Comments on: CSS is to HTML as a CMS is to… HTML

By: Ken Tan

Ken Tan — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 16:53:11 +0000

totally agree, stumbled across your website looking for css tutorials and found this. great work there!

By: Louis

Louis — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 09:49:03 +0000

Tom, you’re right. I guess I was referring to the management of content from a programming perspective, not just the non-programmer who will be editing the content.

I guess my point was that a simple dynamic site like I described is one way to abstract content from the page so you’re not just serving up unmaintainable static pages.

By: Tom

Tom — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 06:32:41 +0000

I think that’s an unnecessary mis-use of the term. A simple PHP-driven site with header/footer includes and content changing based on the querystring is not content *management*. The management implied in the term CMS is creation, editing and deletion of content, not display.

Your example is a dynamically generated site, but it certainly doesn’t require content *management* in order to work. Certainly it is valuable to have that kind of abstraction even on simple sites. But that is not a CMS, and we’re only making it more complicated for new users by the incorrect use of such terms.

By: Magento webshop

Magento webshop — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 22:17:18 +0000

At first great title ;) intrigued me right away.
Both cms and css made my life hell a lot easier ;)

By: D.Excel

D.Excel — Sat, 04 Sep 2010 20:13:56 +0000

I’m a right brain thinker first and foremost, which means I love to create (design) in multiple ways. I respect coders and what they do. Coding for them is like painting a beautiful portrait. However, coding and designing are not the same thing. I was shocked over the fact that some successful designers know very little CSS if and any. I take pride in being able to write my own CSS, XHTML and the little bit of Actionscript I can put together. Learning PHP has not been that easy for me. I can do the include files, link it with Actionscript and that is it. For whatever reason, I am not grasping it like I did with CSS. With that being stated and for others like myself, I need the CMS like a fish needs water. Does it take away from my creativity, No! I would love to be able to do both, like yourself Mr. Nick. If that was possible, I’d be a bad M**th**F**k** (excuse my French)- But I am not. It’s not for a lack of effort, I have all of the books, vid tutorials and countless hour of listening to Kevin Skoglund while doing his exercises. I will keep at it though, quitters never win.

By: chris kluis

chris kluis — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 19:34:27 +0000

I’d just like to point out to NickB that there are CMSs that allow you to code HTML cleanly and still have a CMS.

Modxcms comes to mind. Use it. Love it.

By: Dave McFarland

Dave McFarland — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 14:14:54 +0000

Like a couple of other people who’ve commented so far, I think there’s a middle-ground in Server-Side Includes. Shared HTML like copyright notices, headers, sidebars can go into files that are included into the other pages on your site. Update the header file and all the pages are updated. All without the overhead of a CMS.

And at the risk of sounding blasphemous, Dreamweaver’s Template feature provides a good solution to site-wide HTML updates for those who aren’t technically inclined and have no clue about SSIs or CMSes.

That said, I love WordPress and think that anything that makes your (or your client’s) life easier is a good thing.

By: Ioan Popa

Ioan Popa — Fri, 03 Sep 2010 00:36:47 +0000

LOL html as a CMS can barely wait for this :))

By: Jackie

Jackie — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 14:07:12 +0000

Thanks Chris

I needed to start thinking about databases and a custom CMS earlier today and was trying to get my thoughts into line on it. You’ve just helped clear my brain out! :)

By: Don aMOEBa

Don aMOEBa — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:47:52 +0000

Hey Chris,
I loved this. I enjoy every one of your screencasts too.