Be ready to lose your mind.
This is amazing!
Have you ever heard of CiviCRM?
CiviCRM is a free, libre and open source software constituent relationship management solution. CiviCRM is web-based, internationalized, and designed specifically to meet the needs of advocacy, non-profit and non-governmental groups. Integration with both Drupal and Joomla! content management systems gives you the tools to connect, communicate and activate your supporters and constituents.
CiviCRM is more than a contact database, it also includes some pretty sweet components:
MediaCore is a free, open source video and podcast CMS. Never has the distribution and administration of media been this easy and look so good.
MediaCore provides unparalleled organization, statistics, accessibility, and scalability. Well-designed and well-engineered, it can bring a powerful online video experience to your site.
If that wasn’t sweet enough, MediaCore works on just about anything.
Another great web-based platform for business collaboration and project management has emerged onto the scene. It’s a free SaaS solution called, TeamLab.
TeamLab is a free open-source platform that allows you to connect, communicate, and collaborate through many different means of communication. Blogs, forums, milestones, instant messaging, and more! This is the perfect solution for small to mid-sized organizations who are looking for a free and effective collaboration tool to get things done.
Did I mention it’s free?
For whatever reason, ExpressionEngine has left me with the impression that it is a Cadillac CMS.
ExpressionEngine doesn’t force you to work a certain way or impose limitations on your site design, structure, or content. Its flexibility allows you to build a website that not only fulfills your needs and creative vision today, but will grow and scale as your business needs change in the future.
ExpressionEngine is a business built on an interesting model. It isn’t open source, nor is it completely corporate.
It’s both:
You use Facebook, you use Twitter, You have a YouTube account, and you even have a smartphone.
Do you know what that means?
You are automatically assumed to be qualified as your church’s webmaster.
Exciting, right? Have no fear. You’ll be slinging IT vernacular before you know it.
Here’s your solution:
SilverStripe CMS is an open source web content management system. One of the unique aspects of SilverStripe is that it contains a PHP5-based programming framework, Sapphire. This framework is flexible and customizable with fundamental security models, workflow caching, and multiple language and sub-site support.
SilverStripe is open source, so the download is free and the documentation is public. Everything here is pretty standard as CMS’s go these days. WYSIWYG, drag and drop, day-to-day editing controls. I suppose it wouldn’t be much of a CMS if you couldn’t, right? The look and feel of your site is fully customizable with themes and widgets.
SkyBlueCanvas is a lightweight, open source CMS written in PHP that is specifically built for small sites.
If a robust system like Joomla, WordPress or Drupal are too hefty, this is when you grab a lightweight CMS like SkyBlueCanvas. However, don’t confuse “lightweight” with “simple”. This CMS includes many of the basic abilities a more robust system has, like plugin API, extensions, and theme-ability.
Like most CMS’s, if you can use a word processor then you can update your website.
The Drupal software code for the ITDashboard.gov tool has been released!
This is huge.
Built on Drupal by REI Systems, the IT Dashboard was created for the purpose of making government programs more transparent and accountable. With the source code being released, this same application can be used and customized for any organization.
Open Church is aptly named. It’s an open-source, Drupal-based CMS, that offers solutions for beginners to professionals.
Out-of-the-box, Open Church is generic. It’s also free, so what can you expect? Of course you can swap out your own pictures and add your own pages, but you’ll have to have someone with some web experience to set it all up for you.
