So I'm looking at creating a fairly standard website with one central core application. I would like to rapidly deploy the standard (mainly content) pages and then build the central application inhouse. My question is, what is "off-the-shelf" web software? I'm proposing PHP Zend as our framework for development but I'm wondering if there's a faster, cheaper way to get what I need. While this framework gives free modules can can be used to rapidly construct pages.. I don't really see that as being off-the-shelf because off-the-shelf implies that I buy software and immediately deploy. Could someone clarify what OTS means here in a web context. What is the difference between a PHP framework such as Zend / CakePHP and OTS? Do you have any examples or links to OTS websites where you can buy web OTS? Any ideas/suggestions? Thanks!
I my be wrong but...normally "off the shelf" ...basically walk into a store and buy it off the shelf....... Would think about something like Dreamweaver....XsitePro.....
what Jim said about OTS, what you want/need is more like a CMS. Joomla, Drupal, Wordpress, ModX etc. Frameworks would provide a good basis for building the central application but if you aren't familiar with them, there will be a serious learning curve. And there's nothing to stop you from using a CMS for the content pages and integrating it with a framework if you so choose.
ok thanks guys. so, could you give me a few examples of OTS web software that businesses buy? I couldn't find any. Maybe I'm searching for the wrong keywords. Could you also explains the process of buying typical OTS software and how to change it to so its tailoed to meet the business requirements for the specific business? Thanks.
Examples of OTS ? He gave you a few , Dreamweaver, xsitepro These are programs to build webpages. Which is what you looking for to build up the content side. http://www.google.com/search?q=web+page+building+software You just pay for them and find tutorials on how to use them. There really isn't anyway you can change this type of software. It's like a hammer, you buy a hammer, nails and wood. Then you start building. You don't buy the hammer and modify it. here's a list of HTML editors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_HTML_editors here's a list of PHP IDEs or editors http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_PHP_editors List of PHP frameworks http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_web_application_frameworks#PHP PHP CMS's http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_content_management_systems#PHP_2
I just bought XSitePro.....it is pretty good....it has a lot of options that will make your site work very professional.....(i just started the tutorial...impressive)
hope you like it, but I just checked their site........ have to assume they are using their own software to build their site and its bad when comments and script tags proceed the DOCTYPE declaration. I won't even go on about the use of the landing page style pitch. ugh, just really hate those. think dreamweaver's the industry standard though its pricey. none of 'em do me any good since I end up using templating from within php or just hand code it in notepad++.
Have heard that Dreamweaver has a high learning curve.........tried the expressions from MS...too hard.....(for me) About 10 years ago I decided to learn html......lasted about 2 hours...not for me........WYSIWYG is not technically as good as hand coding...but it produces an acceptable site...