Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else?

JustaWizard · 03-20-2009, 11:24 AM

I've been doing all my websites for years in Dreamweaver - BTW, I'm a "garden variety" webmaster, I know HTML and use templates in DW.

Lately I've been studying Wordpress to be able to create nicer-looking sites faster, as well as to be able to more easily manage large (>100 pages) sites. Plus they have lots of great plugins, ping the SE's, etc. so there are some advantage that WP has over DW when it comes to site creation and management.

So my question is, before I get too far along "mastering" Wordpress, should I consider a different thing like Joomla (which I admit I've done zero research into) and I've heard that there's another platform (is platform the right word?) that's also popular?

In other words, if I'm going to have a learning curve, where's my time best spent now for future payoff in web design/management? - please do keep in mind I'm not a programmer, just a practical kind of guy who wants to know just enough to get the job done.

THANKS!
David Portney

MemberWing · 03-20-2009, 02:30 PM

Wordpress would be your best bet. Huge support community, lightweight, easy.
I managed to pull my Wordpress-based site on the first page of Google above 50,000,000 of other competing pages is less than 6 months.

I used to play with Joomla - but it was too heavy and overloaded for my needs.

Now I am developer for Wordpress for a growing community of people who are building recurring membership sites. It really works well and solid.

Gleb

JustaWizard · 03-20-2009, 03:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MemberWing

Wordpress would be your best bet. Huge support community, lightweight, easy.
I managed to pull my Wordpress-based site on the first page of Google above 50,000,000 of other competing pages is less than 6 months.

I used to play with Joomla - but it was too heavy and overloaded for my needs.

Now I am developer for Wordpress for a growing community of people who are building recurring membership sites. It really works well and solid.

Gleb

Hi Gleb, thanks very much. Is there any concerns about hacking or infections I should be aware of?

Best,
David

MemberWing · 03-20-2009, 03:45 PM

Hi David,
no more than about any other open- or closed-source software.
Advantage of Wordpress is huge community and hence discovery and fixing of vulnerabilities is pretty fast.

Updates are used to be the major hassle point for any CMS, but Wordpress recently made it one push-button process straight from the admin panel. So maintenance became much easier especially for newbies.

Gleb

mywebwork · 03-20-2009, 04:14 PM

Although you wouldn't go wrong with either platform I second the vote for WordPress, it is less complex than Joomla and thus easier to use for beginners.

I use both platforms and have nice things to say about both Joomla 1.5 and WordPress 2.7. However when it comes to building a site I usually go for WordPress first, using it I can have a site "on the air" within a few minutes of purchasing the domain name. I'd say for every 10 sites I create 9 of them are WordPress.

As for security, you always have to keep up to date with whatever code you're running. Open Source code by its very nature is freely available for hackers to dissect and attack,however as Gleb pointed out there is a large community surrounding both products that responds quickly to new threats.

Best of luck

Bill

originator · 03-20-2009, 05:14 PM

I depends on what kind of website you want.
If it's just a simple website, use Wordpress.
Are you talking about a big website and you want some extra features, try Joomla.
About security, just keep your CMS updated.

I build all my websites at Joomla.

If you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact me.

jumbopanda · 03-22-2009, 08:20 AM

Like originator said, it depends on what you are trying to build. Wordpress is simple for simple sites. Joomla can build more powerful sites, and since it is open source, there are many components and modules that can be added on for free. You can add shopping carts, forums, forms, newsletters, calenders,and much more. Its getting better all the time, and after a few years in development, they have security handled pretty well. If you have any Joomal specific questions, feel free to send me a message. I would be happy to help.

James12C · 03-22-2009, 08:50 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JustaWizard

In other words, if I'm going to have a learning curve, where's my time best spent now for future payoff in web design/management? - please do keep in mind I'm not a programmer, just a practical kind of guy who wants to know just enough to get the job done.

Hi, David - Given that, I would go with Wordpress. I looked closely at Joomla (and share your DW background.) It was too steep a learning curve.

PS There are several threads on Wordpress / Joomla today. Check them out too.

03-20-2009, 11:24 AM	#1
JustaWizard SEO Expert & Author War Room Member Join Date: Feb 2007 Location: Vancouver, WA USA Posts: 486 Thanks: 201 Thanked 57 Times in 31 Posts Social Networking	Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? I've been doing all my websites for years in Dreamweaver - BTW, I'm a "garden variety" webmaster, I know HTML and use templates in DW. Lately I've been studying Wordpress to be able to create nicer-looking sites faster, as well as to be able to more easily manage large (>100 pages) sites. Plus they have lots of great plugins, ping the SE's, etc. so there are some advantage that WP has over DW when it comes to site creation and management. So my question is, before I get too far along "mastering" Wordpress, should I consider a different thing like Joomla (which I admit I've done zero research into) and I've heard that there's another platform (is platform the right word?) that's also popular? In other words, if I'm going to have a learning curve, where's my time best spent now for future payoff in web design/management? - please do keep in mind I'm not a programmer, just a practical kind of guy who wants to know just enough to get the job done. THANKS! David Portney
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03-20-2009, 02:30 PM	#2
MemberWing Gleb War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 845 Thanks: 10 Thanked 104 Times in 85 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? Wordpress would be your best bet. Huge support community, lightweight, easy. I managed to pull my Wordpress-based site on the first page of Google above 50,000,000 of other competing pages is less than 6 months. I used to play with Joomla - but it was too heavy and overloaded for my needs. Now I am developer for Wordpress for a growing community of people who are building recurring membership sites. It really works well and solid. Gleb
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03-20-2009, 03:45 PM	#4
MemberWing Gleb War Room Member Join Date: Dec 2008 Location: Ottawa, Canada Posts: 845 Thanks: 10 Thanked 104 Times in 85 Posts Social Networking Contact Info	Re: Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? Hi David, no more than about any other open- or closed-source software. Advantage of Wordpress is huge community and hence discovery and fixing of vulnerabilities is pretty fast. Updates are used to be the major hassle point for any CMS, but Wordpress recently made it one push-button process straight from the admin panel. So maintenance became much easier especially for newbies. Gleb
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03-20-2009, 04:14 PM	#5
mywebwork Senior Warrior Member War Room Member Join Date: Sep 2008 Location: Honolulu, Hawaii, USA & Montreal Canada Posts: 2,218 Blog Entries: 1 Thanks: 759 Thanked 724 Times in 505 Posts	Re: Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? Although you wouldn't go wrong with either platform I second the vote for WordPress, it is less complex than Joomla and thus easier to use for beginners. I use both platforms and have nice things to say about both Joomla 1.5 and WordPress 2.7. However when it comes to building a site I usually go for WordPress first, using it I can have a site "on the air" within a few minutes of purchasing the domain name. I'd say for every 10 sites I create 9 of them are WordPress. As for security, you always have to keep up to date with whatever code you're running. Open Source code by its very nature is freely available for hackers to dissect and attack,however as Gleb pointed out there is a large community surrounding both products that responds quickly to new threats. Best of luck Bill

03-20-2009, 05:14 PM	#6
originator $$$ Join Date: Feb 2009 Posts: 21 Thanks: 0 Thanked 7 Times in 6 Posts	Re: Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? I depends on what kind of website you want. If it's just a simple website, use Wordpress. Are you talking about a big website and you want some extra features, try Joomla. About security, just keep your CMS updated. I build all my websites at Joomla. If you have further questions, don't hesitate to contact me.
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03-22-2009, 08:20 AM	#7
jumbopanda Warrior Member Join Date: Mar 2009 Posts: 27 Thanks: 0 Thanked 1 Time in 1 Post	Re: Please advise: Joomla, Wordpress, something else? Like originator said, it depends on what you are trying to build. Wordpress is simple for simple sites. Joomla can build more powerful sites, and since it is open source, there are many components and modules that can be added on for free. You can add shopping carts, forums, forms, newsletters, calenders,and much more. Its getting better all the time, and after a few years in development, they have security handled pretty well. If you have any Joomal specific questions, feel free to send me a message. I would be happy to help.
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