Well, I'm proud to say that I've come a long way from when I started to seriously convert from MS Windows to Linux. I have arrived to a point where I can effectively update/install/remove packages with yum and synaptic using the command line :D...while also compiling from source(this is where I brag some more) and I can install and do basic configurations for Apache, MySQL, and PHP using vi, gedit...whatever text program. So fun, so fun....and sooooo much light with my new LAMP.
I am really excited, and I should be, because there are so many mature open source content managment systems (CMS) available. Most recently I have been testing out Drupal and Joomla. I am pretty happy with both, but more excited about Drupal and it's fork, civicspace (well, not sure if a fork, but based off of drupal) because of its social-activismish preference.
Both Drupal and Joomla are pretty simple to install and use. (both take advantage of a web autoinstaller) Drupal is a little more complex, but I think because it's more robust of a CMS than Joomla.
Civicspace, derived from Drupal and causing a stir in grassroots campaigning via Howard Dean during the presidential race, comes bundled with some really powerful components like CiviCRM, CiviContribute and an Event & Calendar system which really rocks. This totally blew me away. To think (I am still absorbing how gracious I am to have linux for FREE) that CiviCRM and CiviContribute are free, not to mention the CMS itself....!!! It's hard for me to imagine how much it would be if I were to purchase proprietary software that did the same, literally thousands of dollars!
CiviCRM would equate to what many businesses call their sales database to which many solely rely for survival! I would love to become an expert in implementing this so that nonprofits could harness its power and ability!
I've been excited a lot more lately in large part to my fanatical reading and tinkering with open source softwares.
I have a test site up online HERE using mambo CMS. (I hope to make live a Civicspace or Drupal based site in the near future) Feel free to try it out!
Oh yeah, and while we are talking about my new test site for mambo, I wanted to mention that the site hosts for free with no ads, 1 MySQL database and lots of resonable space and traffic quotas. Check it out if you wanna create your own CMS and put it online all for free!!!
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The Durham Literacy Center has a CivicSpace/Drupal CMS. I installed it for them when I was in AmeriCorps. It might give you an idea of how a non-profit can use a CMS.
The DLC has received donations based SOLEY on the quality of the info on the site about them. Now if CiviCRM was easier to setup and use... that would be a powerful tool for non-profit fundraising. Not impossible, just not as simple as a civicspace install.
the DLC site is really clean, informative and nice! I can see why donors give. They have their information nice and organized so you know what they are doing to affect others!
I'm definitely taking notes :D
I love Joomla.
Mambo - heaven, of-course, very user friendly and SEO friendly.. i love Mambo CMS.. :) Mambo Tutorial For Beginners
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