Do you really need a CMS?

[deronsizemore]

How many of you here simply use static pages for your sites?

[Blue Cat Buxton]

I have for some (smaller) sites and it works ok to a certain extent, but usually I end up regretting that there isn't at least an element of database control to the content side. That is not to say I have a fully blown CMS - you can get by with phpmyadmin etc as long as thtere is commonality betweeen pages ( php includes to reduce update work etc)

Not that a customised CMS wouldn't be nice, I have always found making a new site more attractive than updating the bare bones system I have.

[Masetek]

I agree...you will regret it. I recently changed 3 of my small sites over to a cms. Theres always extra things you want that you just cant get out of static pages. And if you need to make changes its much easier.

A little bit of work at the start, saves you hours in the future :)

[KLB]

I ditched static pages some half dozen years ago.

[deronsizemore]

Yeah kinda the responses I was expecting. I'm familiar with textpattern mostly...which depending on who you talk to it's a blogging tool or a CMS or both. My problem is that it doesn't do everything that I'll need it to do (almost but not quite). From what I understand by asking questions over in the textpattern forums, what I want isn't possible with it or might be possible but with a lot of custom programming, blah! I'm not a programmer.

I guess I can make do with what features it has (quite a lot actually) and possibly hire someone to do the programming...but that scares the crap out of me because I don't have a ton of money to spend really.

[Masetek]

Seriously, put some time into learning php dude. I mean really put some time in, not sorta "learn it over the next year". Simple CMS systems dont require very much php knowledge. It will pay off I'm tellin ya.

If you need help with PHP, PM me :)

[Johnny Gulag]

Hello

Yes I too have moved to database driven sites. I have no real PHP skillls. I have learned to manipulate Wordpress a bit so that is what I use these days.

I should also take Masetek's advice and spend some time actually learning PHP, then I would know what I am doing ;)

[Chris]

My only site really without a CMS is my survival site. The content hasn't changed in 5 years and so I haven't felt the need to make one.

My most complex CMS is one I wrote to run this site, savvyshopping.net, 4laserhairremoval.com, and it now also runs diycostume.com I'll probably use it for any new content sites I run.

I also have a pretty nice review based CMS for 4webtemplates.net.

[Cutter]

I only use WordPress if I have regularly updated news. Otherwise all my sites are static. I just use header & footer php includes plus css for styling. I also use Photopost for one of my sites too, I tried a static photo gallery, no damn way.

[Fender963]

Just thought I'd put in my two cents.

I used to have a static site. Slowly I started learning PHP and eventually switched my sites over to being database driven, really it's quite easy to create your own 'custom' CMS system. Mines pretty basic, it allows me to add pages/articles directly through the website, as well as editing with just the click of a button. It also automatically updates my sitemap with the link as well as any navigation that needs to be updated. It really makes adding content to a site more enjoyable. I find it much easier and less time consuming to add content to the site.

I think that and learning mod_rewrite has been the two best steps I have taken allowing for better automatic urls.

Kyle

[Mr.M]

I've used static pages for my personal site for about 6 months. Then i made a humble custom control panel that didn't do much except add new posts to the main page. Now that i re-made my site so that it use WordPress as it's back-end, i can tell you it made my life much much easier.

Now i manage my whole Website from my WordPress admin panel. Create Pages, add links, anything !

Using Wordpress doesn't require PHP knowledge at all (although it would be very helpful). All what you would need is common sense and copy\paste functions. ;)

[MaxS]

You definitely need a CMS. If you won't budge, at least do yourself a favor and split up your page into includes.

[Young Twig]

Currently, I just have a splash page. That is, of course, static. Soon, though, I'll have some content up, and I'm not planning on making a CMS for it. It'll likely just be some PHP thrown through a template engine. I can open up CoreFTP everytime I want to change something (rarely).

[deronsizemore]

You definitely need a CMS. If you won't budge, at least do yourself a favor and split up your page into includes.


Any good links explaining how to do that?

[MaxS]

Any good links explaining how to do that?
PHP includes are fairly simple and they will save you a ton of time.

Basically, let's say you have a header w/ a navigation. If you want to add to the navigation, without includes, you would have to edit each and every file. With includes, you could make a header.php and include it on every page so that all you will need to do is edit the header.php.

Take the header code and stick it into a header.php. Then on every page you want the header to appear, instead of having the header code, put:

<?php include 'header.php'; ?>

Here (http://www.tizag.com/phpT/include.php) is a good tutorial.

Post back if you need anymore help!