Wednesday, 14 January 2015

Dolphin CMS’s advanced features

•             Static content management
•             News content management
•             Blog content management
•             Events content management
•             Portfolio content management
•             Content tag management
•             Meta tag management
•             Customer management
•             Category & product management
•             Related Products
•             Manufacturer management
•             Order management
•             eCommerce Reports
•             Shipping management
•             Promotion management
•             Image gallery management
•             Advert management
•             Customer comments management
•             Image management (Upload, Resize, Insert, Delete)
•             Flash management (Upload, Resize, Insert, Delete)
•             Document management (Upload, Insert, Delete)
•             Powerful WYSIWYG HTML Editor
•             Automated Site Map
•             Google Base Product Feed
•             ROI Calculator
•             SEO
•             Embed maps

•             Static content management
•             News content management
•             Blog content management
•             Events content management
•             Portfolio content management
•             Content tag management
•             Meta tag management
•             Customer management
•             Category & product management
•             Related Products
•             Manufacturer management
•             Order management
•             eCommerce Reports
•             Shipping management
•             Promotion management
•             Image gallery management
•             Advert management
•             Customer comments management
•             Image management (Upload, Resize, Insert, Delete)
•             Flash management (Upload, Resize, Insert, Delete)
•             Document management (Upload, Insert, Delete)
•             Powerful WYSIWYG HTML Editor
•             Automated Site Map
•             Google Base Product Feed
•             ROI Calculator
•             SEO
•             Embed maps

Monday, 12 January 2015

Drupal CMS – Advantages and Disadvantages

Drupal is a free and open source content management system (CMS) written in PHP and distributed under the GNU General Public License.

Advantages:
All the Basic Features you need:
Drupal Core is their standard release of features, which includes: user account registration and maintenance, RSS-Feeds, menu management, system administration and page layout customization. These basic features can be used to create simple sites, single or multi user blogs, brochureware, forums, community websites and more.
Great Building Tools and Templates
Drupal offers you the basic building blocks of websites in a module-styled format where content and rules can be created quickly. Through the use of templates and themes there is no need to start from scratch—no matter if you are building a simple or complex site. Pre-defined configurations of site features help users build fairly complex sites rapidly, allowing them to use their time to build in extra features.
Flexible Yet Robust Content Creation
Drupal’s bread and butter is in its content creation. Drupal allows its users the flexibility to create and manage different content types including: video, polls, user management, text, blog, podcasts, real-time stats, and revision controls.
Advanced Administrator Controls
Administrators have the options of setting up new user accounts and user permissions. These permissions can be designated per role or group and offer fine-tooth comb-style, allowing users to help create your content for you. Drupal’s new release of version 7 allows for easier administration and greater controls.
Create Your Own Dynamic Designs
While Drupal offers themes and templates that are easily recognizable to the public many users like to use its design tools to create their own dynamic designs. The system’s presentation layers allows for easily usable and interactive experiences.
Organize Content Easily
One of the difficult parts of many CMS tools is the ability organize your content for later use and recall. Drupal allows you to categorize your content through path urls, create custom lists, associate content and create defaults. This structure helps you to organize, structure, search, find and reuse content.
Allow your Users to Collaborate with you
Drupal is commonly mistaken for a blogging platform due to its incredible ability to publish socially. Drupal-based sites engage users to contribute while giving the administrator the ability to create, view, publish, administer and otherwise control the social content published to the site.
Tools that make it Easy to Connect with your Audience
The most important part of a site is connecting it to users, other sites, social networks, and search engines– and Drupal makes this simple. Through increased network integration, feeds, search engine optimization tools, aggregation and other connecting tools, Drupal helps connect you to your viewers.
Multi-featured
Drupal CMS is multi-featured CMS and has all the necessary features that a webmaster or a blogger may need to create an impressive website. The most commonly liked features of Drupal CMS include- system administration menu management, RSS-Feeds, maintenance, user account registration and page layout customization.  These features of Drupal CMS enable a user to create any kind of website right from a simple personal blog to a professional e-commerce website.
Great website Building Tools and different Templates
Drupal CMS has many different and advanced website building tools which help to create a website quickly without any considerable effort. By using the different and attractive template the user can make the website layout attractive. The pre-defined configuration feature of Drupal CMS enable user to make even a complicate website easily and rapidly.
Excellent Content Creation
Drupal CMS main attraction is its feature of excellent content creation. The user can add many of the different and useful modules like polls, videos, management, blogs, revision controls, podcasts and videos in their blogs with Drupal CMS.
Highly developed Administrator Controls
when you create a website with Drupal CMS, you get an authority of setting up new user account and that account is administered completely by you. You can designate other people as admin in your website if you want a group of people to work there. The latest version of Drupal CMS brings new and advanced administrator controls.
Dynamic Designs
Drupal CMS carries some very interesting themes and templates and those are easy to use as well. The user can use those designing tools and the templates to give the website an attractive look. You can check out more information about Drupal and other CMS services at WPSkool
Easy management
Drupal CMS though has a learning curve but is easy to manage. The user can categorize the posts, create the defaults, and create custom lists and much more to organize the blog or website.
Disadvantages:
Usability
Drupal is not the most user-friendly platform and it has a high learning curve. Platforms like WordPress and Joomla are significantly easier to use, although they don’t offer the power and options that Drupal does. The good news though is that the new release of Drupal 7 is addressing some of the usability concerns and should be an easier adaptation for newer administrators.
Backwards Compatibility
Drupal is a relatively new system and is not backwards compatible with other software so if you have other content, systems and programs in place that you have become accustomed to then Drupal might not be the system for you.
Performance
In terms of loading and scalability Drupal is one stroke behind that of WordPress. The slow loading is simply because of the breadth of tools and capabilities. If you have a slower computer, or are simply a microwave generation kid and need things to work quickly then consider a zippier platform. Advanced users have however found ways around its problematic performance indicators, but with the big learning curve this takes a significant amount of time.
Non friendly interface
Drupal CMS is much user friendly as compared to the other open source content management systems. It incorporates a high learning curves and one need to learn a few basic things about the platform and its features before using it.
Not good Compatibility
Drupal CMS is a new content management system as compared to other old and established content management systems. Drupal CMS is not compatible with other software.
Mediocre performances
The websites made in Drupal CMS are relatively heavy and take more time to load. The large breadth of tools in Drupal CMS makes the website heavy. The websites made in Drupal CMS can never open with a slow internet connection.

Sunday, 11 January 2015

Drupal Vs Joomla

Drupal and Joomla are both open source CMS, so which is better?

What is it?
Drupal - Developers choice, if you are the type of individual who thrives on hand-coded content and scripts. In comparison to other CMS, Drupal, relates more to the developer as its structure is more script based. This platform may not be strictly for designers unless they are willing to commit to the development side of web design and web functionality.
As being a CMS the functionality is quite similar to other popular choice, and for the sake of comparison: Joomla. When we talk about a functionality we think of the necessary features, blogs, comment section, author’s name, etc. Drupal, in its essentials, can function similar to any standard blog you see on the web today. However, the capabilities expand farther beyond the releam of blogging, and thrives, when building large dynamic sites.
Joomla - The name Joomla literally means “all together”, with that in mind comes the theory that the CMS would live up to its name. In comparison to Drupal, code-wise, Joomla falls short, for designers and artist a like, Joomla is more favoured as the support for the themes is much larger based than Drupal. If you looking for a well designed theme with the basic functionalities of the standard “web 2.0″ blog, Joomla is a more favourable option.
In comparison to the two CMSs there is no better option but rather a personal preference or skill set. If you are more developer oriented, and do not mind the learning curve of Drupal, then Drupal would be the favourite of the two, if you are more on the art or design side, then Joomla would be the better choice, its not to say that a designer can not choose Drupal or a developer should not use Joomla once again it comes down to a matter of preference. Install both on a test server and see which one suites your needs accurately.

Saturday, 10 January 2015

Drupal and its Benefits

What is Drupal

The importance of Drupal becomes evident with the fact that the website of Whitehouse, the largest democratic institution of the United States is powered by this. For those who are new to this term Drupal is an open source content management system written in PHP which is being used almost in 1.5% of total websites and blogs available across the globe.

History
The history dates back to 2000 when 3 students from the University of Antwerp in Belgium started sharing a message board over the internet. Eventually this message board became online and emerged as a testing ground for a new revolutionary web-technology. The software is open source means is free to use and users need not have to pay any licensing fees, hence anyone could use it and test it. The software is currently owned by Dries Buytaert.

Requirements to install Drupal
This open source content management system can be easily installed on a web-server running on Apache or Microsoft. The installation requires MySQL or similar database server and PHP as a scripting language. Webistes or blogs which are running on a third party web-hosting system should ensure that the hosting company is adequately configured to support Drupal.

Competitors
Drupal is one of the three open-source content management systems which are widely used in the Internet world. The highest rung of the ladder is occupied by Word-press and Joomla is another strongest contender of Drupal. However, there are many other third party packages available out there but these three are being widely used and appreciated across the globe.

Advantages of Drupal
Although Word-press is the most preferred open source content management system used by webmasters and developers across the globe nonetheless Drupal is gaining traction these days and is being considered as the leader of the future content management system. It has a lot of advantages over other open source platforms available out there here are some of them

•It is easy to install maintain and work on. The platform can be used very easily by even those who are non-techies and devoid of technical knowledge.

•Non-technical users don’t have to rely upon any designer or programmer to edit or make any kind of required changes.

•Since it doesn’t require any technical expertise it makes your business cost-effective and less cumbersome.

•Drupal is scalable, customizable and adaptable to meet any kind of software environment.

•Support and up gradation of the software is completely free

•Drupal is available with various plug-in modules to suit a vast variety of applications.

•Drupal content management system can easily be used for any third party tools and applications

•Last but not the least benefit of Drupal is that the software can be operated in any language making its use more flexible

How to install and download Drupal

Check the system requirement: this is the first step in the whole process of downloading and installing Drupal. Web-masters and developers should ensure their web-hosting service provider meets all the requirements to support this content management system. A web space of 3 MB is enough and adequate in installing a Drupal content management system. The web server should run either in Apache or Microsoft IIS. The database that will be utilized should be MYSQL and the script should be written in PHP.

Download the best Drupal version: This is the second step that is going to be used by web developers wherein the best suitable version of Drupal should be downloaded so as to meet all your requirements. The version can be downloaded either in ZIP file or in TAR file. If your server is running in a Unix system then downloading the file in TAR is advisable.

Extract all your files
Extracting all the necessary files and directories into a new folder is the next step in the whole process.If your computer is running in MS window then the ZIP file will automatically open in file manager otherwise it needs to be placed in a suitable location.

Install the extracted files
Installing the Drupal files will be the next step wherein webmasters and developers need to go to “sites” and then to “default” in the folder where the files have been installed. Go to the the “default.settings.php” file, and create a copy, rename the new copy “settings.php.” The step is followed by changing the permission of the site and then creating appropriate database for the same.

Friday, 9 January 2015

Web Applications Logging and Instrumentation

Designing an effective logging and instrumentation strategy is important for the security and reliability of your application. You would audit and log activity across the tiers of your application. These logs will be used to detect suspicious activity, which is frequently provides early indications of an attack on the system, and it will can help to address repudiation threats where users deny their actions.
Log and audit files may be required in legal proceedings to prove the wrongdoing of individuals. Regular auditing is generally considered to be most authoritative if the audit is generated at the precise time of resource access, and by this routine that accesses the resource. Consider as the following guidelines when designing a logging and instrumentation strategy:
  • Auditing all layers of the application for user management events, system critical events, business critical operations, and unusual activities.
  • Create secure log file management policies such as restricting access to log files, and allow only write access to users. Ensure that you have logging and instrumentation mechanisms are configurable during deployment and when in production.
  • Don’t store sensitive information in log or audit files.

Wednesday, 7 January 2015

5 important features of web design

Web Design Features
Our website design features for publication websites allow publishers to utilize their website as a news, information, and interactive readership portal for their brand niche online.
Our website design options allow publishers to select the features most important to building online growth and revenue. Each option is configured to allow for the right balance of readership participation and publisher control of the website content.
  • Strategic Website Plan – Magazine online strategy plan consulting with consideration of brand positioning, competitive niche market space, online conversion objectives, circulation, and advertising revenue goals.
  • Custom Web Design – Each new site design is created based on a review of the style and web presentation elements that supports your publication online. Mock design layouts are created prior to development for publisher approval prior to development and site configuration.
  • Social Media Links – Social media bookmarking links to all major social bookmarking and social sharing network sites.
  • Banner Advertising System – Display and text banner ads management system for serving ads across selected page regions and website zones.
  • Script Element Control – Script based accommodation for third-party magnets and web tools to display off-site information, feeds, or functions.

Tuesday, 6 January 2015

More web design tips

Nowadays, in this trendy world, people get very uptight when they do not look entirely presentable. This would also be the case in web designing.
Every individual would definitely want their website to look good, if not, to the best they can. Here are a few things we could look out for when wanting to create a professional looking webpage.
Color Schemes and Themes.
When designing, always choose matching colors. An example of a matching color would be to have a dark background, with visible words and designs. With the dark theme, try not to mix too many bright colors into the design. What we should NEVER do, is to mix two very different colors, such as purple and yellow. Now, of course, it would depend on the purpose of the website, but those two colors are too striking for one who wants it to look more professional.
Themes must always suit the company or rather, the organization / etc. If the website was made to cater for a food company, it would be wise to stick to that particular category, rather than to revert to a different theme, such as machinery.
Fonts should be used in regard to the formality of the website. A simple sans-serif font would suffice in most cases. Exceptional cases such as design and art groups might want to use fanciful designs and fonts. Of course, that’s only if you know what you’re doing.
Finally, we must always try to think of our visitors, see the way they see. The resolutions and file sizes of the pictures must not be too large in terms of size. This is to allow maximum compatibility and cater our visitor’s needs.
So, planning is something we should always do, before attempting something.