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For those who write articles on CMS, a question.

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40hz:
I guess, I really should have thought more about the question.
-Paul Keith (September 28, 2009, 12:54 PM)
--- End quote ---

Don't be so hard on yourself. :)

I sometimes need to ask a few questions before I know enough to ask my real question. :Thmbsup:

This topic is especially confusing because there's so much feature bloat and overlap between blogs, wikis, and CMS systems that the original concept and philosophy behind each of them has become blurred. Blogs are incorporating CMS features; CMS is now incorporating wiki-like features; wikis now want to be taken as serious content management apps - and everybody's blogging their tail ends off about all it. It never ends.

No wonder its so confusing for so many people. But that's what happens when you're dealing with continually evolving technologies.

Paul Keith:
I guess, I really should have thought more about the question.
-Paul Keith (September 28, 2009, 12:54 PM)
--- End quote ---

Don't be so hard on yourself. :)

I sometimes need to ask a few questions before I know enough to ask my real question. :Thmbsup:-40hz (September 28, 2009, 03:18 PM)
--- End quote ---

Thanks but it's kind of annoying because on my part, I wasn't just asking the question to deal with the theory.

I was seeking the answer because I need it -- in the sense of improving my blog without paying and learning more about technoloy -- so it is kind of annoying to not receive the "Ultimate Answer" because the question is not the question that can receive it.

40hz:
it is kind of annoying to not receive the "Ultimate Answer" because the question is not the question that can receive it.
-Paul Keith (September 28, 2009, 07:45 PM)
--- End quote ---

I've said this so many times when posting on various topics that I run the risk of getting lynched if I say it again so...oh well, what the heck!

"The perfect is the enemy of the good."

Once we stop wasting time looking for the absolute perfect answer to our problem, and concentrate instead on identifying a workable solution, there's no limit to what we can accomplish.

I usually shoot for a software solution that gives me 80-90% of what I'm looking for straight out of the box. I'll then fill in the remainder as time and resources permit. That doesn't stop me from looking for a 100% answer. But I don't sit around doing nothing in the meantime. If I can't subsequently fill in the missing piece (or two) of the puzzle, I have two options.  I can either learn to live without; or kick what I've got to the curb and try something else. (FWIW, most times what remains missing is not a real problem - it's just an inconvenience.)

In a way, it's like programming.

When I first learned how to program, Prof. Kugel told my class that there were two basic ways to develop a major piece of software:

The first way was the "IBM Way." It was mostly for companies with time and money to spend. This method involved requirements planning, process analysis, abstract pseudocode drafts, prototypes, etc. etc. etc. Once all that was completed, then - and only then - did you start to code.

The second way was to go down to the computer room; grab any procedural code listing you found in the trash hopper; and then "bash at it" until it did what you wanted it to do. He half-jokingly remarked it would amaze most people how many of the applications they're currently using began their lives as part of a payroll program written five years earlier.

Oddly enough, both methods seemed to work. But of the two, the [bash/test/repeat] cycle generally yielded the most bang for the buck. And the core principles behind this method have evolved (with some refinement) into what is now referred to as the "rapid application development" process. RAD gets used extensively. The old IBM methodology has been largely forgotten.

So what to do?

Be pragmatic.

If it were me asking your original question, I think the best approach for me would be to learn ONE platform extremely well. Whether it's Wordpress, Joomla, MediaWiki, raw XHTML/CSS or whatever - I'd learn it inside out. Based on experience, I know once I did that, I'd be able to get it to do whatever I want. It might not be the optimal solution. Maybe not even a complete solution. But it would be a working solution. And that's better than nothing.

80% of something now is better than all of it someday. ;D

Just my 2¢ 8)

Paul Keith:
Haha, thanks for that. Yeah, I've read a similar theme'd opinion before but it never hurts to repeat that and read everyone's take on it.

I'll admit, my reply was more casually written and didn't really hint of already knowing that.

If I have one criticism with that it's that focusing on that concept derails as much as it helps.

What I mean by this is that the "Bash at that" situation works and works so well ...but it's so random and so general, that things like: How good are you at being a generalizing specialist vs. being a specializing generalist comes to be asked. ...or how productive are you? ...or how talented are you? ...or how much people you have around that can inspire you vs. your own determination? ...ends up washing the focus away from the original question and answer.

Admittedly though, those are still the self-critical voices that needs to be quieted down but it's still a thought that should not be abandoned or else the talented and luckier basher will never realize that there's a problem and user friendler programs gets ignored in favor of a technology that constantly requires increasing pages of manual just to produce the basics of basics.

sri:
Wordpress, Joomla, MediaWiki, raw XHTML/CSS, Drupal, postNuke, Typo3 (learning how to use this is equivalent to doing a PhD)...I have tried them all.

WordPress is the best. Whether you want a one page site or multi-page static site or of course a blog, nothing can beat WordPress.

It is simple to learn, simple to use, has unlimited feature set thanks to the plugins and is easiest of them all to customize [That as someone who don't know programming (PHP in particular) can still use WordPress to make a (side) living speaks volumes on how great the platform is].

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