PLEASE HELP - Trying to choose a platform for new websites...

Hi all.

I would like your 2 cents on an issue I need to decide ASAP.

Disclaimer: I have no real experience with MODx, but I have spent the last few days reading about it and doing a demo install. I am not a programmer, but I am very comfortable with HTML, capable with CSS, and I know what PHP code looks like (and I am willing to learn to use it). I have used Wordpress and an older custom CMS for creating websites in the past. More recently, I have studied and trained in SEO.

I am creating a series of mini-websites for my employer. Each site will have a certain number of static content pages, plus a blog. For the last few weeks I have done a series of SEO tests using a number of popular open source CMSes on the market (Wordpress, Joomla, Drupal, MODx and CMS Made Simple). After testing, I have narrowed my choice to Wordpress (using the thesis theme) or MODx. While I like some aspects of Wordpress, its templating system is very frustrating at times. Right now I am trying to learn openhooks for use with the thesis theme. Its workable, but confusing and somewhat restrictive.

I am considering abandoning WP for MODx. Yet I have a major concern. I need a blog for each site I am creating. I don’t really care about trackbacks or robust commenting. BUT the ability to send out XML-RPC pings is crucial. As I understand it, the various methods to create a simple blog in MODx do not offer the ability to ping blog search engines. Is this correct? Anyone know of a solution for this? I would even consider paying for such a solution...

I did see a number of people suggesting users implement a WP blog into MODx. That seems like a very inelegant solution. I will stick with WP for now if that is the only answer.

Lastly, will either of the new MODx versions coming out, evolution or revolution, address this deficiency? I saw some reference to "XML-RPC" in some changelogs, but I could not understand what it was referring to.

Thank you!
Bill

I think there is a ping module that was released in the Japanese community. I don’t think it’s made it into an English translation, but it is reported to work. You might start your search here: http://modxcms.com/forums/index.php/topic,26691.0.html

The japanese ping works well...there is english documentation in the package file.