As a way of offering smaller clients a greater range of functionality, I have begun to look into the possibilities surrounding Textpattern. An open-source content management system (CMS), Textpattern might prove itself the right solution for small businesses and charitable organisations. I plan on spending some time over the coming weeks getting my head around the software.
So far I have managed to get the software installed (which was pretty similar to installing WordPress) and a basic website up and running. This draft site is nothing I would wish to highlight here, but even after only a few hours’ time spent clicking here and there, and editing code in bits and pieces, I can see that Textpattern definitely could be of value. Too early to say how it might all work out for me, but my initial feeling about Textpattern is a good one.
As you can see in the photo in this post, I have picked up a how-to book on implementing and using Textpattern. The book is called Textpattern Solutions. I chose this particular book, mostly because the forward was written by Jon Hicks, another Oxfordshire graphic designer – albeit one of greater acclaim and accomplishment than yours truly. I wonder what advice or suggestions Jon might offer me to speed up the learning process? (Do you think there is any chance that Jon Hicks might visit my blog?)
UPDATE: 29 March 2009
Be sure to read the related post, entitled Texpattern Investigated.
Markus Merz // 11 Jun 2008 at 12:10 pm
erraticwisdom.com has a pretty old but good and basic explanation on TXP system architecture basics.
And Yes, the book you have cosen received positive reviews and the writers are well known in the TXP world.
To follow the news about TXP I have created a dynamic OPML file which contains some feeds for TXP info junkies.
Liam Dempsey // 18 Jun 2008 at 4:40 pm
@Markus Merz
Thanks for the tips on the two useful sites. I have already checked them out and they seem packed full of valuable information.