Content Management, cont'd
The Contribute application is similar to a simple desktop publisher application. The process is simple: Using Contribute's browser, you browse to the page you want to edit, click the "Edit" button, make your text changes, insert photos, etc. and then click "Publish". Your website is instantly updated with your changes.
This approach makes sense for portions of a website that contain frequently updated information content. Using the SBSWA website as an example, the home page, contact page, and invoice payment page are examples of content best left to the Web designer. But pages with straightforward layout that provide product news, related articles, and other types of information that are part of the business owner's knowledge base are perfect examples of customer-maintained content.
With Contribute, a digital camera, some photo editing software, and your own knowledge of your products and services, there is really quite a lot that you can "contribute" to your own website!
Web Applications, cont'd
In addition to writing your own page content, there are many other tools that put you in charge, depending on what kinds of Web applications you may specify for your site. For example, you may become the administrator for multimedia uploads (serving mp3 files, PowerPoint presentations, etc.) and other database applications. In this case your website includes password-protected access to administrative functions, and may also include a password-protected "members only" area if that kind of feature suits your purposes.
The article to the left, "Non-Profit Organizations", includes a description of a "roster database" Web application. The Arizona Rough Riders portfolio example includes a custom trip calendar Web application.
Look elsewhere on "Web Design Central" for information and examples pertaining to database-driven Web applications.