Serious Site Software/CMS?

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Greg Feldman
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p.1 #1 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

I'm looking for recommendations for fairly powerful and intuitive professional site software to replace the mishmash of inexpensive things I'm using now. In other words, I want good and fast but I'm ready to give up on cheap.

I currently use the following in my Web Stew:

Photofolio for my public galleries, built into hand-coded HTML, like this.

JAlbum for my client proof pages, since it's so easy to drop a folder of images and crank out proofs, even though it's not as nice as Photofolio, like this.

Exposure Manager for quick-turnaround sales after event/booth shoots, like this.

It's not part of my business site, but I also use Wordpress for the family blog (like this), and I would like to incorporate a blog into the business site too.

I'm extremely comfortable with HTML, CSS, and XML. I'm competent with modifying existing Flash, JavaScript, and PHP. But I really don't have time for any of it anyway. What I'd like is some kind of robust platform that lets me create and then easily modify public galleries and private client proof pages, other content pages, and blog entries; some kind of ecommerce functionality would be great, even if I process the transactions offline.

Thanks,
Greg

Jun 12, 2009 at 08:54 PM

photoelle
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p.1 #2 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

I use iWeb, which comes with any Apple computer for my main web site, and link it with Photocart (www.picturespro.com) for posting proofs and handling sales myself, so there are no commission fees. Neither system requires any knowledge of code, both are very flexible, and very easy to use. iWeb has built in blogs, podcasting, etc.

If you do not have Apple computers, you could try using www.squarespace.com for your main site. I think the most important part is what handles the sales, it has to be pro.

Lynn
www.horsephotos.ca

Jun 14, 2009 at 01:44 AM

Beowulfenator
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p.1 #3 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Greg Feldman wrote:
I want good and fast but I'm ready to give up on cheap.

Hire a professional.

Jun 15, 2009 at 07:42 AM

Joe Zimmerman
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p.1 #4 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

JOOMLA... Its the only thing I'll use anymore. One of the best CMS out there right now and makes site updates 10 times easier and quicker. I use to do it all myself with dreamweaver and I used SMF (Forum software) for a long time, but anymore my needs required easy and quick updating. Joomla has a crazy amount of extensions from galleries to ecommerce. I have to sites right now which use Joomla if your interested:

Http://centrecountysports.com and Http://christianconcertphotos.com

It takes a little to learn how the work flow goes with it but if you're good with HTML , PHP and such it shouldn't be hard for you. The sports site I sell prints so I use smugmug on it the other site I don't sell prints so I use a Joomla Gallery extension

Jun 17, 2009 at 11:40 AM

Jonathan H
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p.1 #5 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Another vote for Joomla

Jun 18, 2009 at 05:54 PM

pipspeak
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p.1 #6 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

A half vote for Joomla.

I like Joomla and have used it on a couple of sites, but even with a custom template it is still not perfect IMO, especially if you have multiple different content formats and a complex site (I can spot a Joomla site a mile off

). If you just want to use it for photos and general info, it is very powerful and learning how to create your own template is possible in one weekend.

However, if you just want a simple photo-based site, there are better and far less complex options. For example, I designed a portfolio site based around Wordpress (no longer up). You might think a blog-focused CMS is not very flexible, but with a bit of imagination and some coding experience you can actually do a heck of a lot with it so it ends up not looking like a wordpress site at all. Same with any CMS really.

Jun 18, 2009 at 08:15 PM

dpmurray
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p.1 #7 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

I'm using Joomla on the main part of my site and Wordpress to run a blog.

Jun 19, 2009 at 03:38 AM

alphakappa
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p.1 #8 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

I just use wordpress. Customied the basic template called veryplaintxt (which is so basic that you can modify it in any direction without much hassle) and used a plugin to integrate it with flickr.

www.kandangath.com

Jun 23, 2009 at 02:28 AM

Mister Bean
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p.1 #9 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

One problem with Joomla, at least as of a few months ago when I was working with it, is that there isn't a good plug-in for blog integration.

Jun 24, 2009 at 05:56 AM

Aanarav Sareen
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p.1 #10 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Check out Squarespace. I run my sites on them. Corporate: www.visualavenue.com Blog: www.digitalmediabiz.com. If you decide to use Squarespace, use coupon DMBIZ for 10% off

More examples:
www.foryourimagination.com
www.zioprocourses.com

Jun 28, 2009 at 05:25 AM

Ray Gunnell
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p.1 #11 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Hire it out.

Jun 29, 2009 at 12:11 AM

axe9
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p.1 #12 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Hire a professional to design and maintain, or use something like wordpress or photobiz. I currently use wordpress on my sites, and love it

Jun 29, 2009 at 01:49 PM

ScottME
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p.1 #13 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Squarespace has nice prices but at 5GB for their highest package I can't see that being a viable option.

Jul 01, 2009 at 09:26 PM

CTYankee
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p.1 #14 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Expression Engine on bluehost. Love it.

Jul 26, 2009 at 07:57 AM

jcaunedo
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p.1 #15 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

This is a new website builder.. very nice... fullscreen view. It's very easy to use. It have a admin tool where you can change everything without any coding knowledge.
Go to: http://www.portfolist.com

Aug 25, 2009 at 04:12 PM

Nowhere Man
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p.1 #16 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

axe9 wrote:
Hire a professional to design and maintain, or use something like wordpress or photobiz. I currently use wordpress on my sites, and love it

I agree! Have a professional design the initial site.

Aug 25, 2009 at 05:47 PM

Wes Allen
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p.1 #17 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

Google wordpress as cms / wordpress as website. With all the new plugins and updates, you can run a pretty solid website on just wordpress. Joomla is also pretty cool, but a bit more complex the wordpress. You might hire out the initial design, template, logos, and config, then you should be able to maintain it pretty well on your own.

Aug 27, 2009 at 01:49 AM

bacilonur
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p.1 #18 · Serious Site Software/CMS?

If you want serious customization, try Concrete5. Very extendable, good support and modules, easy to make more of your own.

Aug 27, 2009 at 05:19 AM


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