Allowing customers to edit static website via WYSIWYG

Question

I've set a few clients up with Adobe (formerly Macromedia) Contribute to edit static html content. Add the comments to prevent them from causing too much damage and it works okay:

<!-- TemplateBeginEditable name="UserEditedSection" -->
<p>stuff the user can edit</p>
<!-- TemplateEndEditable  -->

So my questions:

1. Are there any Contribute competitors that are worthwhile?

2. Are there any Contribute competitors that don't require a piece of desktop software?

3. Are there any Contribute competitors that work on mobile (iPad, iPhone, Android, Blackberry?)

Solution 1

Here are a few different options of simpler CMS's, hosted and downloadable:

• PageLime (Hosted, Commercial, Free up to 3 sites)
• SnappySnippets (Hosted, Commercial, Free for simpler sites)
• CushyCMS (Hosted, Commercial, Free for unbranded sites)
• MarkupFactory (Hosted, Commercial, 30-Day Free Trial)
• Nuggetz (PHP, Flat File, BSD License)
• Pulse (PHP, Flat File)
• Phpns (PHP, MySQL, GPL)
• OneFileCMS (PHP, Flat File, CC License)
• GetSimple (PHP, XML Flat File DB, GPL)
• Pixie (PHP, MySQL, GPL)

For a more comprehensive list of CMS options, check out OpenSourceCMS. You'll find all sorts of non-hosted options there, ranging from the simplest solutions to more complex, each with a demo so that you try it out before downloading. Note that I've not used any of these, so I can't make a recommendation of one over an other, but hopefully you'll find something useful.

Solution 2

If you just want to allow them to modify a few static texts on the site, I recommend CushyCMS

You just put some html tags around the areas you want to make editable, you give CushyCMS your ftp access, and you're done. Very very easy.

Solution 3

Some ideas :

• Amaya by W3C , open source
• WYSWYGPro can be embedded on a web page - No desktop software (does not do task requested)
• TinyMCE Javascript WYSIWYG editor - No desktop software (does not do task requested)

I haven't any personal experience with any of them.

Solution 4

CouchCMS (http://www.couchcms.com/) also seems to be a perfect alternative to Contribute. It uses XHTML tags to mark out editable regions within existing HTML pages (just like several other micro CMSes), however it shines when it comes to creating cloned pages out of any existing page.

Solution 5

Honestly, I'd recommend creating one. (and when you do, release it as open source!) CushyCMS, if I understand correctly, requires they know your ftp details? Eek. Also, I'm not one for depending on an outside service like that. It's too risky: they could go under, and then all your clients are mad at you.

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Comments

[MrChrister]

Would a CMS like cushycms.com do the job, or do you have more complex requirements than that?

[artlung]

@MrChrister: CushyCMS appears to be an answer to 2. Have you used CushyCMS?

[MrChrister]

Just the demo, but your question reminded me of it as a flat file based online CMS

[Andres Jaan Tack]

How static are we talking? No database?

[artlung]

Right, static = no databases or flat files. The pages that are served are the actual files that need to be edited. Classic would be .html files, though files with server side includes or limited PHP would be allowed, but customers edit only the static parts of the content.

[Ciarán Walsh]

I hate to say that if you're at the point where you're doing this a lot, it's probably time to delve into a low-level CMS like Wordpress (or the many that others have mentioned) Yes, it's a bit more work to customize and costs a few dollars more to host, but the payoff is easier editing if the client has you in charge and a higher margin product you could offer to your clients. My clients often update their sites CMS via phone. I look at it this way....we could all do our graphics in MS Paint, but most of us choose not to for a reason....

[artlung]

Many others? The only other cms mentioned in this post so far is drupal. Your comment is not helpful or germane to this question.

[nedruod]

Could we count on WebDAV being enabled on the server?

[artlung]

I don't think a WebDAV dependency helps very much, but it's certainly an idea.

[fearoffours]

I've used cushycms for 2 small clients, it worked very well for static stuff, but as soon as you need a database or archived news posts, look at Wordpress. Blogger + cushycms will work together, but Wordpress negates the need for cushycms

[artlung]

Drupal is not a static website. Drupal requires a complete rewrite and rethink of an existing static website. Drupal is great, but it is in no way a competitor to Contribute.

[artlung]

I'm really looking for simpler editors for static content, but Dreamweaver is certainly an option. Overkill for simple editing for clients though.

[samy]

I have experience with both Dreamweaver and Contribute. If he's worried about users messing up the site enough to use the TemplateBeginEditable , they are definitely going to be messing up a lot of things with Dreamweaver. It's more complicated.

[samy]

You spelled druapl.org wrong = /

[artlung]

+1 for Amaya, but WYSWYGPro and TinyMCE don't do what I described, they would require another backend tool to actually implement the edits.

[Ian Oxley]

I have used CushyCMS in the past and it is actually pretty darn amazing. You just have to be ok with giving a 3rd party app FTP access to your server.

[nute]

I don't understand how the changes are saved to the server?

[artlung]

It's a competitor to TinyMCE, so there is no default backend. It's very nice, but does not meet my criteria.

[artlung]

It depends on jQuery and ExtJS. Developer Docs here: aloha-editor.com/wiki/index.php/Implementation_Guide

[corymathews]

That product is buggy at best. IMO its just a POC not one for actual use.

[nedruod]

@jessegavin - agreed, it would be awesome if they could support one time passwords.

[artlung]

How is the page included on your website? It seems like this would necessarily be JavaScript or an iframe, which makes the search engine and accessibility implications of this pretty bad. Maybe I'm misunderstanding though.

[ckramer]

To use an example I found by googling (docs.google.com/…) - if the page is shared by allowing it to be viewed on the web, then you can use any server-side language to include it. For PHP, this is as simple as... echo file_get_contents('docs.google.com/…); The docs page then gets inserted into your page without javascript and without iframes and without hurting search engine performance.

[artlung]

But that requires content management system-managed pages, right? The question is specifically about editing a static website.

[Jesse Dearing]

Looks very cool. I'm a bit concerned that since you have to mark editable areas with the class cushycms it makes it pretty obvious that you're using CushyCMS and that you have opened FTP access to them. Can you define your own class name?

[nedruod]

I thought MySQL was a requirement to use Perch? Or can it edit files directly?

[Frank Robert Anderson]

I thought that I made it clear that "Drupal is content management system" as in not a static site. As Drupal does awnser all three of the askers question; it is worthwhile, doesn't require a desktop application to run, and can be edited from any device that can connect to the web; I think that Drupal would solve the problem just fine. All Content Management Systems are competitors for Static sites. @rlb.usa, whoops.

[Lèse majesté]

Yes, it appears to require MySQL based on the features page. And there's not much point in building a static site if you have access to both PHP and MySQL, so I'm guessing the questioner won't be able to use this.

[Lèse majesté]

I have mixed feelings about that argument. On the one hand, many of these SaaS apps are a rip-off, and they do make you dangerously dependent on a third party service. On the other hand, most businesses already depend on third parties for web hosting, email hosting, internet access, power, etc. So it's really down to balancing the extra dependence/risk versus the convenience offered by hosted solutions. Also, a SLA could mitigate most of the risk you'd incur.

[Lèse majesté]

If you're going to need PHP, then you may as well run a dynamic website. Using URL rewriting may be an option, but it still seems hackish. How static are Google Docs sharing URLs?

[Lèse majesté]

Presumably you can use SFTP as well? If so, then I don't think there's much security risk to letting people know that you use CushyCMS.

[Kristian Damian]

+1. BTW Phpns link is broken. And what's your brief opinions on each/some of the CMS you listed?

[Virtuosi Media]

I wouldn't use any of them, personally. I don't like hosted options that don't let me control the details of the website and the flat file option is also limiting. As for the remaining options, I would choose Wordpress or Joomla over any of those listed.