Archive for September, 2009
Raz Systems Add
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009
Content Management System(CMS)
Wednesday, September 30th, 2009A Content-Management System (CMS) is content management system (CMS) software, usually implemented as a Web application, for creating and managing HTML content. It is used to manage and control a large, dynamic collection of Web material (HTML documents and their associated images). A CMS facilitates content creation, content control, editing, and many essential Web maintenance functions.
Usually the software provides authoring (and other) tools designed to allow users with little or no knowledge of programming languages or markup languages to create and manage content with relative ease.
Most systems use a database to store content, metadata, and/or artifacts that might be needed by the system. Content is frequently, but not universally, stored as XML, to facilitate reuse and enable flexible presentation options.
A presentation layer displays the content to regular Web-site visitors based on a set of templates. The templates are sometimes XSLT files.
Most systems also use some form of server side caching which enables a boost of performance. This works best when the CMS is not intended to be changed often but visits happen on a regular basis.
Administration is typically done through browser-based interfaces, but some systems require the use of a fat client.
Static Vs Dynamic websites – what’s the difference?
Monday, September 14th, 2009What are static and dynamic websites?
There are many static websites on the Internet, you won’t be able to tell immediately if it is static, but the chances are, if the site looks basic and is for a smaller company, and simply delivers information without any bells and whistles, it could be a static website. Static websites can only really be updated by someone with a knowledge of website development. Static websites are the cheapest to develop and host, and many smaller companies still use these to get a web presence.
Advantages of static websites
- Quick to develop
- Cheap to develop
- Cheap to host
Disadvantages of static websites
- Requires web development expertise to update site
- Site not as useful for the user
- Content can get stagnant
Dynamic sites on the other hand can be more expensive to develop initially, but the advantages are numerous. At a basic level, a dynamic website can give the website owner the ability to simply update and add new content to the site. For example, news and events could be posted to the site through a simple browser interface. Dynamic features of a site are only limited by imagination. Some examples of dynamic website features could be: content management system, e-commerce system, bulletin / discussion boards, intranet or extranet facilities, ability for clients or users to upload documents, ability for administrators or users to create content or add information to a site (dynamic publishing).
Advantages of dynamic websites
- Much more functional website
- Much easier to update
- New content brings people back to the site and helps in the search engines
- Can work as a system to allow staff or users to collaborate
Disadvantages of dynamic websites
- Slower / more expensive to develop
- Hosting costs a little more
Summary
Many sites from the last decade are static, but more and more people are realising the advantages of having a dynamic website. Dynamic websites can make the most of your site and either use it as a tool or create a professional, interesting experience for your visitors.
This article aimed to tackle some of the questions faced by website owners. If you’d like to comment on this article or have any questions, please contact us.
