A few weeks ago, I mentioned that Wordpress 2.6 is more than a blog and is quickly evolving into a full-fledged Web content management system.  While they're a little late, some of my competitors (CMS Watch, InformationWeek) also recently noted the trend of blogging applications such as Wordpress taking on more CMS-like duties.

I wish I would have expanded on my own thoughts about blogging tools continuing to add more CMS functions into their software.  However, I'm not so sure I could have written it better than Irina Guseva's post at CMS Wire.  She takes the story even further by asking whether the trend from blog to CMS is a good thing or not.

Ric Shreves of Water & Stone has written a report that ranks a number a number of Open Source CMS's as Leaders, Movers and Laggards based on their current market share.

You can view the report here.

I'm not a huge fan of creating sites with Adobe's Flash.  I personally find Flash sites difficult to navigate, bookmark, and retrieve worthwhile information.  However, I can understand why the more artistic Web designers and site owners out there prefer to use Flash when building a website.  But in my mind, one of the biggest drawbacks with Flash is that Google and other search engines have a difficult time reading and indexing Flash sites.  Let's face it, if Google can't search your site then it is highly unlikely your customers will find your site in the first few pages displayed by Google no matter which keywords are being used.

Luckily for Flash fans, Google has changed the rules by improving their search capability for Flash sites.

Google has been developing a new algorithm for indexing textual content in Flash files of all kinds, from Flash menus, buttons and banners, to self-contained Flash websites. Recently, we've improved the performance of this Flash indexing algorithm by integrating Adobe's Flash Player technology.

In the past, web designers faced challenges if they chose to develop a site in Flash because the content they included was not indexable by search engines. They needed to make extra effort to ensure that their content was also presented in another way that search engines could find.

So there you have it.  I just lost my number one argument against building a site using Flash technology.  Web designers and site owners will likely want to read Google's questions and answers pertaining to the improvements with Flash indexing.

Joomla.org: "The Joomla! community is pleased to announce the immediate availability of Joomla! 1.5.5 [Mamni]. This is a quick turnaround release to address the Duplicate Title error from 1.5.4 . This release also contains important SEF URL improvements and fixes for com_content in addition to a number of bug fixes and improvements. It has been nearly three weeks since Joomla! 1.5.4 was released on July 8, 2008. The Development Working Group 's goal is to continue to provide regular, frequent updates to the Joomla! community."

Complete Story

Last week Edicy.com revealed a new website in preperation for the launch of the public beta of their new online CMS.  Edicy is a Fraktal product, a small startup based in Tartu, Estonia that was founded by Tõnu Runnel and Priit Haamer, top-level web experts plus Toivo Annus and Märt Kelder, some of the key figures at the founding of Skype.  Edicy is currently in private beta and accepting new users to test out it's system.

Magento 1.1 was released last week.  Magento is an open source ecommerce platform (shopping cart).  Several weeks ago, I discussed some of the expected features in Magento 1.1.  Be sure to check out the original announcement for more details on Magento 1.1.

"Big Medium 2.0.3 is now ready for your downloading pleasure, featuring a tasty selection of changes and bug fixes. The update addresses a few lingering compatibility issues with Firefox 3, fixes a nasty bug that caused a small number of Big Medium sites to refuse to open in Internet Explorer, and several other issues."

Complete Story

I'm sure by now, new visitors to CMSReport.com have wondered...why so few posts?  Last May, I explained that I was taking a break from technology during the off hours of my "day job".

So, as I have done in past years, I'm taking a break from technology. By posting less during the summer months, I hope to recharge my blogging batteries for the cold weather that is sure to follow.  I will make an effort for the quality high for those articles I do post this summer, but the quantity of posts will be somewhat lower.  My slogan for this summer's tech break is Blog less, breathe more.  I hope some of the other blog junkies out there join me and take a similar technology breaks.  Life is too short to live and die by the computer.

So, now you know.  I haven't lost interest in content management systems and information technology but I do have a greater interest.  I have an interest of staying sane in this busy profession of IT which many of us have chosen.  If you don't take such a break yourself, how do you keep your sanity?

Newport Beach, USA, 18.07.08. Websearchusa, a leading Search Engine Optimization Services Company in USA, had organized, a panel discussion of eminent SEO specialists, on the benefit of link exchange programs of SEO services.

One big question that is playing on the mind of almost all search engine optimizers is how useful is link exchange in context of enhancing the page rank.

David Smith, Senior SEO Analyst, said in his speech that, “You would want your site to be linked by a PR3 and above site. This is normally possible when you too have a PR3 site else the other site administrator might not be interested for all justified reasons. But in case you have a lower page rank or no page rank at all, then it becomes a very difficult process. Why would a PR3 site link to your site when you have a zero Page rank?”

ComputerWorld: Corporate developers should take a cue from Web 2.0 companies by making users a key partner in software development processes.

Complete Story