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Quote:Conclusion
Open-source content management software presents an attractive option for companies looking for a straightforward solution to a common problem. However, traditional methods of software selection are less helpful in evaluating open source than commercial software. Indeed, the vast selection of open-source content management software, coupled with the broadness of the category, can make the task of sifting through the possibilities tedious and disorienting.

To get your bearings, focus on the business problem and look to see what other companies have used to solve similar problems. Once you do narrow down to a set of viable options, the openness of open source will allow you to learn more about the software than you ever could learn in the commercial world. If you leverage these benefits, open source can reduce the risk of your initiative and provide a solution that can grow with your company.

Quote: It seems as if everyone is a Web publisher today -- from the habitual bloggers and online diarists to the companies running major news outlets, portals, and magazines -- and they're all using some kind of database-backed content management system (CMS) to do it. There are a lot of CMS choices -- Drupal, Mambo, Bricolage, WordPress, and Plone are some of the most recognizable names. While they all perform the same basic functions, you have to pick only one.

How do you do it?

Essentially, these systems all manage a database containing your content, providing a method of input (usually Web-based), and outputting Web pages from the database according to the specifications in templates and configuration files. The fancier systems feature support multiple output formats, access and version control, and are built around the concept of publication "workflow," as you'd see in the busy production area of an old-fashioned print publication...