I will talk about each CMS individually and will cover several aspects of these CMS’ such as: installation, templates, editing, along with which CMS I prefer and which I would use with clients.
CMSimple
CMSimple’s name is actually very appropriate, it is a nice simple lightweight CMS great for clients who only need to make small changes or updates to their website.
Installing
This is where CMSimple really takes the cake. The whole program is small and by small I mean REALLY small, it is less than 100kb! To install all you have to do is drag and drop the folder into your server, run it, then edit your settings, this all takes around 5 minutes.
Templates
Templating is somewhat frustrating. You need to know a little PHP to understand what you are editing and what needs to be placed in a certain div tag. Creating a template from scratch is one of the harder aspects of using CMSimple, but with a little practice you can churn out some good looking stuff. However if you choose not to create one from scratch you can always find a good template to use.
Note: You will need to have a Table of Content file, this uses heading tags to create your navigation and sub-navigation. You will also need a Content file (content.htm) and stylesheet (stylesheet.css.)
Some useful template links
Editing
I am not a fan of using CMSimple to create a website from scratch, but if I am just editing I think that CMSimple is extremely easy to do small edits here and there. The interface is very simple and reminiscent of a text editor such as Microsoft Word or Notepad.
Website Baker
Website baker should be used for larger websites; it is more powerful and should only be used by those who do know what they are doing when it comes to using a computer.
Installing
Installing Website Baker can be a bit of a hassle, you need to have a PHP server and mySQL. Along with needing PHP and mySQL you need to have a database for Website Baker, or you can’t run it. Once you have the installation guide up and running on your browser it becomes a little bit more straight forward. Again you have to know what you are doing to be able to install website baker correctly, or have a really good teacher.
Note: Several friends have had problems using website baker on their own sites. They had to call their hosting companies and spend time changing their PHP version.
Templates
Lucky for us website baker provides a great guide on creating templates. It takes you through everything you could possible need to know. In my experience I did not have those long 2 A.M. nights where I end up breaking everything in sight because my template isn’t working correctly.
As with CMSimple there are plenty of templates to download and use. Website Baker takes the cake when it comes to templates.
Some useful template links
Designers Guide
Editing
Remember that thing I said about knowing what you are doing on a computer? Website Bakers opening interface can be a little intimidating at first, but with a little practice you will learn your way around it pretty quick. The editing interface however is very easy to understand and is somewhat similar to CMSimples. Adding media is very simple and straight forward as well.
CMSimple or Website Baker?
Well let’s break down who wins in the three categories:
- Installation: CMSimple
- Templates: Website Baker
- Editing: Website Baker
Clients
Deciding what your clients can be able to use is critical in your own decision. Some clients will not be tech savy at all and rely on you heavily to decide what is best for them. If they are older and less tech savy, I would recommend CMS Simple. If they are younger and more astute on the web then by all means use website baker.
My Decision
You guys are going to hate me, but I honestly don’t have an opinion on what to use. Since your clients are going to change from job to job you can never settle on just using one CMS.
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