I’m not quite getting used to using CMS, usually hand coding and uploading the site directly to the server without dealing with CMS. But recently I’ve got a project from a friend, aka my client, who wants to run an online magazine with a limited budget and also need a “custom design website” without any looks and feel of template or amateur site. Please guide me to the final solution which CMS between these big 3 is the best that suits our needs:
Requirements:
- “Custom Design” magazine website – almost every single page has different layout with sophisticated design and custom functionality.
- Basic features such as blog, web-board, post, and etc.
- Plenty of FREE beautiful and modifiable plugins/widgets as my client has a limited budget.
- A client doesn’t want to pay any extra maintenance and update costs in the future. He wants to update the site content (online magazine) himself with his basic knowledge in IT and zero knowledge in html.
- The main revenue of the website comes from banner, ads section (both paid and free ads) and classified ads.
- Support more complex features in the future such as membership area and etc.
What should be the best CMS choice for this requirement?
According to your needs, i suggest you the wordpress.
You can hava look at for comparison those 3 CMS here
I also use wordpress and i am really happy with wordpress
I’m a Drupal guy and I’m suggesting that. I think other repliers are fine with the suggested CMS so here is how Drupal would be useful for this.
“Custom Design” magazine website – almost every single page has different layout with sophisticated design and custom functionality.
— You have to make a theme for whatever CMS you use – “Custom theme”
Basic features such as blog, web-board, post, and etc.
— Drupal comes with basic blog built in, but for extra awesomeness you can make a blog-like section using a custom node type.
Plenty of FREE beautiful and modifiable plugins/widgets as my client has a limited budget.
— If you want to use “Install and everything is magically set” type of modules, consider this a minus point.
A client doesn’t want to pay any extra maintenance and update costs in the future. He wants to update the site content (online magazine) himself with his basic knowledge in IT and zero knowledge in html.
— When coupled with a WYSIWYG editor, most users can make content. WordPress is best in ease of use I believe.
Support more complex features in the future such as membership area and etc
— This is where you need Drupal. Drupal has virtually unlimited capabilities due to it’s modular design. But as the web developer, YOU have to spend time settling things down. Nothing is automagical.
Drupal is amazing, even for small sites. I will always pick Drupal because even the smallest blog site eventually require bigger developments. I’ve made that mistake many times with sticking with WordPress and then a few months later, the client wants something that can be done so simply with Drupal.
Go with Drupal, many themes out there which you can build off of, easy to develop modules for, very easy to customize, and amazingly flexible.
I read the customer’s requirements. All customer requirements are resolved features Drupal. WordPress is easy to you, but the problem client. Jumla is a problem for both. Drupal is a problem for you, but convenient for the customer. And more … I think that you’re not familiar with these CMS.