Re: Manual Coding vs. CMS Systems

I've done quite a bit of work with Joomla, both installing/configuring as well as customizing and building components and modules. It's a great system to build off of, but it's a bit of a "blank slate" that's a little rough around the edges. I've also done my share of hand-coding, so don't think I'm Joomla biased. Depending on how many gadgets the client wants working, it can be quicker to start with Joomla and refine it. If what they want is some very basic functionality, it might be easier just to hand-code. I've found that even when the site is complicated, you may get close to your mark with Joomla (sort of like building something out of scraps you have laying around your tool shed) but that I've never quiet totally happy with how someone else has programmed their module/component for Joomla and end up customizing it anyway. I think Joomla itself could flow better and be more "professional grade" and many of the addons for it are programmed by amateurs or by people who have a different design sense than I do.... or flat out by people who understand coding but not human interaction... so the addon functions, but is painful for a human to use. I really like hand-coding things over working with Joomla, just because I get to control how everything comes out. BUT.. if they're going to have a lot of content updates and/or require a lot of functionality that's already covered in Joomla and the many addons, then you might start there and just customize it. My biggest issue is that with my work, I don't have time/budget to ever really customize Joomla to the point where it feels "right", so I appreciate how much good it can do... I feel like I'm leaving jobs half done sometimes. -TG ----- Original Message ----- From: "Auto-Deppe, C. Haensel" <c.haensel@auto-deppe.de> To: <php-general@lists.php.net> Date: Thu, 28 Aug 2008 11:17:03 +0200 Subject: [PHP] Manual Coding vs. CMS Systems > Hi all! > > And again, a slightly off topic subject for you all from yours truly :o) > > I have a "customer" (helicopter company) who is willing to give me some free > flights for a small website. > > Now, I have been talking to my sister in law who is a designer (note: > designer, not coder). She said I should be using Joomla or something of that > sort and change it to fit my needs. > > I, on the other hand, am more into using my own code, starting with the > first "Hello World" and ending up being a full fledged CMS with just the > functions the customer needs. I have a lot of code in my code database > already, so it would be a lot of copy and paste and a bit of coding. I think > the whole thing will take about 60 work hours. > > I am into hand coding, to be honest. Using Joomla or other CMS systems is > fine, but I want this to be a nice point on my CV if I ever need to get a > new job. And, most important to me, it _feels_ much better to have it done > from scratch all by yourself, doesn't it? > > So, I would love to hear your opinion on this. Sorry for being a bit off > topic here as this is not 100% coding related, but I _had_ to get some > feedback to backup my position ;o) > > Cheers! > > > Chris