Content Management System

[Craigaroo]

Just had a new site built at a fair old cost and I need a content management system to help me make changes in the future.

I would ask the company that built the site to provide it but for a number of reasons I have decided I won't be dealing with them once the site goes live.

What are my options for getting a CMS provided by someone else?

 

[Websitehandyman]

Good luck with that one, did you not discuss this with the company ?

I'm sure the will be an option but might be a fudge with the content already written and who can say what they've put in that. Might be all flash for all we know.

 

[Craigaroo]

We did discuss this at an early stage but it was decided that we wouldn't require a CMS as we wouldn't be making many changes and any we did make they could do for us.

Time has moved on a bit and we have decided not to deal with the company that built the site in the future, so I'm trying to figure out if there is a way we could install something to help us make the any updates ourselves.

Its not all flash

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

To have a CMS, your site really needs to be built using one from the start.

Converting a site can be a big job depending on the site.

What sort of functionality does your site have?

 

[SimplyWebsites]

Yeah this is something that really needs to be thought about right from the start and the site needs to be built around it.

If you get in touch I can take a look and see how hard it would be to add our CMS to your website.

 

[Baz Watkins]

If you're going to do updates you have a few choices, pay to have a CMS added or rebuild and transfer your content over.

If you're not too bothered about your original design, then go with the second, if you are then the first is the way to go.

Alternatively, depending on how your website was built you could just transfer the work to another designer to manage your updates, just because you don't want to work with the original designer, doesn't mean you need to start again.

If the original designer built you a quality website, a new designer should be able to pick up where he or she left off.

 

[bdw]

To have a CMS, your site really needs to be built using one from the start.

Actually this is not necessarily true. If you only need to change some sections of the website these can be made editable without installing a full CMS.

.

 

[Leo-InstallingIT]

Actually this is not necessarily true. If you only need to change some sections of the website these can be made editable without installing a full CMS.

.

True, maybe I should have said ideally instead of really.

 

[DBMark]

Am I missing something here?
You can create a CMS fairly quickly using Drupal, Wordpress etc.
Of course current content will have to be migrated - even if in your situation it means a lot of cut and pasting.
If you have access to the current css/html, it should be possible to create a new yet broadly similar theme for the new system? Graphics files too can be easily copied across. It's your site so surely you can do what you like with it (or get a web person to do it)?

 

[DesignerNick]

It really depends on your site! What you would need to do is work out exactly what you need to be able to edit / add on your site!

Without seeing it, it is hard to say but I wouldnt say it is impossible or you would need to start from scratch!

 

[bdw]

Am I missing something here?
You can create a CMS fairly quickly using Drupal, Wordpress etc.

You may be missing the fact that the OP has just paid for a website to be built.

He/she is unlikely to want to spend many hours changing the structure to something he/she knows nothing about and that would require a massive amount of reading and research for most folks.

As I said earlier I think the answer to this is editable regions unless the OP needs to be able to change every part of the website.

.

 

[DigitalDaz]

It could be quite easy to turn a website into a CMS, conversely it could be extremely difficult. It really depends entirely on the existing site at the moment.

If the layout is fairly consistent you may well be able to have it converted to a Jommla/Drupal template as mentioned earlier. You also have editable regions within Dreamweaver templates.

If the mods are not going to be that great or frequent, how about a learning a little html.

 

[jaydeee]

I was hoping to have the same project for myself and what I understand is that I have to know or understand the details of the CMS.

 

[liams7]

A website does NOT need to have a cms from the beggining. Most cms work on a MVC model which means the content and the visuals are completely sepperate.

Check out drupal, joomla or wordpress the all pretty much work on a MVC model which is very nice.

It means you can take all the designs and create a template for different pages.

This shouldnt take anyone more than about an hour.

If you have a bespoke CMS like we do then it would be even easier and would take me about 20 mins to sort this out for you.

If some one has an ounce of intellegence they wouldnt need to do this from the beggining but they may charge you a little more.

MVC - Model View Controller (This means the Design, Architecture and data are all seperate)

 

[DBMark]

You may be missing the fact that the OP has just paid for a website to be built.

He/she is unlikely to want to spend many hours changing the structure to something he/she knows nothing about and that would require a massive amount of reading and research for most folks.

As I said earlier I think the answer to this is editable regions unless the OP needs to be able to change every part of the website.

.

Nope, As I've stated, and a couple of posters have since confirmed, it can be relatively easy (depending on what is already set up, and what is required) to create a cms and copy across content and/or styling..
Changing the existing system to become more dynamic can involve a lot more work - you have to factor in data validation, user authentification, various security measures etc. Why re-invent the wheel? An installation of drupal or wordpress takes minutes. Ok the theme-ing and data transfer will take longer, but the functionality of a dynamic site would be the real time (and money) consumer.

 

[DBMark]

A website does NOT need to have a cms from the beggining. Most cms work on a MVC model which means the content and the visuals are completely sepperate.

Check out drupal, joomla or wordpress the all pretty much work on a MVC model which is very nice.

It means you can take all the designs and create a template for different pages.

This shouldnt take anyone more than about an hour.

If you have a bespoke CMS like we do then it would be even easier and would take me about 20 mins to sort this out for you.

If some one has an ounce of intellegence they wouldnt need to do this from the beggining but they may charge you a little more.

MVC - Model View Controller (This means the Design, Architecture and data are all seperate)

+100 Spot on!

 

[Free Wordpress]

I think you've better to seek assistance from a web expert, just to be sure!