Content Management Software

[Bodo]

I wonder if any other PHer has experience with this:

I'm looking for a CMS for my uni faculty. It should:
- be based on server-side scripts
- be open-source
- allow configuring specific different user roles, ie. 'students' should be able to upload their personal pages, 'professors' should be able to set up projects, that cover pages with individual rights for certain other users. The secretariate should be able to post news on a news ticker on the start page, etc.
- include an application to modify pictures

Requirements, however, are unlimited. Additional ideas to above and other random tips are most welcome

I've already had a look on Typo3 www.typo3.org which looks quite suitable. Any good on that one?

[J_S_G]

I'd think that it's useful to decide what basic features you REALLY want. People quite often go overboard with content-management solutions, getting some all-singing, all-dancing, £50k+ solution, when all they really need is a copy of Frontpage, and some well-configured FTP/Frontpage Extensions on their server (which'd all be "free" under MS academic licensing). It's worth thinking about how much knowledge you're going to assume people have in order to use it - the dumber they are, the more it'll cost. It's regularly best to ignore the bottom-end, and assume a certain level of ability.

[rebelstar]

You could take a look at PostNuke, it might be sufficient. It's free and open source. Only just installed it myself so I can't give you a good review of its abilities.

[Bodo]

Cheers all!

I don't know about the FrontPage solution; the www-server's OS is not determined yet, but the (uploading) clients vary. Educational demands require all sorts of platforms: Macs, W2k and SGI IRIX with the latter two being replaced by x86 Linux machines to a certain degree. I don't know if everyone which is supposed to add content to the www is able to install a FP client on his box.

Since a browser-based backend works on every platform, I think this is the way to go. Will have a closer look at PostNuke

[j_s_g]

Bodo said:

Cheers all! I don't know about the FrontPage solution; the www-server's OS is not determined yet, but the (uploading) clients vary. Educational demands require all sorts of platforms: Macs, W2k and SGI IRIX with the latter two being replaced by x86 Linux machines to a certain degree. I don't know if everyone which is supposed to add content to the www is able to install a FP client on his box. Since a browser-based backend works on every platform, I think this is the way to go. Will have a closer look at PostNuke

Agreed... it's knowing requirements like that that should make your job much easier!