Drupal vs Wordpress

[Ashman]

I know a lot of developers on this forum use Wordpress and I think it’s an ok CMS. I have seen a few great websites built using Wordpress, however I am a Drupal advocate and have been using it for just over 3 years. I find you can develop feature packed websites that are simple to use and cheap to build.

I recently did some research to determine who was using Drupal in Australia and the first instance I came across was the Prime Minister's website. I then found out that in 2011 the government introduced a Policy to actively consider the greater use of open source software.

I stumbled upon a list of over 100 government websites in Australia that were built using the Drupal CMS. This is an encouraging trend in website development for the Drupal users out there and it would be great to see more developers using it and promoting it as the first choice development tool.

 

[Ash]

Hi Ashman,

Can you share any good drupal resources. Are there any frameworks like studiopress for drupal? etc...

I considered Drupal some time ago but turned to wordpress because of the perceived ease of use.

Cheers, Ash.

 

[findtim]

Well we all pay taxes and thats who's paying the 100's of well trained staff in the government offices to update the websites and go to seminars and yadda yadda......

but Bob who runs his own business in dubbo and wants his secretary to update a few promos and change of staff page doesn't have the time or BASE knowledge to consider drupal.

i've used the 3 majors ( drupal, joomla, wordpress [studiopress] ) and my client feedback is that wordpress is so much easier.

Wordpress is also easier and quicker to teach to someone that has only EVER written an email and i have clients doing amazing things after just 2 x 30minute tutorials via phone.

bottomline " the best wine in the world is the one you like "

tim

 

[Ashman]

Hi Ashman,

Can you share any good drupal resources. Are there any frameworks like studiopress for drupal? etc...

I considered Drupal some time ago but turned to wordpress because of the perceived ease of use.

Cheers, Ash.

For themes:

http://www.templatemonster.com/drupal-themes.php

http://themeforest.net/category/cms-themes/drupal

http://fusiondrupalthemes.com/browse?field_theme_drupal_version_value_many_to_one[0]=6

You can also customise your own Drupal themes using an application called Artisteer, it also creates Wordpress & Joomla themes.

For modules:

http://drupalmodules.com

 

[Ashman]

Well we all pay taxes and thats who's paying the 100's of well trained staff in the government offices to update the websites and go to seminars and yadda yadda......
tim

I am pretty sure too that those same tax dollars were spent conducting a due diligence on which CMS to use from the few that are available. Looks to me from the use within government the results of the analysis was Drupal.

Kind Regards
Ashman

 

[helloworld]

Wordpress = noob
Joomla = intermediate noob
Drupal = advanced

That pretty much sums it up. You can do amazing things with Drupal if you know php but you really do need to know php to get it working right. The security updates are painful as well though not sure if that has improved in v7.

As far as flexibility goes, I recommend it. I quoted on a job with Drupal in mind. They wanted custom logins with leveled information for different users groups, 72 plus pages, custom design of course and whole heap of other functionality that you just can't get out of wordpress. That said, I quoted 20k which I knew was 10k over budget but the only real way to fulfill their requirements.

 

[findtim]

Wordpress = noob
Joomla = intermediate noob
Drupal = advanced

QUOTE]

agreed
tim

 

[johno69]

of course and whole heap of other functionality that you just can't get out of wordpress.

Only if you are not familiar with what wordpress can actually do.

You've not mentioned anything yet that wordpress can't handle by standard plugin installation (and zero modification of code).

 

[findtim]

i think there is alot wordpress can't do but its MORE then enough for me and my clients, kinda like MS excel ! who really uses all its potential features

tim

 

[FirstPageResults]

Good topic - I added a poll to make it easier for people to contribute

Wordpress is really flexible and easy to use, but it's a dog's breakfast under the hood. Having said that, you can get good performance out of it with some tweaking and modification (Zhen's Buyii.com.au is a great example).

I don't think there is any question that Drupal makes for a better CMS, but it can be complete overkill if you just need something simple. Also Wordpress is very easy for designers to work with.

I don't have much exposure to Joomla.

 

[findtim]

Good topic - I added a poll to make it easier for people to contribute

Wordpress is really flexible and easy to use, but it's a dog's breakfast under the hood. Having said that, you can get good performance out of it with some tweaking and modification (Zhen's Buyii.com.au is a great example).

I don't think there is any question that Drupal makes for a better CMS, but it can be complete overkill if you just need something simple. Also Wordpress is very easy for designers to work with.

I don't have much exposure to Joomla.

IF you go "under the hood" on any cms you better know what you are doing.

i use the "studiopress" developer pack, i get all the themes "forever" unlimited use and its @ $300? and i have produced over 300 websites with it so thats $1 a domain + time , it has an excellent suport forum BAR NONE i have seen.

i do go under the hood but i find the SP version is soooooo logical to me. i have JUST 3 files to change a complete website look.

tim

 

[Cooper Mills DomainLawyer]

Wordpress = noob
Joomla = intermediate noob
Drupal = advanced

That pretty much sums it up. You can do amazing things with Drupal if you know php but you really do need to know php to get it working right. The security updates are painful as well though not sure if that has improved in v7.

And that folks is why I use Wordpress

 

[helloworld]

Only if you are not familiar with what wordpress can actually do.

You've not mentioned anything yet that wordpress can't handle by standard plugin installation (and zero modification of code).

Actually I did, re-read my post.

 

[johno69]

Actually I did, re-read my post.

Read it three times, still can't see anything that Wordpress can't handle with a simple plugin install.

It comes down to what people are familiar with. I spent 6 years working with Joomla before I even looked at Wordpress. Have dabbled in Drupal a little, but Wordpress has never let me down in regards to functionality.

With it being so easy for clients in the backend I can't see a reason to move away from it.

Each to their own.

 

[helloworld]

Read it three times, still can't see anything that Wordpress can't handle with a simple plugin install.

It comes down to what people are familiar with. I spent 6 years working with Joomla before I even looked at Wordpress. Have dabbled in Drupal a little, but Wordpress has never let me down in regards to functionality.

With it being so easy for clients in the backend I can't see a reason to move away from it.

Each to their own.

Drupal

Wordpress


Don't get me wrong, if you can point me in the direction of a theme or plugin that can create a full site like that then please do so. I would love to be able to create endless posts within the pages framework of wordpress.

Actually mouth is watering. Please let me know asap

 

[findtim]

Yeh i can see no problems in creating that "drupal" example in wordpress but i don't have time to prove it to you.

all i can say is i am working on exactly that type of site right now and am having no issues finding the right plugins.

sorry , can't give you a link

wp multisite (MU) can do even better !

tim

 

[Ashman]

Drupal

Wordpress


Don't get me wrong, if you can point me in the direction of a theme or plugin that can create a full site like that then please do so. I would love to be able to create endless posts within the pages framework of wordpress.

Actually mouth is watering. Please let me know asap

Is that Drupal site built using the "Community" theme? I was about to implement a similar site structure for a new project: www.bodybuildingnews.com.au

 

[johno69]

if you can point me in the direction of a theme or plugin that can create a full site like that then please do so.

Points Over Here.

That, at a quick look seems to have it covered. A few other magazine themes listed here..

 

[findtim]

just doing some searching for a plugin and thought this was interesting

"WordPress community has to offer.

19,988 plugins, 315,927,924 downloads, and counting"

this is on wordpress.org

tim