Remotely editable websites

[Paul.Tait]

A client has asked me to produce a site that they can edit and update (text only) themselves from a remote location.

I've produced many sites but never been asked to create one along these lines and have no idea whether it is a simple procedure or if I'm into something much more complex here.

I'd be really grateful for any help/advice/pointers.

Many thanks

Paul

[iain]

Paul, we would normally do this with an access database and either asp or php script on the pages. The client would have an admin page (password protected) which would allow them to edit existing text in the database or add new text.

Another method would be to incorporate a text file into the page using Server Side Includes, let the client edit the text file and ftp it back into the correct directory.

I'm not a web developer myself so can't really offer much more help I'm afraid. I'm sure someone with more knowledge will be along in a bit.

[Paddy]

Paul, actually your life just got a LOT simpler - Macromedia's Contribute could be just the ticket. Available now for Mac OS X or for PC's, it is supposed to be as easy as using a word processing program. The web master retains control - sets the area of the page that is editable by others, hands out a password, and then the user with the password can update the pages at will - text, photos, etc. It is VERY cool. I'm hoping to get our school system using it soon - I just downloaded the trial version of 2.0 for Mac yesterday (it just came out yesterday!!) You can use it in conjunction with sites designed on DreamWeaver, GoLive, FrontPage etc.

It is also MUCH MUCH more reasonable cost-wise than any other content management software I've seen - $99 for a single copy, with other various prices for education, multiple users etc.

Check it out:

http://www.macromedia.com/software/contribute/

Iain's methods are also good, but require a bit more knowledge on both ends, I think. Contribute makes it very easy.

[Paul.Tait]

Well, what do you know?

I read Iain's message and immediately thought that the whole thing was looking more complex than I'd hoped. Then, I happened to pick up the latest issue of MacUser and noticed an article on Macromedia's Contribute which looked like it could be the answer and less than an hour later I'm reading Paddy's message saying exactly the same thing.  

Thank you both very much for your help. I'm going to start by finding out a bit more about Contribute and take it from there.

Paul

[ljocampo]

Paul:  Paddy as usual is right on the money for advise.  Let me add that if you don't want to use or buy Contribute, Dreamweaver templates with workgroup enabled is also an alternative.