"Wikization" of CMSMS?
Posted: Fri Apr 25, 2008 9:12 pm
I have been using CMSMS for some time and I appreciate its simplicity of concepts; easy to build a site from scratch with one's own templates and CSSes.
On the other hand I have been using some wiki engines. When wikis try to look like CMSes and to handle menus and user rights, they often become kludgy.
I thought it over and over: if we tried the other way 'round? Would it be possible to "wikize" a CMS? I would answer no, but with CMSMS everything could be possible!
Here are features that would be required:
1. Edit page directly on the front-end, in addition to the back-end: this subject has already been covered.
2. Manage Wiki style links inside the website: it means a translation from a wiki syntax to a CMSMS page of the site.
3. Dynamic creation of posts: Detect a non existing Wiki link and display it characteristically (e.g. with a ? ); when clicking on it, add the page into the table of posts in the DB.
4. Wiki syntax: I believe there is already a module that gets close to it. But since we have WYSWYG editors, it is not vital. But TinyMCE would have to allow entering the wiki links.
5. History of the modifications: Wiki or not, this becomes a must have. It would not be too difficult to modify the table of posts to do that. Two options: store old versions as they are, or as diffs from the current. Clearly, there should be a way to view history, compare a page with the old ones and to restore an old version.
I do not think that those modifications would change the "spirit" of CMSMS, but they would make it more attractive. Also, it does not need to be done all at once. For example, there could be three different projects:
A) History of modifications
B) Edit on the front-end
C) Management of the Wiki-style links and automatic creation of a new page.
I admit it would take some work, but it should be doable (but I am more familiar with table structure than withPHP template programming).
Any suggestions, comments or criticisms on this?
On the other hand I have been using some wiki engines. When wikis try to look like CMSes and to handle menus and user rights, they often become kludgy.
I thought it over and over: if we tried the other way 'round? Would it be possible to "wikize" a CMS? I would answer no, but with CMSMS everything could be possible!
Here are features that would be required:
1. Edit page directly on the front-end, in addition to the back-end: this subject has already been covered.
2. Manage Wiki style links inside the website: it means a translation from a wiki syntax to a CMSMS page of the site.
3. Dynamic creation of posts: Detect a non existing Wiki link and display it characteristically (e.g. with a ? ); when clicking on it, add the page into the table of posts in the DB.
4. Wiki syntax: I believe there is already a module that gets close to it. But since we have WYSWYG editors, it is not vital. But TinyMCE would have to allow entering the wiki links.
5. History of the modifications: Wiki or not, this becomes a must have. It would not be too difficult to modify the table of posts to do that. Two options: store old versions as they are, or as diffs from the current. Clearly, there should be a way to view history, compare a page with the old ones and to restore an old version.
I do not think that those modifications would change the "spirit" of CMSMS, but they would make it more attractive. Also, it does not need to be done all at once. For example, there could be three different projects:
A) History of modifications
B) Edit on the front-end
C) Management of the Wiki-style links and automatic creation of a new page.
I admit it would take some work, but it should be doable (but I am more familiar with table structure than withPHP template programming).
Any suggestions, comments or criticisms on this?