Template Design Standard (suggestion)

Ryan.....the secret is out!!!

I must confess I have stubble too!

Quote from: French at Apr 08, 2006, 06:58 AM

They are more interested in super dupper uber geeky users than average joes.

Like Ryan said, it’s not a question of interrest.

And as I have said elsewhere, it’s not a lack of interrest towards the end user as sytems user and content editors (QuickEdit alone disproves this theory ).

It’s just that MODx might not be for the end user who want to use it to build websites. There is a big difference.

So yes, it’s aimed at pros and geeky users right now. And rightly so ! Do you enjoy MODx templating ? Template Variables ? Widgets ? Well all this wouldn’t exist if the end user had been in the mind of the dev team to begin with. The tool was first and foremost built for pros who wanted better control and flexiblility to build dynamic websites. Pure and simple : it explains why so many pros are simply LOVING MODx : it helps them built websites faster, better than with other tools...

We all dreamed of a tool working our way and not agains us !!!

Anyway, many OS project have made the mistake to divert ressources from development, or try to satisfy then end user with loads of features built-in and one-click-install systems which in the end makes the application a pain to work with : rigid template system, lots of hardcoded things that go against the presentation/content separation, etc...

The only two that did not go that way are Textpattern and MODx.

Quote from: French

MODx is their baby and they can do what the f*ck they want with it, but it does not stop me to think they are dead wrong on this specific subject, and it still pisses me off as I really like this CMS as a CMS.

Everyone is entitled to an opinion

I think you wouldn’t like MODx so much if it went the road you describe here...

Quote from: French

Not a techno tool to please coders.

I don’t agree at all on this, I am no coder, and most of the pros who like MODx right now are... webdesigners !

I agree totally with David.

Somebody once said, "Make a system that a fool can use, and only a fool will use it" - now, that’s not aimed at anybody here before everybody starts going mad But, what I do mean, is that everybody has a learning curve. And if the system you use prevents that learning experience from going any further, then the system has failed in it’s main objective.

Every system needs to be scalable to meet the needs of ALL it’s users - if that means that the initial learning curve requires a little more work be applied at the start then so be it. The rewards become apparent when you come to the advanced features that the system can offer.

The templating that MODx offers is second to none, when I first found MODx in January I was amazed at what it could do - but you need to learn the basics first. Now, if I have to apply a bit more thought about the design of my site and undertake the onerous task (!) of a copy-paste operation to get my template working in MODX - is that any great hardship?

And, at the end of the day, nobody is making anybody use the system ... it’s up to the individual to find a system that best fits their needs.

Just my 2c,

Garry

I honestly dont think there should be any justifications going on here. To be blunt, if you want to learn a new cms, or any software, there requires some learning no matter what.

You can opt to mess around with inferior cms’ tools like joomla/mambo and tear your hair out or take few minutes to peruse the site to understand what is going on. Also its worth installing the demo site on setup to get a good feel of how things work. if all else fails, then....well....theres always frontpage.

end of.

Quote from: garryn at Apr 08, 2006, 06:26 PM

Somebody once said, "Make a system that a fool can use, and only a fool will use it"

... hadn’t heard that one before, hahahaha - its a great tag line for a lot systems that spring to mind

As someone who is strictly an amateur, and has only recently come to grips with CSS, ModX struck me as a tool for better content management (with a learning curve, or course) that offers, at the same time, great new possibilities. Surly the one thing it is not, is a way of circumnavigating the learning of XHTML and CSS.

Quote from: Colin at Apr 08, 2006, 07:43 PM

As someone who is strictly an amateur, and has only recently come to grips with CSS, ModX struck me as a tool for better content management (with a learning curve, or course) that offers, at the same time, great new possibilities. Surly the one thing it is not, is a way of circumnavigating the learning of XHTML and CSS.

One might struggle without some ’basic’ knowledge of ’correctly’ formed markup and css for sure, plus a bit of php helps. Most cms’s require entry level mark up and css knowledge, with modX you can do more with it. There aren’t any turnkeys at the moment if that’s what your meaning - that’ll change with time I imagine

Starbuck,

My post was meant for the original poster and French Frog.

I guess that I am going to take the bull by the horns, at some stage, and learn at least a little php. For the moment, I’ll just borrow from here, and keep things as simple as I can.

Quote from: Colin at Apr 08, 2006, 08:36 PM

Starbuck,

My post was meant for the original poster and French Frog.

I guess that I am going to take the bull by the horns, at some stage, and learn at least a little php. For the moment, I’ll just borrow from here, and keep things as simple as I can.

*cough* My apologies, it sounded like a general comment posted in an open thread in a public forum

Quote from: garryn at Apr 08, 2006, 06:26 PM

"Make a system that a fool can use, and only a fool will use it"

I just love this tagline, agree with Starbuck it sums things up quite well !
This one will make it into the Marketing Kit (with due Credit of course )