Managing content part I: Macromedia Contribute.
April 2004
In this three part series we take a look at the best options for maintaining
websites. The first installment covers Macromedia Contribute, a cost effective
but powerful solution for small to medium sized sites.
Macromedia Contribute is a small revolution in the maintenance of small to medium sized sites. It effectively turns any HTML website into a content managed system, with no special server development or complicated installations.
Maintaining a website is easy with Macromedia Contribute - simply browse to the page you want to edit, make your changes and save them. Adding and deleting pages is equally easy. Contribute transparently takes care of all the complexities such as moving files back and forth between your computer and the server.
Macromedia Contribute in edit mode
The only complicated step, configuring server access, is handled by the website administrator. On his computer he enters all the server details and specifies the areas that the editor should have access to. Contribute then generates a key which can be sent via email. The editor simply double clicks it and contribute will configure itself automatically with the settings determined by the administrator.
By integrating the Internet Explorer browser with the visual HTML editor of Dreamweaver, Contribute provides a much more user friendly environment than browser based CMS's. It also handles locking (to avoid two people changing the same page at the same time) and version control, providing most of the functionalities that small to medium sites need from a CMS.
As with any HTML based site it is advisable to use some simple scripting to separate the global elements (navigation bars, footers etc) from the individual pages. This can be achieved using server side includes or our very own templating system, and gives the best of both worlds: simple editing of content and instant control over the global aspects of the site.
Macromedia Contribute retails for €149 / £99. Bulk discounts are available. More information and a trial version are available from the Macromedia website.
