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Simple CMS for client sites (preferably not wordpress)

by pdrs
11 replies
  • WEB DESIGN
    • |
Hey Guys,

I've been doing quite a bit of PSD - HTML design for local clients lately. Up until now most haven't really needed or wanted a CMS as the sites are fairly static and don't change very often.

Now though I do have a couple of larger sites that I'm building and the client would like the ability to add new testimonials, news, stuff like that...

I thought about building everything on a wordpress platform using thesis or another similar theme but I'd also like to check out simpler options that don't require wordpress/themes and allow me to code freely in HTML/CSS and just pull in what I need...

Any recommendations?
#client #cms #preferably #simple #sites #wordpress
  • Profile picture of the author Jeff Hope
    Hi,

    Have you checked out SNews ?

    Jeff
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  • Profile picture of the author pdrs
    Thanks Jeff, I hadn't heard of it but looks like it may be exactly what I'm looking for!
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew H
    Learn some PHP / MYSQL and can create only the features you need. Very simple.
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    "You shouldn't come here and set yourself up as the resident wizard of oz."
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    • Profile picture of the author Brandon Tanner
      How comfortable are you with PHP? If you know the basics, it's pretty easy to create a page where your client can post simple (ie text) changes to the website. If that's your only requirement, then using a full-blown CMS would be overkill.

      I've done the following for a past client who simply wanted to be able to update a paragraph of text on the "news" page of their website a handful of times a year...

      1) Created a page for them at TheirWebsite.com/news_admin.php

      That page contained a big textarea form along with a password text input and a submit button. To the side of the textarea were formatting "reminders" (<h1> <p> <b> <i> etc), but if you want to get fancy you could always include a nice HTML5 rich text editor here.

      2) They simply typed in their updated "news" in the textarea, entered their password, and clicked submit (the form action POSTS the data to news_write.php)

      3) news_write.php verifies that the password is correct, and also sanitizes the data just to be on the safe side. If everything is good, it writes the data to a file named 'news_content.php' (it overwrites the data that was previously on that file).

      4) news.php (the main 'news' webpage), simply 'includes' the news_content.php file in the appropriate location on the page.
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  • Profile picture of the author pdrs
    hey Brandon,

    It's pretty close to that but basically they want to be able to edit the content on basically all of their pages. No real layout changes or super complicated stuff but you get the idea.

    I've already considered coding it myself and that's what I may do but was hoping to find something already done to save myself the time

    Has anyone used CushyCMS?
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  • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
    Originally Posted by pdrs View Post

    Hey Guys,

    I've been doing quite a bit of PSD - HTML design for local clients lately. Up until now most haven't really needed or wanted a CMS as the sites are fairly static and don't change very often.

    Now though I do have a couple of larger sites that I'm building and the client would like the ability to add new testimonials, news, stuff like that...

    I thought about building everything on a wordpress platform using thesis or another similar theme but I'd also like to check out simpler options that don't require wordpress/themes and allow me to code freely in HTML/CSS and just pull in what I need...

    Any recommendations?
    You can pretty much code freely and modify the CSS using TwentyEleven or TwentyTwelve child themes in WordPress.

    Managing the content using only Pages and configuring the menu structure should do just about anything you want, you probably would need to add a couple of custom menus to the theme.
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    Robin



    ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author WebdevelopmentGroup
    I can build a secured CMS for you if you'd like
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    • Profile picture of the author RobinInTexas
      Originally Posted by WebdevelopmentGroup View Post

      I can build a secured CMS for you if you'd like
      Will you do that for free?
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      Robin



      ...Even if you're on the right track, you'll get run over if you just set there.
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  • Profile picture of the author wordpressmania
    So that you can code your own. cms
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  • Profile picture of the author SmallBizWebsites
    Building your own CMS is folly. I've been there, done that and it is not worth the effort.

    I provide Cushy CMS for my clients who want non-Wordpress sites. It's simple and effective. If you want an even simpler CMS, then try Unify, which is so simple that people who were born without brains can use it.

    Free and simple CMS » CushyCMS

    Unify - The simple content editor anyone can use
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  • Profile picture of the author Andrew H
    Building your own CMS is folly
    I don't agree at all. A simple CMS is almost always better built custom for the client's needs. Of course, this is only if the budget exists.
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