CMS Made Simple Forums

i've been designing html/css sites for about six years.  i'm compulsive about writing clean compliant code and i'm also a bit of a control freak.  i've been playing with cmsms and love what it can do for my clients who want more control of their content.  but when i look at files that end in "php" i get nervous about my admin role since i don't know php and worry about accessing code.  i will be learning php, but should i be nervous about jumping into this when, at this point, i know nothing?

I come from a similar background and in my experience, I can tell you there's nothing to worry about. Unless your clients have specific requests that a module or the core can't handle then you may have to get your hands dirty with PHP or look at hired help.

Don't worry, everyone has to start somewhere. Get some good books on PHP or search out training stuff on-line and get stuck in
You are going to need to know PHP sooner or later and Smarty even more so, given the nature of CMSMS.

You will have to learn Smarty syntax, which is easy:
http://www.smarty.net/

PHP you will not need for basic (some content, web form, album) websites.

You'll be fine.

http://www.w3schools.com/php

thanks to all for the helpful feedback.  i'm looking forward to learning php and smarty, but will attempt to migrate an existing client into cmsms right away without further fretting!