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I discovered Open Source CMS Programs by simply asking Google a question, and finding these programs as the answer. I typed, "How to build a site like digg.com" into Google, hoping to get some informative programming snippets and advice. Instead, I got a whole lot of open source software websites, readily built and ready to build me anything my little internet heart could imagine. From community websites like MySpace, bookmarking sites like Digg.com, Forums, Blogs, etc.

For those people who are still unsure as what exactly an open source CMS program is, here is the run down and what anyone and I believe, everyone, should know about them.

First of all, let's break down what Open Source CMS Software actually means, in context of Joomla and other software programs.

Open Source: FREE! Well, under the GNU General Public License most of the time. You can read exactly what the GNU project is here: GNU Project: Free Software License

CMS: Content Management System. Think about it this way. Community websites like MySpace need to store the information about each user, and have it managed in a way that makes it accessible to the users and organized. This content is organized using:

MYSQL: A Database utility for the web. It is simply a way to organize content, it's free to use and works well with the web. In order to use the information stored in a MYSQL database on a website, the information needs to be translated and programmed to display and interact in specific ways with a web page. The program used to take information from the MySQL database, and fetch and store the information for that matter is:

PHP: PHP is a server side scripting langauge. Meaning that it works with the server to interact in specific ways with a web page. It is used to create user interface for the web page viewer (user) and fetch the info from the MySQL database and display it properly.

Now, programmers are not conventionally considered the creative types, but in reality it takes quite a bit of creativity and talent to utilize these two programs in ways that make a web page function in special ways.

For example, anyone can take some PHP snippets (bits of code) and use it perform some interactive functions on a web page. Example: Take the information from an online form and deliver it to a specific e-mail address.

But, in order to create website like MySpace, where users have their own control over elements and they have their own administrative roles and tools to use, it takes some creative power, for sight and ingenuity to create all the elements that make up the interface and make it specific to different users, while giving them certain privileges.

Examine the Types of Users and Types of Privilege

Still using MySpace as an example, because I'm sure everyone understands how it works, let's see what kind of users there are...

Regular MySpace users: Access to change their profile, interact with other members, contribute to their blog, etc.

Genre specific MySpace users: MySpace allows users to sign up specifically as musicians if they want, sell their music, etc. These are new and specific privileges given to users who sign up and choose this option.

Administrative Users: You'll never see this interface. It's the interface that allows the people who work on MySpace to change, alter, add, etc. to the main website using their own menus and because their given additional rights as admins.

Sounds complicated, huh? Well, that's where Open Source CMS Software comes in...Read the second part here: [Open Source CMS Software Part 2]

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