It seems like every day I read about a new web app however none that have caught my attention like CushyCMS. In fact I was desperately seeking a way to easily supply a simple CMS for a client that needed to edit just a couple of small space on their brochure site. The hard part about this particular client is that they have had the same hosting plan for over 5 years and for some reason have no database. This made finding a simple solution somewhat hard, that was until I stumbled upon CushyCMS today.
WHAT IS CUSHYCMS?
CushyCMS is a web app that allows you to content manage multiple sites and pages. Overall it is a relatively limited content management system compared to some other offerings, however where it shines is its simplicity. This application basically connects to any web server via FTP and then allows you to edit predefined areas of a page. You establish which areas of the page that you would like to edit simply by adding a predefined CSS class to any element on the page you would like to edit (i.e. DIV, SPAN, Headings, Images). The system is even able to upload images that maintain proportions and can scale uniformly.
WHY IS IT SO SIMPLE?
Well for one reason I was able to implement the system into a site within 15 minutes and without any sort of problem. Nothing, and I really mean nothing has ever been so easy for me to implement. After adding the classes to the editable areas and uploading, it was only a matter of using the system to send a password to my client to start editing their content. Other than granting the site access to the FTP Server I didn’t have to do a thing, it even manages permissions and only lets the client edit the areas I grant them access to. To see how simple this app is visit the CushyCMS homepage and watch the 3 minute video, it completely describes how to use the service.
For small / low-budget jobs (this was a family favor) I don’t think that you can beat CushyCMS in terms of simplicity and ease of use. My only reservations have to do with the potential security issues of giving away FTP access and the possibility that the service could just disappear one day. But for simple low budget sites and hobbyist projects this service is a complete life saver.
For more information and to sign up visit CushyCMS.com
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May 21st, 2008 at 12:32 am
Yeah, noticed this service recently, and it does seem extremely easy to use, but I have the same worries as you, that you could implement this for a client, and then one day the team realises it isn’t making enough money, and they switch it off. I’m hanging on for a hosted open source version to appear!
May 21st, 2008 at 5:38 am
Looks pretty cool, but something doesn’t feel right. But like you said,for small work it’s probably going to be quite useful. Not sure if it’s for me though.
May 21st, 2008 at 6:16 am
I just can’t explain how much of a jam this got me out of. I definitely think the owners of the site need to develop an installable licensed version. I would easily pay 500 dollars to offer this as a blind service on my firm’s website to very small clients. I have a number of client’s I do print work who want to get a simple website but still be able to edit copy in a couple of places. This is completely ideal for the situation.
May 22nd, 2008 at 1:27 am
I’ve not used this but, I certainly think it looks good for small clients who can’t afford a custom CMS and for who WordPress or similar would be overkill.
Their ‘Pro account’, essentially a white label product, seems very interesting - I’m not overly sure it’s worth $28 a month. Like Zinni, I think I’d rather pay a flat upfront fee.
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May 23rd, 2008 at 10:27 am
What about Adobe’s Contribute software? I’ve only seen the video but have been planning on recommending my clients purchase it for editing their sites. How is that different than Cushy CMS? and it is way cheaper than the $500 Zinni mentioned.
May 29th, 2008 at 8:51 pm
Has anyone seen or tried http://www.viviti.com/ ?