LIS #768 Post #8: Library 2.0 discussion
22 11 2009Open Source Content Management Systems: Wordpress MU and Drupal:
I recently post the question on twitter:
These are the responses received to this point:
To this point, it seems like most user prefer drupal over Wordpress because it can do so much more. But it also seems to be far more difficult to get it up and running. In order to prepare for the GSLIS Advanced Web Design class next spring, I wanted to test out both systems. I believe both are very important to libraries, but which is better for the library?
I have installed both systems on to my web hosting service: Wordpress on Modlab and Drupal on Modlab in order to see what all the fuss is about. I do agree that wordpress is much easier to set up and launch right out of the box for a simple site, and drupal, as Dan stated, does indeed have a steep learning curve. I can really see the pros and cons for both systems. Wordpress seems much easier to set up and maintain, but is that necessarily a good thing?
Basically it really all depends on the library’s needs and even, to a certain extent, the skill level of the librarian in charge of setting up and maintaining the site. It appears that Drupal take a lot of start up work to get it going, but it is also a CMS that can do a lot more for you that Wordpress appears to be able to, but that is not always needed for libraries. Wordpress has it’s limitations, but is quite easy to set up and maintain. For a smaller library, with a small budget, I would probably recommend a wordpress system over drupal.
Either way you go, both systems are incredibly exciting and I can’t wait for the semester to be over so I can dive into both!
Update:
See Kyle Jones’ wordpress as a CMS presentation: http://thecorkboard.org/blog/reflections-on-the-wordpress-as-cms-presentation/
Like Mick said and as one of my slides described, comparing Drupal with WordPress is truly like comparing apples and oranges. They both can fit into the CMS breed, but WordPress is kind of like the weird guy in the room – yea, he can stay but he stands out.
And WordPress, in my opinion, stands out because it isn’t a CMS at its core. You have to flex it and mold it like clay to get it to work the way you want. It’s beautiful as a blogging system: wonderfully easy backend, themeable front end. But try to do some unique things with the content (i.e. specific content types) and you’re stuck; it likes posts, pages, and links – no more, no less. Keep an eye out for the 2.9 version of WordPress; it’s supposed to be handle new and customizable write panels (more than pages/posts). Also, give the Pods plugin a go – it really opens up content types to whatever you can imagine (with a little thought and imagination).
You rhetorically ask if it’s a good thing if its setup process is simple. If you’re talking about the hosting hookup, i.e. the SQL connections, then, no, it really doesn’t matter. But if you’re more specifically addressing its out-of-the-box experience, then, yes, it does matter. If your staff’s technical level or desire to become more technically inclined is limited, then WordPress works out quite well. Want the full-bang CMS experience, go with Drupal.
It’s good that you addressed the “needs” of the library. Sometimes folks don’t need a Ferrari, sometimes the need a simple coupe.
Could you talk a bit more about why a “small budget” plays into a CMS decision here?
If you’re not going to bring in a consultant for development or theming, I’m not sure why cost matters.
You’re doing a great thing by modeling exploratory learning for other librarians, Wade. Take copious notes, continue to push the boundaries of both systems, and share what you learn.
~Kyle~