Let’s get ready to rumble…
It’s the great debate – no, we’re not talking about great taste vs. less filling… We’re talking about open source vs. commercial CMS software, a discussion that occurs regularly in offices around the world.
Does open source really mean free? Can I find support for it? How much is having a company to provide support and training worth? These are the kinds of questions that Web Team executives are grappling with all the time.
The Case for Open Source CMS Software
Many open source CMS systems offer a good amount of functionality and flexibility as part of their solution for no cost. This is a huge selling point because commercial CMS software can cost anywhere from $5,000 to $500,000). However, readers need to understand that open source doesn’t always equal ‘free’ – there are open source CMS systems that are ‘for profit’. In addition, just because the software may be free, you still have to pay to develop, implement and host just like commercial systems.
Another plus for open source CMS systems is the community aspect. While true technical support is rarely available for open source CMS systems, forums, blogs and other online communities exist to provide support. The question becomes when you really need help, where can you get it? On the flip side, because the concept of open source is that developers are able to manipulate the code, if you are a good enough developer, you should be able to fix your own problems (in theory).
Finally, ensuring early (and successful) adoption of any CMS implementation is largely dependent on access to training resources and documentation. This is one area where commercial software has a major advantage because finding training for open source can be difficult.
The Case for Commercial CMS Software
If you want to utilize a great piece of software that someone else has built, the company should be entitled to receive compensation for their work. It’s not the most eloquent argument, but that’s the commercial CMS stance and in a capitalistic market, who can blame them? You may not like spending thousands of dollars on software (who does), but if it does what you need it to, constantly puts out new releases (and functionality) and offers technical support and training, it is a valuable purchase.
In addition, while the community aspect is an appealing argument for open source, many commercial CMS providers are offering that approach as well. The CMS we admittedly support, Ektron CMS400.NET, has full documentation and technical support while also managing the Ektron DevCenter, an interactive forum environment. Not only are the answers out there, but people to explain them or help address new questions are there too.
Finally, it’s important to note that commercial CMS software is developed for business users with business use in mind. While we can argue the merits of profit vs. meeting client needs, open source software can lack direction on occasion, as developers may be out to build a cool app more so than something truly useful.
The Verdict
With a clear and acknowledged bias towards commercial CMS software (because we do recommend the Ektron CMS regularly), we strongly feel that the additional value and value-added services that a commercial CMS software provides justifies the extra cost. That doesn’t mean that it’s the right solution for everyone — if you have a budget under $15,000, it’s probably not a realistic option. However, drawing on our vast CMS experience, training and support simply cannot be understated when it comes to successful CMS implementation and those are two areas where the commercial CMS clearly wins.