Too many options, need advice on web CMS

Brian Hill <hillb-3jmWZFR0tJaYQlpYDjiAuPU/[email protected]> Thu, 14 Aug 2003 17:54:31 -0700
Newsgroups gmane.comp.cms.general
Message-ID <[email protected]>
I never realized how crowded the CMS market is! Our college has hemorrhaged
90% of its web staff over the past couple of years, and we're trying to
implement a CMS to delegate some of the web content maintenance to our end
users. In addition, we are trying to eliminate an MS FrontPage based hosting
environment in favor of something browser based and simpler to use. I've
already spoken with several vendors, but I'd like to hear from this lists
users and make sure I'm not missing any good ones. Our requirements are:

*	Must have native multi-site support. We have an in-house hosting
environment with multiple sites per server.
*	Must have native multi-lingual capability (English/Spanish), and
we'd really prefer integrated translation tools (though they are optional).
*	Prefer LDAP authentication, but will settle for NT only...we just
need our AD to authenticate the editors.
*	Prefer versioning and workflow control features.
*	Must run on Windows 2000 Server (no CF based solutions though. Java
and PERL OK).
*	Must support SQL Server 7 or Oracle 9i.
*	Must support the creation of unlimited sub-sites (for private
faculty websites).
*	Must utilize a 100% browser based, mouse driven website development
environment.
*	MUST (repeat) MUST be exceedingly easy to use...math teachers don't
make the best web developers.
*	Must offer a site licensing option. With over 20 domains, 1000
editors, and seven servers, per "x" licensing quickly becomes cost
prohibitive for us.
*	Must allow the use of fixed templates, and allow us to restrict
which templates are available where
*	CMS's that are cognizant of the requirements of Section 508 and
disabled users are strongly preferred.
*	Must allow non-technical users  to create email and DB based forms
for the websites without programming knowledge.
*	Users shouldn't have to learn a single line of HTML
*	Must be relatively easy to install and administer (if I have to
spend 2 weeks in a classroom just to learn to install the program, I'm not
going to bother).
*	Must be reasonably priced and quickly implementable. As a state
funded public college, we don't have $200,000 to drop or six months to wait.

 
All suggestions are welcome.
 
Brian Hill
 


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