Umbraco

[TomB]

Hey All,

Just wonder if anyone has come across Umbraco, an open source CMS system.

Its based in ASP.Net v2 and currently runs with MS SQL although the new version will work with any database.

I've just started using it for my own site and am nearly ready to go live with it. I have to say its a pretty amazing system. Its based on parent and child parent template.

So you have one master template that has your company logo etc, then you create child templates for things like home page, about page etc.

You can add new pages and it will dynamically generate the navigation.

I'm really impressed with it. I've added on packages for a blog, there is one for ecommerce, galleries etc.

Also it provides
# Full support for web standards
# Full support for accessibility standards

Has anyone else used it?

Umbraco - The Friendly CMS

One thing about it though it takes awhile to get your head around how it works but once you do the potential is amazing with it.

best of all its FREE!!!

T

 

[PC]

It sounds good but I'll wait till you have it live before I pass judgment on it.

The one thing that puts me off is the Microsoft requirements (IIS and MS SQL).

 

[TomB]

the new version will work with any database version and there are ways to hack it for mysql.

When you say that is it because you don't like windows hosting or for the cost of it?

Will let you know when its live.

T

 

[Gordon N]

It appears to sell itself quite well, although I am not an ASP man by any means. I will be keen to see how the live site turns out Tom as I am never one to ignore a good GPL app if it could have it's uses in thr future.

I have more experience with PHP/mySQL than anything else which has drawn me to Joomla! and Drupal before now, never really explored the ASP/.NET based apps. Looks like that may change now, and my training schedule could get longer!

Regards,

Gordon

 

[TomB]

See i've always been the other way around, and been and ASP/ASP.Net but the thing with this is that you can actually build an entire site without touching a single piece of code.

I've got the basic layout and files in place just need content, seo and then testing, but it should be finished later in the week.

I'll happily give you a demo of it when its done.

T

 

[stugster]

When it comes to web technologies, I'm a PHP/mySQL man myself. I dabbled in ASP about 5 years ago, and it was easy to learn, but I found it could be a bit restrictive in its capabilities. When I tried and played with PHP, I realised just how powerful the open-source, UNIX, alternative actually is.

What's really nice about PHP is that it is also compatible with Windows Servers too

As for yer CMS system, it's ASP, so I don't know if it's good or not

With the release of PHP5, it makes it even less likely I'll ever go back to an ASP environment, no matter how beautiful it is

 

[Brian McIntosh]

What the **** did you just say Stu?

 

[stugster]

"No, sorry Tom, I haven't tried it!" hehe!

 

[TomB]

Ah but PHP still has it limitations. ASP.Net is a framework not a programming lanuguage (which is was the CMs is based on)

I find that like programming in ASP.Net it has more stucture to it and more reusable code than classic asp.

But hey you can't like every programming language/framework and they will all have their flaws and weaknesses.

Its strange though i've never ever liked php. I don't mind mysql and do use it. But I've never come across a large commercial using php. You know you don't get amazon or argos, or tesco online using php.

Plus the other problem i have with PHP on windows architecture is that the URL re-writing of apache is lost, which is no good!!

Where as URl re-writing is a module that you write in ASP.NET that is not reliant on the server software

You never know stuart you may like my new site so much that you come and join me on the dark side

I jsut hope that this doesn't start the same debate that ragged for 14 pages on UKBF and got very heated!!

 

[Idea15]

I've gone head over heels for Wordpress in the last few weeks. Wondering why I didn't give it a try sooner, in fact. It's PHP but it's not reinventing the wheel either.

 

[IT Training UK]

we do some classroom based umbraco courses here at new horizons, let me know if you are intrested i can book a place in for you guys at discount