By Steve Drucker, CEO
Fig Leaf Software
Abstract from the October 2002 ColdFusion Developer's Journal
Currently there are more than 200 commercially available content management systems (CMSs). Each has strengths and weaknesses relative to the others...belying their underlying middleware platform and customer history.
While not all are ColdFusion based, I believe that the CommonSpot Content Server 3.0 (the 2001 CFDJ Readers' Choice winner) from PaperThin, Inc., sets a new standard for flexibility and performance across all middle-tier systems.
Comparing Apples to Apples
Believe it or not, there's quite a bit of controversy within the CMS industry about what functionality a "Web content management" system should bring to the table. After evaluating many CMS applications, however, I've found that most vendors offer the following core set of features:
- Nontechnical content contributors may modify the contents of their Web sites anytime, anywhere, through their Web browser. No additional software is required. Content may range from text articles to uploaded files and images, usually stored in a separate asset repository.
- Page layout is based on a template model. Content is dissociated from formatting, allowing you to change the site layout without affecting data.
- Modified content is subject to an approval process and/or workflow.
- Changes to content are versioned. Prior versions of content may be restored easily.
- Content may be classified through the use of categories and keywords.
>> Read the full review
