Why I switched to WordPress
After nearly 7 months of using Joomla! as my content management system (CMS) or web platform, I decided to change to WordPress. I’m a firm believer that its important to fit the tool to the job, and not the other way around. I have decided to change the focus of my website a bit. I believe that WordPress is better equipped to help me do that.
Frustrations with Joomla!
I think Joomla! is a great tool. It is powerful, and there is a great community out there who provide great modules and templates. I was particularly fond of Rockettheme’s templates and modules. However, here are some of the frustrations that I had with Joomla!
- Many of the great modules available are “premium”, meaning you have to pay for them
- Things dont play nice with each other. Depending on which template I was using, certain modules would, or would not work. I have had better luck with WordPress
- Lacking in social skills. Joomla!’s community features are poor. Sure, there are potentially great tools out there, but because of my previous point (things don’t work well together), I wasn’t always able to use them. In general, I havent had much interaction with readers on Joomla pages.
- Complexity of user interface. I get the interface, but if I wanted to have someone help me on my page, it was a pain to try to train them. WordPress is straightforward. Joomla! is much better than Drupal though, as far as interface goes!
Those things aside, I may still use Joomla! for sites I create for companies who dont need the social integration or different user groups, but need scalability in a relatively easy to use platform.
Things I’ve liked about WordPress (so far)
WordPress is treating me nice so far. Here’s what I’ve liked:
- Simplicity – this applies to the code it uses, user interface, workflow, and even design. My file server also looks much cleaner now, not so many strange files which I dont understand.
- Great community who provide free and powerful tools for WordPress. I’ve already loaded up on quite a few plugins!
- Design – I love looking at the designs people come up with for WordPress. Some of the best designers are here. Joomla gets some great high end templates, but I like the smaller scale, grassroots thing going on with WordPress.
- Simplicity – I have to mention this again…Things just seem so much smoother to me right now. Reminds me of when I switched to Mac from Windows.
Again, let me reiterate my point that certain CMS platforms are better for different jobs. At work, we use drupal for the BYU-Hawaii website. I dont think WordPress or even Joomla! could handle the needs we have.
Where I’m going
I’m hoping to use this new site to develop new skills and interests. I have been into multimedia creation for a long time, but the web has recently become a passion of mine. I would like to explore web marketing and social media. Blogging has been recommended as a great way to start learning and getting exposure. After all, it’s hard to understand something you are not trying yourself!
Which CMS do you like to use and why?
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