Content Management System of Choice – SohoLaunch

First and foremost… what is a content management system?

A Content Management System (CMS) is a software system used for content management. Content management systems are deployed primarily for interactive use by a potentially large number of contributors. For example, the software for the website Wikipedia is based on a wiki, which is a particular type of content management system. For the purposes of this page, Content Management means Web Content Management. Other related forms of content management are listed below.

The content managed includes computer files, image media, audio files, electronic documents and web content. The idea behind a CMS is to make these files available inter-office, as well as over the web. A Content Management System would most often be used as archival as well. Many companies use a CMS to store files in a non-proprietary form. Companies use a CMS to share files with ease, as most systems use server based software, even further broadening file availability. As shown below, many Content Management Systems include a feature for Web Content, and some have a feature for a “workflow process.”

“Work flow” is the idea of moving an electronic document along for either approval, or for adding content. Some Content Management Systems will easily facilitate this process with email notification, and automated routing. This is ideally a collaborative creation of documents. A CMS facilitates the organization, control, and publication of a large body of documents and other content, such as images and multimedia resources.

A web content management system is a content management system with additional features to ease the tasks required to publish web content to web sites.

Excerpt taken from Wikipedia

Why is this important you might ask??? For starters a CMS system will allow you the ability to update your website with relative ease without having the overhead expense of having to call your web designer every time you want to update content… prodominately text and images. There are many benefits, but on the top of the list is cost and time savings. For every minor edit you will no longer have to call a designer to update text, build a form, or upload new images… plus you can save time because you can do it in-house. I’ve set-up this system for just about 10 sites now and they all have had great success in utilizing the system. I’ve worked with Soholaunch’s programming team to develop a custom system for ProfilesofShips.com and can honestly say that they are a great bunch to work with. Honest, Sincere and they take great pride in their programming. I’ve worked with Drupal, Joomla, Mambo, TYPO3 as well as Xoops and have found that SohoLaunch has the best overall features and is easy to create a dynamic, functional and beatifully themed website.

SohoLaunch’s Goals
The goal of Soholaunch is to provide a comprehensive set of tools (in one toolbox) that work together to help people at every level of experience build a better website, faster. We want Soholaunch to be your do-it-all wonder tool for building a website.

Soholaunch is designed to help all different kinds of people build all different kinds of websites. If you have no experience whatsover building websites, you can build a great site with Soholaunch — no HTML knowledge required. Or, if you do have experience, you’ll have plenty of opportunities to use your skills to great effect.

Cost: $249.00 (as of 10/29/2010)

If your looking to move your site to a more functional CMS system that can handle membership(s), e-commerce, forms, blogging, SEO, photo albums etc…. and still be user frienldy… then I would recommend that you check out SohoLaunch. Also, if you host through 92west.com we can install the Professional Version of the software for *free of charge. The professional version will stay active for 15 days, but you can purchase the full version for $249 (as of 10/29/2010) or pay a monthly fee of $20.00. It’s worth it either way.

*Should you decide to transfer your site to a different server outside of 92 West you may have to purchase a full license from SohoLaunch. Details subject to change without notice.

Adobe Creative Suite 3

On Wednesday I and some colleges of mine went to AIGA’s 2007 CS3 Design Premium Workshop and I would have to say that the improvements will leave all designers in the print and web arena’s drooling over the updated and integrated tools. The speaker from Adobe covered Bridge, Photoshop, Illustrator and InDesign; highlighting key features as well as explaining some items that you may have not known about the softwares shortcuts. I’m very excited because I just recieved my upgrade for my Business, 92 West, from Adobe and can’t wait to get it into action. If you haven’t already purchased, or are thinking of purchasing the software I would highly recommend doing so… it’s a great time to be a designer :)!

Key Features of Photoshop CS3 Extended

1. 3d compositing and texture editing
2. Animation palette – Import QuickTime, MPEG-4 & FLV
3. Smart Objects & Smart Filters
4. Auto-Align layers command (wonderful for model shots and panoramic shots
5. Camera Raw 4 – More tools and more control
6. Dedicated Adjustment Menu just for Black & White Photos
7. Precise selection tools – Magic Wand has become smart

Key Features of InDesign CS3

1. Creative Effects & Controls – More photoshop filters & feathered gradients
2. Performance Enhancements!
3. Table & Cell Styles
4. Can Import other InDesign Files Now!

Key Features of Illustrator CS3

1. Live Trace gets an update!
2. Live Paint – Easily color in your line drawings… awesome!
3. Color Palette Enhancements – Need a color scheme or want to do some massive changes to an existing one… this feature will blow your socks off.

Key Features of Flash CS3 Professional

1. Import and Control Photoshop and Illustrator Files!
2. Illustrator’s Pen Tool!
3. Workflow with Adobe Bridge!
4. Actionscript 3 – Incredible increase in performance
5. “True” Quicktime Exporter!
6. Primitive Tools – Rectangle & Oval Primitive tools… anything but primitive :)

Key Features of Dreamweaver CS3

1. Photoshop Integration – Recognizes and formats native PSD files
2. FLV Update – Easily Add FLV Content
3. CSS Management & Layouts- Easily code css (learn a bit more while your doing so as well)!
4. Spry Framework for AJAX – All those lovely widgets you wanted to use… but took to long to program for the budget just got easier!

As I said… it’s a wonderful time to be a designer!