CMS with many features but easy-to-use client admin panel?

HairMonster

Hi,

I need some advice on choosing a CMS please (I hope its ok to post this kind of question on this forum!)

I have to develop a website with a number of features:

• A news page with latest news appearing on homepage
• Photo galleries on many pages (i.e. 3 product pages, each has its own photo gallery for that page) that the client can manage
• Support a Light box that can place a video
• Image slideshows where the client can change the photos included
• Support a language translation widget e.g. Microsoft Translator Widget
• Easy-to-use admin for the client!

I've developed brochure websites using a very simple CMS that is easy for the client to use, but I need something more powerful this time.

I've very briefly looked at Joomla and Drupal for suitability, and I assume with their extensions they would be able to provide all this functionality? I have already found some add-ons for the requirements although not all.
My biggest concern is that the admin panels are rather complicated for my client. Can anyone recommend a suitable CMS that is easier for the client to manage, or even recommend Joomla over Drupal?

As a software developer my instinct is to develop my own manager with a simpler UI for these features, but I guess I'm just reinventing the wheel by doing that...

Sorry if my question is vague but I have no experience with this type of CMS and am getting lost in the huge choice of CMSs and extensions that are available.

Any advice or suggestions are welcomed. Thanks!

ChRoMe

Wordpress... my mother can use it!

HairMonster

Thanks for the reply ChRoMe.

I had dismissed WordPress - I have always thought of it as a blogging system that can be squeezed into a website, instead of being a properly functional CMS.

There are quite a few add-ons required for this site, and a post on another thread by KonFusion suggested Wordpress isn't the most suitable CMS when it came to extended functionality? http://www.boards.ie/vbulletin/showthread.php?t=2056859461

I expect even more features will be required as the site develops over time, so I don't want to get tied into a system that might not be suitable in the long run either.

HairMonster

At ChRoMe's suggestion, I've looked at Wordpress and it looks like I was a bit quick to dismiss it, It seems it has developed into a CMS.

My only concern now is KonFusion's post in that other thread.
KonFusion, if you're out there... do you think Wordpress can manage the features I require? Thanks!

ChRoMe

HairMonster wrote: »

At ChRoMe's suggestion, I've looked at Wordpress and it looks like I was a bit quick to dismiss it, It seems it has developed into a CMS.

My only concern now is KonFusion's post in that other thread.
KonFusion, if you're out there... do you think Wordpress can manage the features I require? Thanks!

There will definitely be a wordpress plugin for all of your requirements

HairMonster

Thanks ChRoMe.
I've installed Wordpress and I'm playing around with it now. It looks like it is what I need and is definitely easier for the client to use than Drupal or Joomla.
Thanks for your help!

KonFusion

The OP of the thread you quoted me on had different requirements to what you need.

Wordpress will be fine for you.

There's simpler CMS's than Wordpress again. But Wordpress should do fine.

HairMonster

Thanks for your reply KonFusion. I thought that might be the case but I wasn't sure if your comment was to do with extending WP functionality in general.

Are there any another CMSs that you would recommend? I have used simpler ones for other clients, but they don't have libraries of add-ons available to extend the functionality. I just looked at the most popular CMSs for an alternative but I'm open to using any if anyone has other recommendations.

tommycahir

Have a look at cms made simple (link) I have used it for everything above with exception of language option but I think that is available also and when using it in editor mode for adding updating content is very very simple to use.

Feathers

HairMonster wrote: »

Thanks ChRoMe.
I've installed Wordpress and I'm playing around with it now. It looks like it is what I need and is definitely easier for the client to use than Drupal or Joomla.
Thanks for your help!

Drupal has a number of plug-ins for simplifying the dashboard for an end user; personally, I've never had user-issues with Drupal (& I've trained/supported a lot of tech-unsavvy people in different CMS/editors).

I think the learning curve to Drupal is on the part of the developer — which plugins to use (& more importantly, which to avoid ). It's designed to be extensible, which makes it quite powerful, but you have to put in more effort to understand it, not the client. Once you get it to a good point of handover to the users, it's quite simple for them to use.

So which one I'd recommend would be more down to your experience.