It bears mentioning that AWStats and all the others is an apple to oranges comparison because they work radically different.
AWStats bases it’s stats on your
server log. This is super efficient because that log is being created whether you like it or not (in almost all cases). AWStats also requires
nothing in terms of what you need to include in the code of a page for it to get counted.
All the others (which are just different flavors of each other as far as I can tell), require you to include a little php on
each page you want to track. It then keeps a separate log in a MySQL table from which it gives you statistic information. There for you now have a server log AND a stats log. Though the stats log would probably be pretty small.
For truly large sites, it just doesn’t seem to make much sense to me to have to tag every page with a php include. (Yes I know that could just be included in the template.) Especially when there’s already a server log that can be taken advantage of. I don’t want to burden my server with any more tasks than necessary.
On the other hand, if you only want stats for a few key pages, and want ease of installation, the non-AWStats options look good.
I personally have always felt (since "Phase") that stats should be removed from the core functionality of the CMS and made available as a module for smaller sites. Large volume sites, from a practical standpoint, just won’t bother with built in solutions. At least I don’t. Our server log captures 100MB +/- per week. Theres no way I would want to duplicate that.
Oh and one more thing...
You all may already know all this and have considered it. I’m used to "other" forums where the general readership is more transient and a little less knowing in the ways of this family of CMS’. So if I ramble... just ignore me.
MODX Staff
