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Common rules actually weaken security.

Best Practice ... Not!

This is one reason why "old" code can be touchy.

Wow! That was fast!

Making the right choices in your code can have huge payoffs in speed.

Ctors in Chains

Shrink your C++ code even more by chaining your constructors together.

Virtual Classes

Virtual base classes: what are they good for?!

Practice Makes Pretty Good

Become a master software engineer by practicing like a ninja warrior.

You Should Get Out More

Maintainability is the key to software success.

Why You Need Me

Seven reasons why I think you need me to work for you.

I Create Wealth

Or, why this is such a great business to be in.

Standards in Software

Software engineering standards are a necessary and good thing.

What is a Content Management System?

$10.5 billion will be spent on them this year (2003) alone, but what are they?

Top 10 Benefits of a Content Management System

So what good are they?

Do You Need a Blowfish?

What is a Blowfish? Does size matter? Is it right for me? Get your questions answered here.

Why Not Windows?

Don't just take my word for it ...

10 Attributes of a Professional Software Engineer

A truly professional software engineer stands out from the crowd. Here's what makes them different.

How to Score a Startup

Examine all these points of startup companies and see how they add up.

If your business or organization has a web site then you need a content management system, or CMS. I won't discuss the benefits of having a CMS in this article (I'll save that for a separate article), but in this article I'll define what one is and how they work.

As the name implies, a content management system allows you to manage your content; specifically the content of your web site. They come in all shapes and sizes from enterprise-scale systems built by the likes of IBM or EDS for managing the content on expansive sites with hundreds or thousands of pages of content, to small customized systems used by smaller retailers or othr businesses. In the middle are products that try to provide a generic solution, but require a fair amount of configuration to address the complexities of somewhat larger sites.

A good CMS allows a site, or portion of a site with which it's integrated, to be updated without requiring the user to have any special knowledge of HTML or any other web 'language' or a degree in programming. All that's needed is your domain expertise -- the expertise that brings you success in your business in the first place. Unlike web page design and development tools such as Microsoft's FrontPage and Macromedia's DreamWeaver which assist in the overall creation of a web page or site, the role of the CMS is to allow a site owner/operator to update or add to an existing web site in a predetermined scheme.

A simple CMS will present an administrative panel that allows the user to choose the task to be done, such as changing the content on a given page of the site. It will then provide a screen for editing the content for that page, and a way to preview changes. Once complete and approved, the changes can be published and integrated into the live site.

Content management systems can be used to update or add product pages in the catalog of an on-line retailer. Or to add press releases to the site of a growing business. A CMS can be used to easily allow artists or musicians to post new pictures or music on demand. Or used by a distributed multi-level sales organization to post new leads or sales tips to the entire team for the day. A cultural organization might use one to more easily post notices of upcoming events or performances. Virtually any web site owner or operator can use one to facilitate site updates which would normally be handed off to an expensive web designer or programmer.

So there you have it, you can no longer plead ignorance on the topic.