Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)

(Unverified)May 30th 2008 10:01PM

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There's another consideration for back-end site tools that isn't addressed by the well-respected but geekier responders above and that's what clients want. To almost a client, they hate back-end CMS editors (however GUI they are) because, simply, they cannot see the page while they are editing and as I mentioned in the article, we're a highly visual society. Online editors are forms to fill out, then publish, then preview in a browser, then figure out your image isn't aligned (you see where this going).

Site owners think CMS editors are hard to use and generally don't like them. It's that simple.

There's a difference between coders who can "see" a bunch of code displaying in their heads and know how to align and add CSS to a tag and then there's civilians who need WYSIWYG. That's probably the biggest reason I prefer Adobe Contribute.

And no matter how often you explain it, there will be parts of the page off-limits to CMS users. Initially, they like that (glad to know they can't break it) and as time progresses, they want more control. I think we've all been there.

Is there a CMS that real small business owners actually like over the long haul? What is it?

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(Unverified)May 31st 2008 1:08PM

Neutral

I have not found one that is easy for the average user. But then, I have not found any of the 'site tonight' type services to be usable either. The only self publishing platform that I have seen that my clients have been able to really deal with are blogs, WordPress, Blogger, and TypPad.

The other issue with CMS that small business owners won't understand right off, or like, is that content needs to stick inside the template. Though, I admit, from my perspective that might not be a bad thing. I have had more then one site that started off looking OK enough, but over time started looking like a seedy Las Vegas strip after adding 'eye catching' content the client insisted on.

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