty of hosts with a similar function. They make it easy to redirect your url too. Static pages a are built-in function and there's dozens of excellent gallery and commerce plugins.
Idiot-proof, seriously. And if like myself you are occasionally a beyond an idiot, there is wealth of information a google away.
posted by Erasmouse at 3:41 PM on March 18, 2010
Idiot-proof, seriously. And if like myself you are occasionally a beyond an idiot, there is wealth of information a google away.
posted by Erasmouse at 3:41 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: For blog software it isn't worth hosting and managing your own install. Get a host that will do it for you.
An alternative to Wordpress (which is probably what I would use, and have in the past) is Moveable Type, and specifically Typepad. It's a bit different but also very good.
More on the CMSy side, I keep hearing great things about Drupal and Expression Engine (which isn't free last I heard).
posted by cCranium at 4:03 PM on March 18, 2010
An alternative to Wordpress (which is probably what I would use, and have in the past) is Moveable Type, and specifically Typepad. It's a bit different but also very good.
More on the CMSy side, I keep hearing great things about Drupal and Expression Engine (which isn't free last I heard).
posted by cCranium at 4:03 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: ExpressionEninge isn't free, but it's quite powerful and flexible. There's a learn curve to it, but it's worth, especially if you have development skills. You can demo it from free.
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:10 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by Brandon Blatcher at 4:10 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: If you're going down the path of having a large gallery of photographs with your site, Gallery2 is about as featured and awesome as you're likely to get. And it integrates nicely into Wordpress and Drupal.
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:13 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by Fiasco da Gama at 4:13 PM on March 18, 2010
Best answer: If you want a blog with a couple of extra features, and those extra features are captured in one of the many plugins out there, you'd be a fool not to use WordPress. It's focused, polished, and has an active community of users who can help when you run into hitches.
posted by verb at 4:50 PM on March 18, 2010
posted by verb at 4:50 PM on March 18, 2010
I like Serendipity, and I'll second Gallery2 for picture management.
posted by rodgerd at 12:09 AM on March 19, 2010
posted by rodgerd at 12:09 AM on March 19, 2010
This thread is closed to new comments.
posted by nitsuj at 2:45 PM on March 18, 2010