Content Management Systems are software programs that build and manage data (websites).  Programmers have created thousands of content management systems (CMS) and there are hundreds available for free online.   We recommend that you start looking at  with the broadest community support (i.e. the most modules and developers).  As you look through the most popular CMS options, and find one that meets your short-term and long-term needs.  There is no need to look through all 1000 options out there, because very few are widely used, and you do not want to be dependent on a limited pool of  professionals when you need changes, updates, or help.

One way to think about this is imagine going to the hardware store and buying a nail. You can either buy a general purpose 5 cent nail  or pay someone to create a nail from a lump of steel or some other rare metal from scratch. The firm you hire may not select the most cost effective CMS for you especially if they charge by the hour. They are more likely to select the CMS that they are most comfortable with unless you specifically request a particular system. It does not bother them that you will be completely dependent on them, but this should matter to you. If you can, you want to leverage the effort of the larger community and marketplace. By selecting a CMS with a longer track record and a large, passionate community you can buy a system that is the equivalent of thousands of hours of software development which would cost millions of dollars to replicate if you had to hire the developers yourself.  The developers will re-invent the wheel on your proverbial nickle if you let them.

The benefits of selecting a CMS with a strong community behind it:

• More add-ins in the form of modules (called Plug-ins)
• Fewer bugs
• Finding people to support your website is less difficult

The process  takes years to accomplish as these factors and they feed into each other leading to a very compelling CMS and what is called ‘the network effect.’

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