GNU Herds - Free Software Association - Cookbook: recipe #147, CMS vs GNU Herds current...
recipe #147: CMS vs GNU Herds current architecture, design and features
Compare the below listing with the report exposed by Content Management Systems.
- fsf.org uses the Plone CMS
- fsfe.org moved from Plone to ez Publish
My conclusion is that usign a CMS we lose more than we get. We can add to the current architecture, design and features what be needed. We have already support to a lot of CMS features (see below) and it is easy to add more.
Key points:
- The use of the Affero GPL or GPL v3 is a must to a webapp. We want be able to release the source code without the risk of a fork and lock with the GPL v2. We do not use GPL v2 due to it does not cover use of software over a computer network. GPL v2 has legal holes about it. You know.
- We are already using a localization architecture which is very good for our purpose.
- PHP 5.x OOP support.
Additionally, Victor Engmark wrote: Starting the web site from scratch instead of using a CMS is a lot of work, but can give some long-term benefits:
- Flexibility with regard to programming language
- More terse pages, i.e. faster downloads & easier redesign
- Specialized database, which should be faster than a generic one
It is just our personal opinion. The project is a proposal open to discussion. Flames are welcome and needed!.
GNU Herds webapp
System Requirements
- Application Server PHP 5.1, Object Oriented Programming (OOP)
- Approximate Cost Free
- Database PostgreSQL. MySQL could used but I think PostgreSQL is a better option.
- License Affero GPL, which will be moved to GPL v3 when it be released.
- Operating System Any
- Programming Language PHP
- Root Access No
- Shell Access No
- Web Server Apache
Security
- Audit Trail No. Maybe we should develop such support.
- Captcha No, but it is very easy develop such feature.
- Content Approval No. The current functionality does not allow content submit. GNU Herds is not a content site, it is more like gmail.
- Email Verification Yes. We check the email syntax, though we do not query its SMTP server to check if that email is actual. We could add such checks later if it is needed.
- Granular Privileges Yes, we use Access Control List (ACL)
- Kerberos Authentication No.
- LDAP Authentication No. It could be easy to develop it, but we do not use such authentication system.
- Login History No. I think we do not must develop such features due to we must repect user privacy. We will not do Data Ware House, Data Mining, etc.
- NIS Authentication No, we do not use such authentication system.
- NTLM Authentication No. :P
- Pluggable Authentication No. Not needed.
- Problem Notification No. We ask to users to send us an email. Maybe we should develop something integrated in the web.
- Sandbox ???
- Session Management Yes, of course.
- SMB Authentication No, we do not use such authentication system.
- SSL Compatible Yes, of course.
- SSL Logins Yes, of course, it is required.
- SSL Pages Yes, when required.
- Versioning No. We are not a content web. Should we support such type of content submit to allow the project to grow?. I do not think so.
Support
- Certification Program Yes. The support is ready but disabled.
- Code Skeletons Yes, we are using a layered architecture. However I think there room to improve it; maybe we should choose an Model View Controller (MVC) framework to add to the current architecture.
- Commercial Manuals No, we have instead a free Hacker's Guide page.
- Commercial Support No, just ask to the -unavailable- email list.
- Commercial Training Yes. If you pay for it :)
- Developer Community Yes. Small. Little people.
- Online Help Yes, the Hacker's guide.
- Pluggable API No.
- Professional Hosting No yet.
- Professional Services Yes. Fill a job offer in the site :)
- Public Forum No. We do not allow forums.
- Public Mailing List Yes.
- Test Framework No, but I think it must be added later.
- Third-Party Developers No. If you want ...
- Users Conference No, there are not users yet, only us.
Ease of Use
- Drag-N-Drop Content No. It would be cool allow add the photo or logo draging it.
- Email To Discussion Yes. The project email lists.
- Friendly URLs Yes.
- Image Resizing Yes, the photo is resized.
- Macro Language No. Not needed.
- Mass Upload No. We could develop a service, with the same functionality than the webapp, to allow feed the DataBase with data, maybe XML, or query it.
- Prototyping ???
- Server Page Language ???
- Spell Checker No. We are not a content web. To avoid malicious use, spam, etc., we restrict free-to-fill fields in forms. It is a RMS requirement. We want to move the GNU Herds service to the FSF hosts.
- Style Wizard No. We are not a content web.
- Subscriptions No. We will support it later. We have to add a new feature: configurable Job Offers alerts.
- Template Language Yes. We use Smarty.
- UI Levels ???
- Undo No.
- WYSIWYG Editor No. We are not a content web. Savannah long wikis, as this, are hard to work with. :P
- Zip Archives No. Not required.
Performance
- Advanced Caching Yes. Smarty allows caching.
- Database Replication No. We are using RAID1 and we keep an encrypted remote backup. Anyway it could be easy use a data base cluster with PostgreSQL. Anyway, we want to move the GNU Herds service to the FSF hosts.
- Load Balancing No, but it is trivial.
- Page Caching Yes, Smarty support it.
- Static Content Export Yes. The current architecture-design supports static content too, of course.
Management
- Advertising Management No. We will do not allow any advertising in our site!. We are advertising free!.
- Asset Management Yes, we manage the job applications state, etc. We will add any new management feature which be needed.
- Clipboard No. We do not allow free-to-fill fields. Instead, we try to use combo boxes, etc.
- Content Scheduling No. Not required.
- Content Staging Yes. We offer to stage/preView the Qualifications and JobOffers.
- Inline Administration Yes. JobOffers management, etc.
- Online Administration Yes. JobOffers management, etc.
- Package Deployment No, we do not use packages.
- Sub-sites / Roots No, we do not allow sub-sites.
- Themes / Skins Yes. There were three themes defined, but now thre is only one, which we are using. We think the current is the best of the three. It is very very easy define another theme. Reference: Layer-1__Page_builder/Themes.php
- Trash No. Not required.
- Web Statistics Yes, we are using awstats to process the apache logs.
- Web-based Style/Template Management No yet. Due there is only one theme to choose, we do not allow the user choose it. We can allow that feature later. As with any feature, if you develop it and members like it, we will set up it.
- Web-based Translation Management No. Not required. All the web site will be translated automatically. We are not a content site.
- Workflow Engine No. Not required, at least yet.
Interoperability
- Content Syndication (RSS) No. We are not a content site. However, maybe we should allow JobOffer RSS.
- FTP Support No. Not required.
- UTF-8 Support Yes. We only work with UTF-8.
- WAI Compliant No. Maybe we should apply it to solve some of the problems you are reporting. Web Accessibility Initiative (WAI).
- WebDAV Support No. Not required. We are not a content web.
- XHTML Compliant No yet. We get it realizing this task.
Flexibility
- CGI-mode Support No. I am not sure, but I think it is bad for security, and we do not need it.
- Content Reuse No. We are not a content site.
- Extensible User Profiles Yes. We will develop any extension which be needed.
- Interface Localization Yes.
- Metadata No. Not required.
- Multi-lingual Content Yes. We are not a content site. However, we will try to translate all the content we expose to all the languages we support. For example the charter, hacker's guide, etc.
- Multi-lingual Content Integration Yes, ...
- Multi-Site Deployment No. We are only one site.
- URL Rewriting Yes. We use it when it is needed.
- Wiki Aware Yes. We use the Savannh wiki support.
Built-in Applications
- Blog No. Free Software contributers are more used to email list than blogs. Besides, we do not allow free-to-fill fields, so we do not allow Chat. These positions maybe can be changed.
- Chat No. We do not allow free-to-fill fields, so we do not allow Chat. These positions maybe can be changed.
- Classifieds No. We are not a content site.
- Contact Management Yes. As any job site, our job site module is a contact management system.
- Data Entry Yes.
- Database Reports No. Not required.
- Discussion / Forum No. We do not allow free-to-fill fields, so we do not allow Forum. These positions maybe can be changed.
- Document Management No. We are not a content site.
- Events Calendar No. We do not have any event yet, so we have not added an events calendar.
- Events Management --
- Expense Reports No. Not required.
- FAQ Management No. Maybe, we will add it later is it is needed.
- File Distribution No. Not required. When required we use Savannah.
- Graphs and Charts No. Not required yet.
- Groupware No. Not required yet.
- Guest Book No. Not required.
- Help Desk / Bug Reporting Yes. We use Savannah.
- HTTP Proxy No. Not required.
- In/Out Board ???
- Job Postings Yes!, with our special features and restrictions.
- Link Management No. Not required.
- Mail Form No yet. I will add it to allow send an email to several candidats at once. It was boring to reply to each one of the 36 candidates.
- Matrix ???
- My Page / Dashboard 'my qualifications' page, but we do not allow it be public.
- Newsletter No. I think we should add a "News" section, maybe under the FAQ section.
- Photo Gallery No. We are not a content site.
- Polls No yet. Maybe we should develop it later. The e-Voting system maybe will require a more complex system. We have some options to choose.
- Product Management No. Not required?.
- Project Tracking No. Not required?.
- Search Engine No. Is it needed?.
- Site Map No. I think the site is small. The menu is the map, there is not more pages.
- Stock Quotes No. We are not an eCommerce site.XXX
- Surveys No. Maybe we could add it later.
- Syndicated Content (RSS) No yet. We should add it at least to the JobOffers section.
- Tests / Quizzes No. But we can develop it if needed. It is easy.
- Time Tracking No.
- User Contributions Yes. Her/His data.
- Weather No. I think it is not needed.
- Web Services No. No SOAP. No REST. Not needed.
Commerce
- Affiliate Tracking No. Not needed.
- Inventory Management No. Not needed.
- Pluggable Payments No. Not needed.
- Pluggable Shipping No. Not needed.
- Pluggable Tax No. Not needed.
- Point of Sale No. Not needed.
- Shopping Cart No. Not needed.
- Subscriptions Yes.
- Wish Lists Yes. We register it at the Savannah Task Manager.
Audience and Context
Audience:Anonymous Users, Logged-in Users, All Project Members, Project Members who are technicians, Project Members who are managers
(As there is at least one of the Audience/Feature/Action context information not set, this recipe will not show up in related recipes links)

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