Metroplex Interactive

Open source software (OSS) is increasingly popular with businesses of all sizes throughout the nation because: the license cost is typically zero; the existence of a robust developer community constantly delivers add-on solutions; OSS solutions offer feature-rich functionality out-of-the-box. Businesses are learning that these OSS solutions can be used to build very professional websites with features rivaling the most popular websites online (because they too are built on OSS). Should your business consider transitioning to an OSS-driven website? Here are 5 pro tips to consider when making an OSS decision:
 

Should We Deploy Our Website on an OSS Solution?

The question of whether you should deploy an OSS solution depends on your requirements for solving a particular problem and to what degree any OSS, off-the-shelf, or custom software package solves that problem. Begin by creating (or having someone create) a list of requirements you demand for an OSS and then compare each OSS against your requirements. The top OSS' that satisfy the most requirements should be investigated further. For instance, if you demand professional user membership and profile features MovableType is probably not a good solution, whereas Joomla is.
 

CMS vs Blog

OSS often comes in the form of a Content Management Systems (CMS) or a blog. CMS are document management tools that can publish documents, webpages, Adobe PDF's, scanned images, etc. to your network, intranet, website or a growing list of other distribution channels. If your company deploys a CMS the website would be a sub-component. This configuration provides a greater level of feature and functionality and crosses many boundaries for distribution. They are also typically more difficult to setup, learn and maintain.
 
A blog is a website containing type-written, video, audio, image or linked document content typically maintained by one or a few persons. Blogs are usually presented in a columnar fashion with separate entries listed in reverse-chronological order, all though newer sites running blog platforms have become quite complex and more visually appealing. A blog tool provides an easy-to-use administration panel to update and add blog entries but lacks the full feature set of a CMS such as adding new sections, organizing volumes of documents, or distributing content via different methods.
 
The type of functionality you demand will determine whether you select a CMS or blog solution.