Free Web Development / Content Management Software?

[kep55]

I work for a non-profit whose website was built be our IT vendor. It's close to three ears old, static, and the colors leave a bit to be desired. It's integrated CMS, designed by the same group, is fairly easy but can be frustrating to use. Since I learned BASIC and RPG on a TI-9XX series, you can guess that I'm an old dog.
So, here's what we'd like to see in a CMS WDS program:
1) Easy to design, support, modify
2) Easily handle images, audio, video or links thereto
3) Handle animations as part of the page(s)
4) able to handle "blocks" or frames
5) able to include scrolling marquis messages
6) secure access by members to informatio with unique passwords & user names
7) Did I mention we're a non-profit and therefore cost is important

I have designed layout for coders using such power software was excel (set columns to 2-3 wide, height = 10pt Arial). I've looked at various review sites and at Wordpress.
Hopefuly, Tom's will come thru as usual.

 

[t53186]

There's a lot to web development and deployment and you could do it all by yourself, with help from someone you partner with or have a third party do it. Of course the cost will reflect the amount of effort and resources you buy or do yourself. Bottom line is any software will work if you put in the effort to learn it. Then it needs to be "hosted", put on a server for the world to have access, which also costs money. Instead of starting over, would it beneficial to continue the relationship you have with the IT vendor and maybe learn more about the software they use?

 

[USAFRet]

I work for a non-profit whose website was built be our IT vendor. It's close to three ears old, static, and the colors leave a bit to be desired. It's integrated CMS, designed by the same group, is fairly easy but can be frustrating to use. Since I learned BASIC and RPG on a TI-9XX series, you can guess that I'm an old dog.
.

You're looking at two different concepts.
Content + look and feel, and backend management.

Whatever CMS you work with will appear to suck, if the look and feel is not right.

And any (most, anyway) web dev/CMS systems will incur a learning curve.
And done wrong, the best content can look like crap.

I urge you to reach out to your local community college, or possibly high school tech teacher.
Quite possibly, one or more students will be glad to assist.

 

[kep55]

Yup, the gang at Tom's came thru again. Thanks guys.