Feature List

Webspaces CMS has evolved over a 7 year period to suit many kinds of applications.   The software has its origins as a community portal that gave communities within communities an opportunity to get online.

 

It still does that, however it has also grown into something that you can use to CMS-ify pretty much any static website, and create intranet systems for in-house applications.

 

Simplicity first

Most CMSs include a huge amount of bells and whistles on a default install, which you then have to figure out how to turn off. Webspaces CMS takes the opposite approach and creates first and foremost a basic webpage, which you can then build on as you need.

 

Subtle management

The webspace managers admin area is very close to the content unlike most CMSs. You weave in and out of the content pages as you update them just by clicking the small round graphic, which your audience will never even notice. There are no obvious login boxes.

 

Intuitive but powerful formatting

Formatting markup is modelled around common internet habits. You can insert images and headings, and make tables and boxes quickly and easily. The menu box on this page was created with (b for border, s for shaded, r for right-aligned):

While its simple to do, and looks pretty simple right now, with the right stylesheet that could just as easily become a great set of 3d buttons.

 

Automatic nav bars

A range of nav bars are automatically generated which you can include in your pages (as with the links box above) , which saves time, keeps visitors from getting lost, and integrates webspaces into the rest of your site.

 

Legible page url naming

Pages all have english names which helps users find their material and search engines index properly. The webspaces and webspace item pages share the same naming space.

 

Speed

The whole point of a CMS is to save time. Webspaces has been optimised to make publishing fast. 3 clicks to alter a page, and a text based markup that errs on the side of easy typing, and fast page loading.

 

Management isolation

You can have any number of Webspaces in the one install. Each Webspace has its own manager(s) and page template, so different departments could run their area.   Alternatively you can divide complex sites into manageable areas even if it is the same person that looks after them. Those areas can be accessible, both to read and write to by controllable audiences.

 

Layout and content separation

As with all CMS systems the data content is stored separately from the presentation. The page information is rendered through an html template at the last minute. This means that changing that one template, changes the look of potentially hundreds or thousands of pages.

 

Flexible permissions

Webspaces can be used diversely because of the diversity of authentication modes. Here are some common ones:

1. manager write only (website)

2. users can add and edit their own items (community news or blog)

3. users can add and edit their own items with moderation (news, notices)

4. Visitors can add items (comments, guest book)

5. Visitors can add and edit items (wiki)

6. Groups can edit items using htaccess (groupware)

 

You can allow users to create their own webspaces, with or without your approval.

 

Webspace structure

Each webspace has a contents page, with links to all the webspace item pages. Each webspace page item has four main fields: name, intro, and body and sidebar. Items listed on the webspace contents pages on webspaces can be sorted:

  • by date order, or reverse date order
  • alphabetically by item name
  • specified order using a priority number

 

Complex content

Images can be uploaded and included in webspace pages.

More complex content, like forms can be included by uploading as a static page, and using the template wrapper.

Lastly non-html content can be included by uploading into a docs folder and linking it into webspace pages.

 

Help

  • contextual + index
  • uses a webspace itself

 

Email support

  • Users may subscribe to your webspace to receive   updates from time to time.
  • all email address collection is by email return link confirmation
  • all email addresses that appear on pages are spam camouflaged

 

Simple codebase

Modifying the codebase is easy. The code is well documented and simple procedural php, with a minimum of functions.

 

Addons

In response to demand to integrate user databases from forum calendar and other software, I have added a calendar, and a beta forum to webspaces CMS, and they now come as standard.

 

The calendar, has email reminder (if you have cron access on your host). The forum is in early days yet. Named Webspaces Discuss, it is an attempt to decomplexify what forums have tended to become. There is three levels only: discussion zones (categories), then threads, which contain posts.

 

Lastly there is an optional user database, which if your organization is close knit will help keep folk in touch.

 

See also the server addons package, which contains software more suitable for intranet use.

Admin login