content management systems
What they are and how they might benefit you
Web sites whose pages can be created on the fly usually permit the owner to be involved in the process of adding and editing content without much technical training. They commonly use some sort of content management software or system. Such CMS sites are also sometimes called “dynamic” as oppose to “static.” Static sites are usually created one-at-a-time and sometimes hand-crafted (such as this one). A blog is the most famous example of a content-managed or dynamic site. Many ecommerce sites with extensive product lines are almost always CMSs. CMSs are not to be confused with template sites which are just the same code framework used over and over again and which look familiar like you’ve seen them somewhere before (because you probably have) and offer no real organizational features. CMSs can be as sophisticated, versatile, efficient, and unique as you want them to be.
A CMS site is best suited for content that is expected to grow indefinitely and hence will need organization. An underlying database provides that. Most of the workings of the database are hidden from the content creator of the site (probably you) as well as, of course, from visitors to the site. The difficulty of adding new pages or editing existing ones is barely more than what you already know how to do if you have used Gmail or Hotmail or some other web-based email service. Posting new information to your site is only a bit more work than writing and sending an email; only it’s as if you were writing, not to a single recipient but to the world, or at least that part of it that visits your site.
While routine updating or posting to your site using a CMS is easy, the setup sometimes is not. You probably want some customization in the design. You may want it designed around your logo or some image or pattern or color scheme that expresses who you are. In this sense, a CMS is not that different from a static site as far as the challenge of design.
Whether you are thinking of having a blog or community forum, an online database/directory, or an online store (all forms commonly implemented with a CMS) that you want to manage yourself, if CMS software suits your needs, design.aporia will handle setup, design-customization, and any training you may need in order to do routine updates or post new content yourself. Depending on the growth you anticipate for your site, a content management system can easily be the most cost-effective, long term solution.
...more on content management systems.
—Victor Muñoz
owner, aporia web design
