Web Pages CMS

Completely random/open question. If someone would say create yet another open source CMS-app-like thing built on Web Pages that was extremely simple and did all the basics, would that interest you?

Re: ASP Blog Application

Hi HumanCompiler,

My personal view of that :

I believe there are enough CMS applications out there that are mature and reliable. They include all of the features one could thing of and most of them have extensions that you can download (sometimes for a tiny amount). I do not personally believe that the community is in need for another CMS unless it has something very very special, that makes sense and makes people ready to rely on it. Not to forget the great support team that it requires to respond to the users demands.

Best,

Re: ASP Blog Application

Absolutely. That's why I'm posing the question. What about customizability and learning curve?

Btw, if you didn't notice, I'm on the ASP.NET team and in the past I've built some CMS (namely Oxite and Orchard, though I wasn't on the Orchard team all that long).

Re: ASP Blog Application

I totally agree, i forgot to mention the learning curve and cutomizability.

I remember a similar question was asked a while ago on LinkedIn and I remember I was getting tons of email notifications on a daily basis with people suggesting different CMS applications and stating that they're the best and I was quite shocked by the number and names. I even noticed that there are many products that I haven't even heard us. It was such a long list.

I have checked the Orchad Project a few months ago and I really liked how it's architectured and how straightforward it can get once you get to know how to use it. Brilliant. Unfortunately, I never had the chance to really digg into it.

I believe it's another impressive product / project from Microsoft.

Re: ASP Blog Application

HumanCompiler
If someone would say create yet another open source CMS-app-like thing built on Web Pages that was extremely simple and did all the basics

That's my next project. Regardless if anyone wants it or not

Re: ASP Blog Application

Send me a mail? :)

Re: ASP Blog Application

On its way

Re: ASP Blog Application

Hi Mike,

Are you considering building your CMS on top of MVC or WebForms ?

Re: ASP Blog Application

gsaadeh
Are you considering building your CMS on top of MVC or WebForms ?

Neither - the Web Pages framework. I see no point in building yet another CMS on MVC or Web Forms. As you rightly pointed out, the world is already knee-deep in those.

Re: ASP Blog Application

Well I think there is a need for a starter site or simple framework
to enable people to build small web pages sites that allow for

Simple Layout change
New Page Creation & Edit
Simple Menu Control Add Page & Change order
Choice of SQL Compact or xml file
So to cover if the hoster does not yet support SQL Compact.
Or longer term to upgrade to SQL Server or use if in use already.
Simple Error logging
SEO features
Memebership

Then maybe some modules like News, Blog or how to add other helpers.

It would be good to offer guidance for upgrading from an html
site, how to 301 to new pages.

Re: ASP Blog Application

jeremyh
Choice of SQL Compact or xml file
So to cover if the hoster does not yet support SQL Compact.

I wouldn't run a site off XML files. Most hosts don't support* SQL Compact, but if you upload to a host running .NET 4.0 via WebDeploy, the required DLLs will be included in the bin directory.

Otherwise, that's a nice set of features.

*By support, I mean that a few of them have a funny idea about file-based databases, and think they are nothing but performance problems waiting to happen. Therefore they say having an sdf file in App_Data is not something that is covered under their support agreement, but you can still do it regardless.

Re: ASP Blog Application

Yes I understand the xml file comment but getting a simple small datastore is a problem at times.

Yes very true about WebDeploy and the DLL's but on a number of hosts you still have a problem setting the permissions for the SQL Compact file after you upload them.

Re: ASP Blog Application

Mike & Erik,

Maybe instead of starting another one you could help me with the one i started about month ago:

http://razorc.codeplex.com/

I would love to see some help with this project specially from people with your knowledge ...

You can download it from codeplex or via WebPI

and here is a link to Windows web app gallery:

http://www.microsoft.com/web/gallery/razorcnet.aspx

Re: ASP Blog Application

Greetings,

I WANT this project and you will be amazed at the number of people that may also. The problem with Orchard is the complexity. It is TOO big for a basic website which is what most websites out there are.
For most small businesses and users out there, what they want is a simple website that includes a Contact page, News page, About page, a Page that displays their products.
Orchard is great, but compared to most other CMS out there, it does NOT fit this profile. Out of the box, Orchard is not a ready for use. Sure you get it deployed easily, but then, it lacks some basic features you expect out of the box.
At a bare minimum, most PHp CMS out there, are fully functional websites that can easily be deployed without changes and get a fully functional site
I was thinking of starting of such a project myself, but it will be great for MS team to give us something that can then be extended.

cheers,
yousaid

Re: Web Pages CMS

I would be interested in a CMS app for WebPages. I think the strength of WebPages is it's simplicity so it would be nice to see a CMS that is very simple and easy to set up. Something that a beginner could just drop into their root web site and have it work, yet still be able to look into the files and understand how things work would be great.

Re: ASP Blog Application

Yes, there is a need for a simple cms!

Perch is really interesting but in PHP.

Would really like to work on that too!

Re: Web Pages CMS

@HumanCompiler

I would love to see a simple CMS built on Web Pages. I've been working with Web Pages for the past few months and I like the simpilicity of the system. I would like to see a CMS where people can easily edit content and blog. What did you have in mind for "did all the basics"?

Re: Web Pages CMS

HC -

I am always interested in new software because one of the days, someone will actually build something that contains all the features that I like.

Re: ASP Blog Application

I'm really interested in seeing something like that!

Something between QuickEdit.Helper and Orchard.

Perch is really interesting in that regard, but runs on PHP.

Would even work on it, if it's open source! Please keep me informed!

Re: ASP Blog Application

I wish this existed today - I'm looking at CMSs to replace an old DNN site that I'm taking over and none of the ASP options seem to work. Orchard is the best, but it's such a radically different architecture than the WebForms under DNN that there's no clean migration path. I know WebPages is also radically different, but at least it's simpler.

Let me know if you get an open source project going. I'd love to contribute.

Tom