Why, when Joomla (in the guise of Mambo) and CMSMS started out at the same time, did one out run the other?
Long before the craze of Model, View, Controller web development practices, there was Smarty. It did all the MVC stuff, it just didn't name it that. Database operations, information processing and the end-user view were all separated which were a good thing for a dummy like me. I needed some control over what was displayed but NO WAY did I want to get in amongst the core programming.
Then came all the biz about valid HTML, X/HTML, CSS, div's vs tables, clean markeup, etc etc. Nearly drove round the bend! Won't even go near the question of cross-browser compatibility. Let's just say that, thanks to Microsoft, that's an on-going challenge.
Seems funny today. Now, when the programming doesn't deliver on the screen, I use CSS and jQuery to paint the picture. The code remains in tact. I can make sure it validates, can put things on the screen where I want them, can make them disappear too! Wonderful stuff.
So again, why, when Joomla and CMSMS started out at the same time, did one out run the other?
It's important to understand that I have the greatest respect for both CMSMS and Joomla and their core application developers. There are just some questions buzzing in my head that go beyond the actual code.
From my perspective:
Ease of use: CMSMS
Ease of customization: CMSMS
Design flexibility: CMSMS
Just plain human-brain thinking about things such as menus, content, etc - CMSMS
Availability: CMSMS. The true nature of the GPL license, ie FREE'ly available code: Both core applications are free, just what you get for free differs greatly.
Extensibility for an End-User: Joomla. A plethora (just wanted to use that word!) of extensions exist for Joomla without question. CMSMS extensions are very limited.
Extensibility for a Developer: CMSMS. While Joomla has more 'off-the-shelf' code, CMSMS is easier to develop modules/plugins/components, call-them-what-you-will, add-ons.
Customer support: NOT CMSMS and Joomla I haven't really tested yet
Documentation: Neither shines. Joomla has so much doco that I get lost and waste time trying to wade through it. CMSMS doco is so scarce it's not funny.
Demonstration facilities: Joomla
'Extensibility' and 'Availability' are tied together. Joomla extensions can make Joomla do lots of stuff, it's just that the extensions cost money. CMSMS has lots more inbuilt, or truly free/cost = $0.00 functionality. The catch here is that there is typically very little if any CMSMS doco and the developer actually has to think! Goodness me!
The only answers I can come up with, and not necessarily in order of preference, are:
1. Captive audience: Joomla programmers make their money not from delivering good websites, but from charging other developers for bits of code. It's in their interests to encourage other developers to make Joomla websites.
2. Marketing. Joomla is better at marketing its product, especially within its own developer community. Even during the great upheaval of Mambo becoming Joomla, Joomla shone. That was one BIG missed opportunity for other CMS systems.
From every web site developer I know (so it's only hearsay), CMSMS is far better in terms of ease of use, ease of development and site management.
Recently a client asked me why I recommended CMSMS for his new website. He said "I Googled both CMSMS developers in Australia and Joomla developers in Australia. CMSMS returned 580. Joomla returned 58,000".
I'm not here to advocate one over the other. Both serve their purpose. I just find it strange that in their differences, they REALLY differ...
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