[thelist] CMS Quest

[Zug, Bryan]

>>
Does anyone know what the motivation is for product developers
to add their *own language* (e.g. typoscript) to the list of obstacles
when learning to use an app?  Is there a benefit here that can't be
derived from using an existing language?
>>

Yes --

The xaraya CMS (http://www.xaraya.com), which is about to reach 1.0
status, has a similar custom Dynamic Data API approach. 

Not sure about typoscript's methodology/architecture/implementation, but
in xaraya's case, the idea is to give site implementers the ability to
customize functionality without painting yourself into a corner that
will cut you off from future upgrades.

One of the big unseen issues that comes up with PHP/MySQL CMS's over
time is that 1) they are great, because you can customize them, and 2)
most customizations cut you off from future upgrades (and cool/necessary
functionality) unless they are planned out _extremely_ well.

This is something that you won't figure out until you've tried building
your own CMS or painted yourself into a corner by customizing an
existing one (hand raised in hindsight acknowledgement). 

The mid to long term maintenance of these projects is a _huge_ issue
that is not usually considered until after a site has launched, at which
time, because of business considerations, it is often too late to
realistically stop the moving train.

An old interview with John Cox of xaraya that details the reasons behind
this approach (along with some of the history of xaraya) can be found at
--

http://www.sitepoint.com/article/interview-john-cox-xaraya

I've been very intrigued by xaraya ever since reading that interview and
would be very interested if anyone has any significant downside warnings
from using it (or trying to use it ;)

much love --

zug

--
Bryan Zug
WBT Developer
Children's Hospital
Seattle, WA

--
"The comedy of man survives the tragedy of man."
-  G.K. Chesterton, 'All things Considered'
-  Illustrated London News, Feb. 10, 1906