CMS: Content Management Systems

• What is a content management system?
• Common elements of content management
• Why use a content management system?

DEF: A content management system or CMS is a set of tools that enables non web-savvy individuals to update the text, pictures, video, documents and other data in web pages.  (more...)
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Common elements of content management

Editing Text:
Most can edit text and change some of the styles (bold, italic) of the lettering without needing to know HTML. HTML is dynamically written for the user, allowing him or her to focus on keeping the content updated, not on the site look and feel, not on considering different tags. Some can even allow copy and paste from Microsoft Word and include the font styles that were used in the Microsoft Word document. (The one we use allows this.)

The normal content owner who is in charge of keeping the information current is not always skilled in developing HTML documents for the web; nor should this person need to be concerned with standard HTML tags that go at the top and bottom of all the pages to ensure good site navigation and good look and feel. However, this person is likely to be knowledgable in using a text editor (like Microsoft Word) to create a document with accurate and relevent information in a particular subject area.

In many systems, there is also the ability to back up and recover content.  This is especially useful if you arent sure which version to keep, or you want to avoid any risks of making a mistake.

Changing Pictures:
Picture files (.jpg, .gif) are an important content for web sites. Allowing these to be swapped out with newer versions of pictures, or adding new pictures that are needed (as when a product to your product list) are an essential ingredient to any content management system.

Managing Documents:

Many websites need to manage documents (Word, Excel, PDF Files etc) in an organized manner - and have ways of easily putting them on the web.  A good CMS can be helpful here too.

Support an Open Standards-Based Interface:
Whatever content management system is implemented, it should have a means to allow a company to build other products that interact with it. Our Spiderweb Logic CMS can be easily customized for integration through use of XML web services if desired.    XML Web Services is a well-established standards-based interface.
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Why use a content management system?

• It makes it easy to edit text and pictures - with minimum skillsets
• Easily add/delete pages
• Minimizes chance of breaking website layout when you implement such changes
• Can implement a formal approval system before pages are published

Does your website need to be a content management system? That depends. If you want to regularly add or update pages, then it is often a good idea. If your website will not change much (if at all) then perhaps a static html website will do.

Whatever your needs, we at Spiderweb Logic are ready to help.
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