As I try to follow some of the more techie items that blast on to the internet scene from time to time, there is the occasional joy of finding a truly useful and important program or utility that changes the way I choose to work on the internet.
Blogging (and ActiveRain) was one such discovery. I could submit content written in article form to my blog and the system would insert the content into a pre-defined webpage with existing format and other information. It is like magic. I do not have to concern myself with HTML programming or any of the other little miracles of web page creation.
Well fasten your seat belt. I am finally waking up to the way the process works and how I can use it myself for my own business or personal projects. The world wide web was the 20th century equivalent of the Gutenberg Printing Press.
Welcome to the 21st Century
The blog host, whether Blogger, Wordpress or Active Rain, is what is called a content management system (CMS) and it provides the magical environment that we all use to post the droppings of our mind to the world outside with no more than a text editor at our end of the line. Pretty amazing stuff.
But what if you could have your own CMS environment on your web host that would permit you to create complex websites without programming knowledge and little or no HTML. With the ease of submitting a blog article you can create business information pages – create menu structures for navigation – use consistent page templates for appearance or use different templates for different sections of your site. Add or delete content, modify organization, insert graphic or media content. Create an open site or permit users to register for access or create a combination where the public views public content but must register (and give name and verified email) to view the good stuff.
This is the most powerful and important tool that I have written about since I began personal and business blogging. It is not new – I am just catching up. Personal CMS systems are available and in many cases they are virtually FREE. You pay for your web hosting account, but the software that makes the magic happen is open source and available without cost. If you communicate for a living and are responsible for web sites for your business – this is the hottest ticket since the invention of orange juice. Trust me on this.
Like so many people, I have found that becoming a teacher is a real way to learn. As an adjunct professor (read as “part-time”) for Stetson University in Florida, I was exposed to an educational content delivery system called Blackboard – a commercial product. As I began to create course content, I looked for a way to build course material on my computer without connecting to the University systems. I discovered Moodle. Very comparable to Blackboard but, again, FREE. I found that I could install Moodle on my web hosting provider and I had my own on-line educational course provider system. I can create interactive courses for business training or education and control my own on line content on my own site. More on Moodle another day.
The next step in the evolution was the realization that Moodle and Blackboard were, like the blogging platforms, content management environments. I began to search for tools that would fit my business model whether it be real estate, direct sales, or supporting political candidates.
And the star of the show – wait for it…
Joomla! is an open source content management system which can be installed on your computer or at your internet hosting provider. (You may prefer to develope on your computer and export your site to your hosting provider) Not only is it free, it is available for automatic installation and hosting at many of the ISP and IPP companies. I happen to use Go-Daddy to host this application and with the appropriate hosting account JOOMLA! can be installed and operating in Windows or Linux.
Content creation, security, user registration and management, and a host of other functions are easy and reliable. And, since JOOMLA! is open source and in wide spread use – the third party extensions that have been created by users and developers all over the world are amazing. Need an application for scheduling banquet rooms – its out there. Shopping cart applications for E-commerce – its out there. Free extensions – free templates – its out there. And did I mention that it is free?
As I mentioned, this is not new. I am just waking up to its existence. Joomla! is in wide distribution and developers are creating their own Joomla! based solutions and sharing their extensions with the Joomla! community. The power of this application is multiplied by the easy availability of application specific extensions and templates.
I am setting up a modest demonstration site for my own purposes as I explore the power of the system and consider how to apply the technology to my particular set of interests. www.webted.info is the temporary address. The site is really under construction and will change or will be unavailable at times while I am working on it. I have not yet implemented any registration requirements (but I do have a long weekend ahead…) so you are welcome to see how my mind is working (or not..) lately. Insert standard work in progress disclaimer >here<. You get my drift.
There are other CMS systems available. As a beginning user, I thought JOOMLA! suited my needs. As I get into the program further, I am not disappointed. It is the concept of the CMS environment being at the core of web site management and database integration on a scalable system that excited me. This is wonderful technology that is powerful and cost effective.
Check out JOOMLA! at www.joomla.org. Search for JOOMLA! related content and tutorials on You-Tube and other sources.
All of our business, political and personal ventures center around the communication of ideas. Welcome to my world.
Enjoy – you will thank me later.
