Platforms
The platform is the type of base that your website is built on. The right platform is essential in the decision making process.
The platform (or loosely translated, the way your website is done) is important to the success of your website in both the short term and the long term.
To make a good decision with your designer on which platform to use, you should have the answers to these questions:
- How much do you want to spend?
- What is more important? Fast and cheap? Or well though out and more expensive?
- What is your budget?
- Will you be maintaining it yourself?
- Do you want to grow in the future (such as add ecommerce)?
- Are there any bells and whistles that you will want on your site?
- Who is your clientelle? Is there any dial up clients?
- Is speed an issue?
- How busy will this web site be?
- Will this web site provide infomration only? Or will it do other things?
- Will you be offering ecommerce?
- Do you want a section for users to login?
- Determing the platform is extremely important. The decision can only be made once! Once the quotation is done, the design moves forward with that platform in mind.
On-Core Services uses 4 different platforms to meet the client needs:
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Drupal
Drupal is open source software CMS (Content Management System), and rated #3 in usage. Drupal accounts for roughly 2% of all websites. Drupal is used by giants in the world such as Warner Bros Records, eBay, Straight.com, just to name a few.
The CMS is flexible enough to do well for both small businesses and large. The community has over 100,000 members.
The power of Drupal comes from both its design and its community. Whenever we develop with Drupal, we know there is usually "a module for most requests". Roughly translated, this means that when a small business wants a really cool bell & whistle on his website, chances are that someone in the community has already developed it and you can get it for free!
Drupal will appeal to small business that want their site to sing! It is extremely ecommerce friendly, and offers incredible flexibility for any future requirements.
Wordpress
Wordpress is widely known and extremely popular. It has always been known as a typical "blog style" website, but in recent years it does much more than that!
PulseCMS
This is the perfect solution for companies with a small budget. It does just exactly what you need it to. Deliver information! This is the ultimate solution for a basic brochure style website.
Zencart
If you want ecommerce with a bang, then you have to try Zencart. It is also open source software that draws on the strength of its community.
Zencart is configurable to work with your internal bookkeeping files to be able to maintain large inventories online.
Platform comparison:
| Drupal | Wordpress | PulseCMS | Zencart | |
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| Fast to develop |
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| Inexpensive |
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| Flexible |
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| Quick & easy ecommerce |
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| Extremely easy maintenance |
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| Expands for the future |
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| Quick turnaround to develop |
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| Own your own site |
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| Opensource software |
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| Can do "bells & whistles" |
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| Comes with free add-ons |
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