Content management system using backend database

[Scott]

Hi,

Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like display
projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?

Thanks!

P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
let me know.

[Michael Austin]

Scott wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
> solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
> ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
> complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like display
> projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
> company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
> management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
> on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
> gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
> let me know.
>
>

If you want to continually have to take your site down to apply the
latest MS patch, then consider ASP or .NET. I would never bet my
business on it!!! The TOC can be way too high if your site is the
"bread and butter" of the company... YMMV..

My prefs -- in this order:

Apache/PHP/OracleRdb on OpenVMS -- just try and hack it.. and with real
clusters - not those fake ones by M$ and all of the unix deriviatives...
hmmmm... 20 years and counting - and noone has yet to come close to the
capabilities of an OpenVMS cluster. Period!!!!
Apache/cgi/Oracle on OpenVMS
OSU/cgi/OracleRdb or Oracle9
Apache/PHP/Oracle on Unix or Linux.
.... 25 bazillion other choices
IIS/.NET-.ASP/SQL Server if I really had to...

Yeah M$ works, but too many companies have been crippled when their
server gets hacked by the latest script-kiddie.

Michael Austin
[url]http://www.firstdbasource.com[/url] !! Apache On OpenVMS
[url]http://www.firstdbasource.com/t4/t4chart.php[/url] !!with PHP, Rdb and Mysql.

[Roedy Green]

On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 10:46:30 +1000, "Scott" <foo_yahoo_com_au> wrote
or quoted :

>ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc.

There are tools that work well for small projects and fall apart as
the project grows. There are also complicated tools that will have
you scratching your head for months to write HelloWorld.

Like shoes for a small child, you have to choose ones slightly too big
and grow into them.

Tools strictly for small projects include PHP, MySQL.

Tools strictly for large projects include EJB and Oracle.

In the middle are tools like JSP and JSF.


If your project is going to have to last for a decade, you want to
pick generic tools with many implementations like Servlets. If you use
something very proprietary like Delphi, FreeMarker or Flash, you may
have an easy time getting started, but you are at the mercy of that
team to keep the project going. For big companies, open source is a
nice cushion. If the team fails, you could potentially take it over
yourself. Even for small companies, open source leave the option of
someone else taking over an abandoned project.

You could scan the web to see who is doing stuff similar to what you
are doing, and ask them what they used and what they would do if they
had it to do over again. Ask them what they like most and least about
their approach. See what applies most to you.

You might even approach a magazine to turn your survey into an article
and to give some incentive for the users to talk.

see [url]http://mindprod.com/jgloss/magazine.html[/url]

One thing I learned is every tool has its areas it drives you nuts.
When you look for a new tool, you look primarily for one that fixes
the mistakes of your old tool. You forget the new tool may fall down
in areas your old one was fine. Pay attention to what people complain
about. That is what will bother you too.


--
Canadian Mind Products, Roedy Green.
Coaching, problem solving, economical contract programming.
See [url]http://mindprod.com/jgloss/jgloss.html[/url] for The Java Glossary.

[-P-]

Take a look at Rhythmyx. [url]www.percussion.com[/url]

Paul Horan
Sr. Architect VCI
Springfield, Mass

"Scott" <foo_yahoo_com_au> wrote in message news:40d78166$0$9458$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> Hi,
>
> Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
> solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
> ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
> complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like display
> projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
> company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
> management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
> on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
> gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
> let me know.
>
>

[Michael Austin]

Scott wrote:

> Hi,
>
> Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
> solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
> ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
> complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like display
> projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
> company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
> management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
> on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
> gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
> let me know.
>
>

Above all, you want to make sure it is transportable across multiple
platforms. Just in case that windoze system is too smal/buggy...

[Jeff Cochran]

>Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management

>solutions.?

In the appropriate forums, yes. But now that you crossposted to a
bunch of language forums, you'll start a flame war about whose
language is best.

> Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
>ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc.

Sure. None of the above. None are databases, so none are relevant to
programming a database.

> My company website site is going to be
>rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
>complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
>have any thoughts in this area?

Yes. You're way too inexperienced to even attempt this decision so
hire an outside service.

>The site requires functionality like display
>projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
>company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
>content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
>management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
>functionally work well in content management?

There's a great list here:

[url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=content+management+system[/url]

> Do you know of any products
>on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?

Databases are never WYSIWYG so the answer to your question is no.

>P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
>gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
>let me know.

The comp.infosystems heirarchy has a few options you missed.

And for the record, no responsible programmer ever asks "I have a
project to do, what language should I code it in?" Nor would they
mistake a front end client application for a database. Buy a canned
product or hire an outside service.

Jeff

[Michael Austin]

Jeff Cochran wrote:

>>Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
>>solutions.?

>
>
> In the appropriate forums, yes. But now that you crossposted to a
> bunch of language forums, you'll start a flame war about whose
> language is best.
>
>

>>Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
>>ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc.

>
>
> Sure. None of the above. None are databases, so none are relevant to
> programming a database.
>
>

>>My company website site is going to be
>>rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
>>complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
>>have any thoughts in this area?

>
>
> Yes. You're way too inexperienced to even attempt this decision so
> hire an outside service.
>
>

>>The site requires functionality like display
>>projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
>>company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
>>content management solution, however we will have to implement a new content
>>management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
>>functionally work well in content management?

>
>
> There's a great list here:
>
> [url]http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&ie=UTF-8&q=content+management+system[/url]
>
>
>

>>Do you know of any products
>>on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?

>
>
> Databases are never WYSIWYG so the answer to your question is no.
>
>

>>P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
>>gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
>>let me know.

>
>
> The comp.infosystems heirarchy has a few options you missed.
>
> And for the record, no responsible programmer ever asks "I have a
> project to do, what language should I code it in?" Nor would they
> mistake a front end client application for a database. Buy a canned
> product or hire an outside service.
>
> Jeff

and to top it all off - real programmers, dba's and sys admins can't get
a job because of the willingness of companies to hire people who don't
know what they are doing (like this person)just to save a buck - only it
cost them a fortune to bring someone in later to redo the mess guys like
this usally cause...

M.
Sr. DBA and System Admin looking for work.

[Doug Hutcheson]

"Noel" <no.spam@thank.you> wrote in message
news:v1qgd0ttpocjoqpk6nk3ckb9b6sim0euum@4ax.com...

> On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 15:17:17 GMT, Michael Austin
> <maustin@firstdbasource.com> wrote:
>
>

> >and to top it all off - real programmers, dba's and sys admins can't get
> >a job because of the willingness of companies to hire people who don't
> >know what they are doing (like this person)just to save a buck - only it
> >cost them a fortune to bring someone in later to redo the mess guys like
> >this usally cause...

>
> Yup, it seems everybody is looking for people to fill 'junior' posts.
> As a freelancer I charge far more to sort out the mess left by someone
> else than I would to build a system from scratch.
>
>

Back in 1974, I grinned at the sign over my IT Manager's desk:
"We never have the time or money to do it right, but we always find the time
and money to do it again."

In 2004, the joke is getting a little thin, because nothing ever changes.

--
Remove the blots from my address to reply

[Scott]

ACTUALLY...I was asked these questions by a friend. I pretty much
cut-and-pasted his questions into my post. Knowing that *I* wasn't
experienced in this area of IT, but also knowing that my friend wouldn't
think to try Usenet, I thought I'd post on his behalf. Personally I would
have told him to hire a consultant rather than ask me, but thought I'd do
what I could to try to help.

Unfortunately, it's digressed off topic into an opportunity to display some
rather large chips on one's shoulders. The first couple posts were somewhat
helpful; the last few have been fucking useless.

Sorry Michael that you're out of work...nah, actually I couldn't care
less...

"Doug Hutcheson" <doug.blot.hutcheson@nrm.blot.qld.blot.gov.blot.au > wrote
in message news:rP3Cc.172$ze3.8188@news.optus.net.au...

> "Noel" <no.spam@thank.you> wrote in message
> news:v1qgd0ttpocjoqpk6nk3ckb9b6sim0euum@4ax.com...

> > On Tue, 22 Jun 2004 15:17:17 GMT, Michael Austin
> > <maustin@firstdbasource.com> wrote:
> >
> >

> > >and to top it all off - real programmers, dba's and sys admins can't

get

> > >a job because of the willingness of companies to hire people who don't
> > >know what they are doing (like this person)just to save a buck - only

it

> > >cost them a fortune to bring someone in later to redo the mess guys

like

> > >this usally cause...

> >
> > Yup, it seems everybody is looking for people to fill 'junior' posts.
> > As a freelancer I charge far more to sort out the mess left by someone
> > else than I would to build a system from scratch.
> >
> >

>
>
> Back in 1974, I grinned at the sign over my IT Manager's desk:
> "We never have the time or money to do it right, but we always find the

time

> and money to do it again."
>
> In 2004, the joke is getting a little thin, because nothing ever changes.
>
> --
> Remove the blots from my address to reply
>
>

[Gene Wirchenko]

"Scott" <foo> wrote:

>ACTUALLY...I was asked these questions by a friend. I pretty much
>cut-and-pasted his questions into my post. Knowing that *I* wasn't
>experienced in this area of IT, but also knowing that my friend wouldn't
>think to try Usenet, I thought I'd post on his behalf. Personally I would
>have told him to hire a consultant rather than ask me, but thought I'd do
>what I could to try to help.
>
>Unfortunately, it's digressed off topic into an opportunity to display some
>rather large chips on one's shoulders. The first couple posts were somewhat
>helpful; the last few have been fucking useless.

They have been the most accurate.

I had an opportunity to clean up one system that had "just
growed". I proposed that the first thing be done was basic
documenting. I did not get the work; the owner wanted someone "who
could just jump in".

What? Without evaluating what is there?

With that lack of understanding of how software is developed, it
is no wonder that there are many messed-up systems.

[snip]

Sincerely,

Gene Wirchenko

Computerese Irregular Verb Conjugation:
I have preferences.
You have biases.
He/She has prejudices.

[Laconic2]

"Noel" <no.spam@thank.you> wrote in message
news:o8fid01v93202qt6dfl47khjc38f5i3sd9@4ax.com...

> these newsgroups are not your personal
> consultancy service.
>

> >Sorry Michael that you're out of work...nah, actually I couldn't care
> >less...

>
> That speaks volumes, really it does.

This give me an idea. How about if people who have work, but don't know how
to do it were to PAY people who know how to do it but are out of work for
their help, instead of asking for it for free.

That way Michael could get some some for his knowledge and the questioner
could get more useful responses.

[Jerry Alan Braga]

how do you use PHP with OracleRDB on OpenVMS. is it via OCI or another
connect method

"Michael Austin" <maustin@firstdbasource.com> wrote in message
news:pfMBc.2276$Nf2.1690@newssvr23.news.prodigy.co m...

> Scott wrote:
>

> > Hi,
> >
> > Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content

management

> > solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for

databases -

> > ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> > rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs

and

> > complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> > have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like

display

> > projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location,

group

> > company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> > content management solution, however we will have to implement a new

content

> > management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> > functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any

products

> > on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
> >
> > Thanks!
> >
> > P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if

I've

> > gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups,

please

> > let me know.
> >
> >

>
> If you want to continually have to take your site down to apply the
> latest MS patch, then consider ASP or .NET. I would never bet my
> business on it!!! The TOC can be way too high if your site is the
> "bread and butter" of the company... YMMV..
>
> My prefs -- in this order:
>
> Apache/PHP/OracleRdb on OpenVMS -- just try and hack it.. and with real
> clusters - not those fake ones by M$ and all of the unix deriviatives...
> hmmmm... 20 years and counting - and noone has yet to come close to the
> capabilities of an OpenVMS cluster. Period!!!!
> Apache/cgi/Oracle on OpenVMS
> OSU/cgi/OracleRdb or Oracle9
> Apache/PHP/Oracle on Unix or Linux.
> ... 25 bazillion other choices
> IIS/.NET-.ASP/SQL Server if I really had to...
>
> Yeah M$ works, but too many companies have been crippled when their
> server gets hacked by the latest script-kiddie.
>
> Michael Austin
> [url]http://www.firstdbasource.com[/url] !! Apache On OpenVMS
> [url]http://www.firstdbasource.com/t4/t4chart.php[/url] !!with PHP, Rdb and Mysql.

[Robert Munn]

Scott,

Don't worry, not everyone insists on demonstrating the size of their brains
(and their egos) instead of offering honest advice. My advice is not to
focus too much on the specific technology. All of the products you mention
are mature, solid technolgies, and there are many more you could choose from
as well. And don't buy specious arguments about "you can't hack this" or
"you can't beat the price on that". EVERY technology has weaknesses and
strengths. Business decisions should be based on business reasoning, not
technology hype. Not to beat up on my colleague who recommends OpenVMS- a
truly great OS, as he says- but how many people out there still use OpenVMS?
I just did a quick check on Monster and there are 25 total jobs posted that
even contain "OpenVMS". Search for JSP and you get 2100+ jobs. And no, I'm
not a JSP programmer, but the basic fact is that lots of people understand
JSP and Java in general, many more than most other technologies.

Also consider commercially supported products v. open source. I'm not
advocating for or against here, just suggesting that you consider the
alternatives. Commercial products give you the comfort of a corporate entity
behind them, but open source products enjoy very broad and deep support in
the open source community.

I do generally agree with at least one of the posters here that if what you
want is a generic content management solution, don't build it, buy it. CMS
systems are many and varied. Do your homework in the CMS market, consider
the options.


"Scott" <foo_yahoo_com_au> wrote in message
news:40d78166$0$9458$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> Hi,
>
> Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
> solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
> ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
> complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like

display

> projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
> company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> content management solution, however we will have to implement a new

content

> management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
> on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
> gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
> let me know.
>
>

[Robert Newhart]

Scott,

First off, sorry for the nasty flames from some of the people who wrote you
back. As for the rational minds who tried to answer your question, yes,
they are correct, there are several mature programming languages from which
to choose from and all have their strengths and weaknesses.

Depending on if you are going to do much of the programming, one of the
easier to grasp languages is ColdFusion. Two articles you might want to
look at are:

Making the Case for Coldfusion - Sitepoint.com
[url]http://www.sitepoint.com/article/making-case-coldfusion[/url]

Life After ASP - Macromedia.com
[url]http://www.macromedia.com/devnet/mx/coldfusion/articles/cf_aspnet.html[/url]

Granted, the one is written by a Macromedia evangelist, but his advice
should not be discounted out of hand. However, administrating a database is
not a task to be taken lightly, as there are many consideration only people
who have had years of experience would be aware of.

If you are looking for a prebuilt solution that will allow you to fill out
forms to add content to the database, there are probabably quite a few out
there; I would do a Google search. There is one company I know of, at
[url]www.imagineit.com[/url] that developed a content management system you might want
to look at, although it is MS centric.

I wish you the best in your search.

"Scott" <foo_yahoo_com_au> wrote in message
news:40d78166$0$9458$5a62ac22@per-qv1-newsreader-01.iinet.net.au...

> Hi,
>
> Can I ask some advice in regards database solutions and content management
> solutions.? Do you have a philosophy on what is the best for databases -
> ASP, JSP, Cold fusion, PHP, etc. My company website site is going to be
> rebuilt and I am the lucky one to do this but I am unsure of the needs and
> complexity of the project, and what would be the best base code. Do you
> have any thoughts in this area? The site requires functionality like

display

> projects, archive projects, sort projects by date, project location, group
> company, etc. All images and pdfs are currently uploaded through the
> content management solution, however we will have to implement a new

content

> management solution as well. Do you know of an easy to use product that
> functionally work well in content management? Do you know of any products
> on the market that are like WYSIWYG database solutions?
>
> Thanks!
>
> P.S.: I've tried to best guess which newsgroups apply. Apologies if I've
> gotten it wrong - if you know of any other appropriate newsgroups, please
> let me know.
>
>