Hi all. I am just beginning to look at a number of CMS solutions both OS and Commercial. The questions I am hoping you can answer are as follows:

Why do many if not all OS CMS solutions have a simillar look to them? Typically Boxy, plain, square, etc.?  Joomla 1.5 templates being the current exception as far as I can see.

How stable are core upgrades? I've used Joomla in the past and found that some upgrades and modules have created havoc for stability? The security risks also seem greater with OS CMS solutions.

How important is it to have a strong IT team to help build modules, templates, CSS, etc. We have a small IT team (of 1) and while he can program various things what kind of learning cuve is he facing?

We are wanting a system that can be used out of the box with tight integration with other features without needing to go to outsite sources. What issues are typical when adding 3rd party extensions? What measures are in place to ensure compatibility and how is this monitored?

Most project teams I've interviewed use an OS CMS when there is a very limited budget or the project is driven from the IT department and not when there is money to spend or when it is initiated from Marketing.  Why is this typically the case? I am also using these forums to guage that impression as well. Very little discussion about marketing focused topics.

Lastly what commercial CMS applicaitons (under $15,000 and only requiring 10 users or less) would you suggest I look at for comparisson to DNN?

Thanks in Advance.

Barbara

Jerry,

Thanks for the link. Yes I have looked there but I find that the information is either out of date or very misleading. The listing for DNN for example states that metadata is a feature. It really only included page based metadata not actual metadata attached to content. This is a very powerful option that we would want if possibile. We are looking at Ektron for that specific feature as it makes the system ultimately powerful and would allow us to share content across 'content blocks' and merge content blocks to create content that is really merged data.

The feature comparisson I also find misleading as it does not reflect the true nature of the features. While one software may make a feature seamless and easy another app may include it but it could be very cumbersome to integrate with the rest of the site.

Barb

Mitch,

Thank you for your time. My currrnet front runner on the commercial side is Ektron. A 4 user licence is just over $5,000. It  has received many awards and it seems to provide a significant level of value and feature set. It's provides and open environment for outside development and is very strong on the metadata side of the equasion which I like because I want to repurpose content and snippets of content in dfferent areas. I don not believe that this is possibile in any OS applicaiton including DNN. Am I correct in this assessment?

My support concerns are where aprehension lurks. While every software provider needs to address problems and bugs the fact that DNN relies on volunteers and such to provide help is a concern. I have no one that is in my corner, so to speak. No one that has a commercial interest in delivering a better solution becuause they need to stay competitive.  In a nutshell there is nobody who needs to answer to anybody least of all me.  Regardless of how many "friendlies" are out there to assist I'm still very much alone.

I liken this to people who get cancer. Regardless of how many support groups, chat rooms, blogs etc that are out there most people are still simply looking out for number 1, themselves.

With a commercial application they are looking out for number 1 which is the livelihood of their company and thus their brad-and-butter which is their softare.

Maybe my perceptions are off centre but this is my impressions of OS so far.

Thanks again for your assistance! Any actual reference with Ektron or Red Dot would be especially helpful as they are my 1 & 2 choices on the comm side. DNN and Joomla on the OS side.

~Barb