Great SarahK - I appreciate the steer. How important do you think it is when using Joomla to know php etc? Is not knowing php a deal breaker? All I use now is Mozilla/Nvu/KompoZer. I don't have a problem with tinkering with code but doing anything significant would involve a learning curve I could do without if possible (unless it's short and gentle!)
If you don't know PHP then you'll need to outsource: your unique template any unique components or modules support for any components or modules that don't work quite the way you want This may make perfect business sense. You use the system to get it set up and you concentrate on the content and the core business.
there is a good article on http://www.joomla.org/component/option,com_jd-wp/Itemid,33/p,79/ about joomla and mambo difference
Some words of advice: Use joomla, they are suported by a great community. Mambo's commercial now. Old versions... guess what? they are old. About php knowledge for owning a joomla website... you don't really need that, for a regular usage. Install it, then upload templates, components, modules, mambots, etc, using the /administrator panel. It's friendly user, and just playing with some configs, enable/disable options will give what you need, without changing php scripts. Again, that's for regular usage. customizations, might need a bit of knowledge (html and css) and a vision on how's joomla relating content and areas. Note: Joomla+Mambo's using a different approach than Typo3
Thanks all!, Trichnosis - I read the blog. It was very interesting and does make sense of the Joomla! choice. I feel a bit sorry for Mambo though. SaraK - guess I need to start sifting through the themes available as a first step? I tried tinkering with a Worpress theme (classic) and found my efforts a bit like steering an old tractor in a muddy field. I got it to go where I want, but only more or less! I assumed (wrongly and too late) that the Classic was the place to start(it looked sort of, err classic) but the Default was actually cleaner so easier to tinker with for a beginner. Free directory (!) - Is that a plug for Typo3? Hope not! I couldn't cope with comparing more stars with my eyeglass! Thanks for the encouragement.
-i've been using joomla and it has been great with the amount of extensions available. -the community on joomla's website is excellent and very responsive -finding outsource contractors was no problem at all and quite affordable i had a quick look at mambo's website and the amount of options seems limited as compared to joomla. maybe someone has others thoughts in regards to this. lhlalyam
I will recommend Joomla any day. Give it a try, I am sure you will not regret it. Good Luck. If you need help PM me.