My Food Bucket List: Cafe du Monde, French Quarter, New Orleans

I've now crossed eating at the famous Cafe du Monde off my bucket list!! The post My Food Bucket List: Cafe du Monde, French Quarter, New Orleans appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1dobkNe

Top 8 Beautiful WordPress Ecommerce Themes

WordPress has a wide array of brilliant, free ecommerce engines, from WooCommerce to JigoShop. Like other WordPress plugins, they slot seamlessly into the WordPress framework to give websites a host of ecommerce functionalities. But to make any online store a success, a beautiful WordPress ecommerce theme is absolutely necessary. 

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Disney Wonder Merrytime Disney Cruise – Christmas on a Cruise?

Our amazing Merrytime Disney Cruise on the Disney Wonder! SO fabulous!The post Disney Wonder Merrytime Disney Cruise Christmas on a Cruise? appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1hOJbQq

Disney Wonder Stateroom Review & Walkthrough (Cabin 6630)

In case you live under a rock and have somehow missed my bazillion pictures and posts counting down to the big day, my family and I took a 6 night Disney Cruise out of Galveston, Texas over Christmas. The big day finally arrived when we boarded the ship and got to check out our cabin!...The post Disney Wonder Stateroom Review & Walkthrough (Cabin 6630) appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cyiHl8

Pantry Planning, AKA Chickpea Curry

I suck at meal planning, but I pantry plan at least!The post Pantry Planning, AKA Chickpea Curry appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1eKjPWe

Rainbow Cookie Cheesecake Bites

These rainbow cookie cheesecake bites make me happy just looking at them. Imagine what eating them does!!!The post Rainbow Cookie Cheesecake Bites appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/19Q2Yxa

Hazelnut Chocolate Cream Pie Using Frangelico

Raise your hand if you love Frangelico. *Raises hand in the air and waves wildly* Ah, Frangelico, the hazelnut lovers dream liqueur of choice. The smooth nutty taste that goes great in coffee, tastes amazing plain over ice and now has finally been cooked into a chocolate mousse for a pie in my kitchen. If...The post Hazelnut Chocolate Cream Pie Using Frangelico appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1l9zqw7

Homemade Skor (Toffee Bits) Hot Chocolate

I'm obsessed with making my own hot chocolate mix. This toffee one? To Die For.The post Homemade Skor (Toffee Bits) Hot Chocolate appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1ic37zE

Reese’s Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites

Reese's Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites, little bites of peanut butter heaven! No bake, easy to make! The post Reese s Peanut Butter Cheesecake Bites appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18EMQ2W

Civic: A Joomla Template Featuring a Full-screen Video Slideshow

The brand new Civic Joomla template  from JoomlaShack has the potential to turn your simple Joomla website into a stunning full-screen experience. Civic's minimalist, yet bold design makes it a perfect fit for any corporate website.  

http://bit.ly/19hYXmZ

Mincemeat Loaf

Fail Wife may not have baked tarts, but dang it, I made mincemeat loaf!The post Mincemeat Loaf appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1l19Vgi

To Adventure Is Divine

This morning sees us up early and on our way to Midland, Texas where we are spending the night, before heading on to Fort Worth to pick up my sister and nephew at the airport the next day. The picture above sums up what I have been thinking, have always thought and am blessed enough...The post To Adventure Is Divine appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1kY3jiP

Saltine Toffee Squares

Saltine Toffee Squares with delightful Christmas sprinkles! Perfect for your dessert table! The post Saltine Toffee Squares appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1kY3lav

Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo (A Poem)

A little poem (however badly rhymed) about the Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo!The post Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo (A Poem) appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1ccDKLH

Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo

A little poem (however badly rhymed) about the Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo!The post Zoolights at the Phoenix Zoo appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cBfjm3

The Hoover Dam & The Chicken

Our family trip to the Hoover Dam. I'm such a chicken when it comes to heights. Shudder.The post The Hoover Dam & The Chicken appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18R6qUr

Five Minute Christmas Popcorn

Christmas Popcorn, popcorn covered in white chocolate, pecans and candied cherries, that takes a mere 5 minutes to make! The post Five Minute Christmas Popcorn appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/ISeRIJ

Kari Skelton’s Eggnog Cookies

Guest poster & Edmonton radio gal Kari Skelton shares her favorite eggnog cookie recipe. Hello YUM!The post Kari Skelton s Eggnog Cookies appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1bHLuiy

Homemade Mint Hot Chocolate Mix

Homemade Mint Hot Chocolate Mix. I am literally going to drink this all winter.The post Homemade Mint Hot Chocolate Mix appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1gzLvwQ

Searching for an Elegant All-purpose Ghost Theme? Try Dragonfly

Sometimes, you need a theme which presents your content in a way which is a little different from most websites. Something a little more unique. For Ghost users on that search, Dragonfly might be what they're looking for. 

http://bit.ly/1kK5JSc

Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie

This pie combines a whole lotta food loves in one pie .Mmmmm.The post Triple Chocolate Pumpkin Pie appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1ddlzSu

The Epic Journey: Montana, Idaho, Vegas & Arizona

Pack your virtual suitcases, we're going on a trip! Montana, Idaho, Nevada & Arizona!The post The Epic Journey: Montana, Idaho, Vegas & Arizona appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1j4TdAY

Crockpot Lazy Perogy Casserole

Lazy Perogies done in the crockpot. AMEN. Seriously. A-FREAKING MEN.The post Crockpot Lazy Perogy Casserole appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1eamPeb

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew

Slow Cooker Chicken Stew, a dinner lifesaver in our house. The post Slow Cooker Chicken Stew appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cqfL6w

Nerdy: A Brand New WordPress Theme for Bloggers

If you're on the hunt for a bold, yet professional WordPress blogging theme, then Nerdy might just fit the bill. The full-width design allows you to show off your content in a brilliantly simple fashion. 

http://bit.ly/1d781aZ

Christmas Monkey Bread

Christmas Monkey Bread made with pecans, candied cherries and made from scratch! The post Christmas Monkey Bread appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18zvXVa

The Food Blogger Confessions #4- Foods I Should NOT Love

Folks, this here may be a continuing theme here on my website, admitting to loving foods that should rightfully have my Food Blogger Card ripped away from me. (If they actually gave us one, I m still waiting for that card to arrive.) I was just in the middle of editing photos with a cheater recipe...The post The Food Blogger Confessions #4- Foods I Should NOT Love appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1bt6TQL

How To Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread

How to make perfect Whipped Shortbread, my tips and tricks on how to make it the best shortbread for Christmas ever!The post How To Make Perfect Whipped Shortbread appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1gf2qow

Mini Doughnut Waffles & A Breville Waffle Iron Giveaway!

Mini cake doughnuts made in your waffle iron, easy, cute and delicious!The post Mini Doughnut Waffles & A Breville Waffle Iron Giveaway! appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aGIORU

ThemeTastic, a slick new Business theme for Drupal

ThemeTastic is a slick looking retina ready Drupal 7 Theme that can be used by businesses or creative professionals.Developed by Theme Boutique this Drupal Business Theme is full of features and custom page templates.…

http://bit.ly/1gd3hWJ

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bites

Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake bites, only five ingredients to make the yummiest little desserts ever! The post Chocolate Chip Cookie Cheesecake Bites appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aCGlIk

Go On A Barcelona Food Tour With Liane Faulder!

Want to get away from this snow? Check out this amazing tour of Barcelona!The post Go On A Barcelona Food Tour With Liane Faulder! appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18mwnLd

Christmas Haystacks

Christmas Haystacks using almond slices instead of chow mein, white chocolate and Christmas cherries! The post Christmas Haystacks appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1dQqoGm

Holiday Gift Cards & A $50 Itunes Card Giveaway!

Enter to Win a $50 ITunes gift card!The post Holiday Gift Cards & A $50 Itunes Card Giveaway! appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cYhYrb

Skiing At Marmot Basin

The kids spent a fabulous day skiing at Marmot Basin!The post Skiing At Marmot Basin appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cWHHAh

Holiday Lemon Cheesecake Bars

Lemon Cheesecake Bars, thick, luscious lemon bars with a lovely layer of cheesecake baked in!The post Holiday Lemon Cheesecake Bars appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1eLmlaA

Peppermint Cheescake Bites

Peppermint Cheescake Bites, five ingredients + ten minutes and you have a perfect dessert for your holiday table! The post Peppermint Cheescake Bites appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18aTuLJ

The Food Blogger Confessions #3- What Christmas Baking REALLY Looks Like in my House

Holy Dinah, is Christmas over yet said the Magpie Grinch? Well, not Christmas, but the Christmas baking? Whew. Add the load of Christmas baking/cooking for my website to the planning/packing/last minute craziness of planning for a huge vacation and well my friends my house has suffered terribly. So I m just going to go right ahead and...The post The Food Blogger Confessions #3- What Christmas Baking REALLY Looks Like in my House appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/19bRpwh

Peppermint Eggnog Martini

I'm rather fond of eggnog and peppermint. This drink combines both of my loves in one glass! Yum!The post Peppermint Eggnog Martini appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1eDmoVR

How to Manage Billing and Invoicing with WordPress

WordPress has been evolving at an incredible rate these last few years, changing from a straight forward blogging platform into a powerful content management system. As a business owner, there may come a time when you will want to be able to handle your billing and invoicing from within WordPress, well, it's a lot easier than you might think.Enter WP-Invoice.…

http://bit.ly/IxvTLg

Afternoon Tea At The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge

Afternoon tea at the Fairmont has been on my bucket list forever. It was all I wanted it to be and more!The post Afternoon Tea At The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/ItKvf8

My Travel Bucket List

My Travel Bucket List, finally written down.The post My Travel Bucket List appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1jT41gV

Mint Brownies with Peppermint Buttercream Icing

Mint Brownies with Peppermint Buttercream Icing,, these chewy, decadent brownies take mint to a all new chocolate bliss level! The post Mint Brownies with Peppermint Buttercream Icing appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18N1LGx

The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge – A Hotel Room Tour

My hotel room tour of the amazing Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge. Talk about rustic luxury!The post The Fairmont Jasper Park Lodge A Hotel Room Tour appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cPGAm0

Sitecore Buys Commerce Server, Aims to bring ECommerce to their Platform

Sitecore, winner of both our People's Choice and Critic's Choice awards for Best Enterprise CMS , have recently acquired .NET Ecommerce solution, Commerce Server . This new purchase, shows how quickly Sitecore has been able to respond to calls within the industry to offer fully integrated all-in-one solutions to customers.Commerceserver.net offers a powerful platform that is sure to integrate nicely with the Sitecore family of products, namely their Customer Experience Platform.…

http://bit.ly/189DCpM

Pappadums & A Curry

Who knew Pappadums were so darn easy to make at home? Not me!The post Pappadums & A Curry appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aZ2T9n

2013 Critics Choice for Best eCommerce Solution

There are several strong competitors in the eCommerce market but only one can be the winner of the 2013 Critic's Choice Award for Best eCommerce Solution.

http://bit.ly/IprfzQ

Organic Themes Release New Business WordPress Theme: Collective

Organic Themes have recently released their latest theme into the world of WordPress, the Collective Theme. Built using Organic Theme's trusty Seed Theme Framework, Collective is a WordPress theme for showcasing the groups of people behind business projects, associations, partnerships, clubs and more. 

http://bit.ly/17U5yRq

Organic Themes Release New Business WordPress Theme: Collective

Organic Themes have recently released their latest theme into the world of WordPress, the Collective Theme. Built using Organic Theme's trusty Seed Theme Framework, Collective is a WordPress theme for showcasing the groups of people behind business projects, associations, partnerships, clubs and more. The wide, responsive design is perfectly complemented by the full-width homepage slider, and even further so by the sleek nature of the pages, layouts and typography displayed throughout the Collective theme.…

http://bit.ly/1aYiENK

Crispy,Buttery Candy Cane Cookies

Crispy,Buttery Candy Cane Cookies. They manage to be chewy & crispy at the same time. it must be Christmas cookie magic! The post Crispy,Buttery Candy Cane Cookies appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aYidTE

10 Free WordPress Themes You Would Think Were Premium

There are thousands upon thousands of WordPress themes out there, with new ones emerging all the time. Usually, it takes just a simple glance at the design quality to distinguish which themes are free, and which themes are premium. Although, there are some exceptions to that rule. 

http://bit.ly/1cN7bA4

Moving from WordPress to Cascade Server for Better Content Governance and Compliance

For over a year, HCC Medical Insurance Services utilized WordPress for their content management needs. Recently, however, it became evident that using a number of plugins and an outside vendor was ineffective and prevented the company from efficiently updating their corporate website.

http://bit.ly/1iQpnO4

Announcing CMS Critic Editions

As part of our efforts to offer as many resources as possible to our readers, we are pleased to announce that we now offer unique editions of CMS Critic for specific topics.

http://bit.ly/1blHR7A

Eggnog Funfetti Martini

"Tis the season for eggnog! I love this Funfetti Eggnog martini, it's so dang happy!The post Eggnog Funfetti Martini appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1c6yzef

Gifts Of Hope

Give a meaningful gift this year, give a Gifts of Hope!The post Gifts Of Hope appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/17UkWiR

Portlets are Dead, Long Live Portals

You may have already heard the terms 'Portlets' & 'Portals' on various occasions, yet you may also still wonder what the differences are. A Portal is a generally a web page which aggregates information from diverse sources, presenting them in an organized, manageable way, on one screen or page.

http://bit.ly/1dw0is3

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes? Why, they are cupcakes with a York Peppermint patty baked right inside. Deeelish!The post Peppermint Patty Cupcakes appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aMHpgL

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Icing

Peppermint Patty Cupcakes? Why, they are cupcakes with a York Peppermint patty baked right inside. Deeelish!The post Peppermint Patty Cupcakes with Peppermint Buttercream Icing appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aMHpgL

Candy Bar Buttercream Icing

Just when I thought my chocolate buttercream icing couldn't get better..it totally did.The post Candy Bar Buttercream Icing appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cK35c0

Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief Review

Mike and I both have "chew toys" and sensitive teeth. This toothpaste actually DID help.The post Colgate Sensitive Pro Relief Review appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1aGtrgs

Christmas Fruitcake Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie

Christmas Fruitcake Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie, only four ingredients baked up in a skillet. Can you just imagine this on Christmas morning? Wonderful!The post Christmas Fruitcake Chocolate Chip Skillet Cookie appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18YLYAA

Always Promote Your Online Image

Your reputation as a company is important to ensure your success. This is why branding has become an essential aspect of marketing for every business, particularly smaller businesses. Unfortunately, when you open up the lines of communication on the Internet, you create the opportunity for individuals to give negative opinions about your business as well. Learning how to balance the negativity will help you protect your overall branding online.

http://bit.ly/I58r8o

eZ Publish Platform 5.2 Released

Since its founding way back in 1999, eZ Publish has been providing an open source content management system which has only ever grown in stature. Now, with eZ Publish 5.2, the globally recognized company will be hoping to build upon their solid reputation even further.

http://bit.ly/1c6z6uU

How To Make Homemade Hot Cocoa / Hot Chocolate

Have you ever had a recipe that you are kicking yourself for not making all these past years? Well, homemade hot cocoa is exactly that recipe for me. I ve had all the ingredients in my pantry. I drink hot chocolate every morning instead of coffee. It takes you literally 5 minutes to make. It s healthier...The post How To Make Homemade Hot Cocoa / Hot Chocolate appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1fYkIr8

How To Make Peppermint Buttercream Icing

How To Make Peppermint Buttercream Icing, salted butter and heavy cream are my secret ingredients! Trust me, this is the best mint buttercream icing ever!The post How To Make Peppermint Buttercream Icing appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/I5aGZN

WebStarts Shopping Cart Review

As the Internet continues to reach more and more people everyday, so do merchants begin to explore ways in which their business' can benefit. Many will have found what they were looking for in the WebStarts Shopping Cart, which is a free platform built to help streamline the process of building and marketing an online store.

http://bit.ly/1jn7X9j

Edmonton Food Blogger

My wife is a popular Edmonton Food blogger, Check out her website http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/

The Beauty and Potential of Ghost

If you've never heard of Ghost , you should do yourself a favor and take a look at their website. Ghost is a very interesting and unique new tool for blogging that has recently completed a very successful Kickstarter campaign . Initially requesting only £25,000 to help fund their creation, they ended up raising almost £196,362.When I first heard about Ghost, I was excited about the prospect of a new blogging platform coming online that might be able to serve a new set of future bloggers with an interface designed purely for blogging.…

http://bit.ly/HPRqzA

Interview with Shmulik Grizim, Webydo CEO and Co-founder

Webydo is a powerful website builder that's recently begun to really gain traction for themselves in the industry. Today, we bring you our interview with Webydo CEO and co-founder Shmulik Grizim. Read on to find out more about this unique and interesting website builder.

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The Food Blogger Confessions #2- Food is the New Four Letter F Word

Food. It's the newest four letter F word. Even food bloggers get tired of it!The post The Food Blogger Confessions #2- Food is the New Four Letter F Word appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/17X1osu

Cheesy Cream of Cauliflower Soup

So. I guess by now you re fully aware that I love soup. It s kind of hard to keep any sort of secret around here when you tend to blog everything you eat, do, buy, think ..the list goes on and on. I have made this soup before, eaten it and loved it, but totally lost the...The post Cheesy Cream of Cauliflower Soup appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/17n1Ku0

Improving Websites Through User Experience Design – 8 UI Design Tips for DIY Websites

Good websites are able to provide consistently enjoyable experiences for the end user. In addition, they’re able to provide benefits for the website manager, like increasing company sales. The best websites take into consideration the lifestyle, beliefs, and abilities of their target audience, utilizing user interface (UI) and user experience (UX) design to further the ultimate purpose of the site. If you’re interested in improving the experience on your website, start by following the 8 UI design tips described below.

http://bit.ly/1gx8oRj

The Liferay Portal Solutions Forum UK, 2013 - #LPSF2013UK

On November 7th 2013, Liferay held their first ever UK Portal Solutions Forum. The event promised an overview of the newly released Liferay Portal 6.2 along with a full day of presentations, workshops, and much more. Liferay are a world-renowned provider of a leading enterprise-class portal solution, which is used as a digital platform by a number of Fortune 500 companies.…

http://bit.ly/17HSEID

Buffalo Hot Sauce,Bacon & Jalapeno Mac N’ Cheese

The best mac n'cheese I have ever eaten. Bacon, hot sauce, jalapenos, what's not to love?The post Buffalo Hot Sauce,Bacon & Jalapeno Mac N Cheese appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/HJRvVg

Jimmy Robinson’s Duck Lodge: A Family Legacy

The astounding family legacy that is the backbone of Jimmy Robinson's famous duck lodge.The post Jimmy Robinson s Duck Lodge: A Family Legacy appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/16Jd7dl

2013 Critic's Choice Winner for Best Small to Midsize Business CMS

The SMB market is a hot one right now and while some former SMB CMS solutions are focusing on the Enterprise space, this has opened up a ton of opportunity for some other players to gain market share.Today, I'm going to announce which Small to Midsize Business CMS was selected by the judges to win the Critics Choice award Best Small to Midsize Business CMS for 2013.

http://bit.ly/1cWWhZk

Braised Wild Duck With Orange Sauce

Braised wild duck with orange sauce recipe straight from the Jimmy Robinson Duck Lodge kitchen!The post Braised Wild Duck With Orange Sauce appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/19DpOas

Five Ways to Grow Your Design Business

If you're like many creative professionals in a design business, you're probably not as focused as you should be on growing your company. You'd rather work on your next great design than call former customers to ask for a referral. But without those calls and referrals, the business won't last long. Here are five simple, but often ignored, tactics for expanding a design business.

http://bit.ly/19DoLr8

Joomla 3.2 Released with Record Number of New Features

Joomla is one of the most widely used content management systems on the market – and they've just released a record number of new features via Joomla 3.2, the latest version of their award-winning platform.

http://bit.ly/1dNxGHp

Instart Logic Launches New Web Acceleration Service for SaaS Providers‏

A growing number of content management systems today either are themselves a Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), or offer a SaaS in one way, shape or form.Today, Instart Logic – creators of the world’s first Web Application Streaming Network™, have introduced a new vertical product line into the world of SaaS providers, making it easier than ever before to deliver premium, zero-wait web experiences to their customers on any device, and any network.…

http://bit.ly/1dNxGHu

Braised Wild Duck With Orange Sauce

No hunting lodge is complete without a kitchen force that can handle feeding hunters early in the morning and then another two times during the day. You don t feed the hunters well, they get cranky. They get cranky, they don t come back. So the backbone of the lodge part of the duck hunting experience is...The post Braised Wild Duck With Orange Sauce appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1cE9s5a

Nuxeo Releases a Major Version of the Nuxeo Platform

Nuxeo, the provider of a content management platform for business applications, today announced the availability of Nuxeo Platform 5.8, a major Long Term Support version of the open source content management platform.

http://bit.ly/17Du3os

Elcom releases elcomCMS 9, featuring core enhancements and improved integrations

The latest iteration of elcomCMS is now available. elcomCMS 9 features new integration points with leading applications such as Marketo, Salesforce.com, SugarCRM, Box and Google Drive. In addition, new core enhancements have been completed which make it easier for the non-technical users to create better, more engaging content.

http://bit.ly/175jrJ8

We Have 10 MotoCMS Website Template Licenses to Give Away!

Great news everyone! Today we're starting a giveaway with which you have a chance to get one of 10 MotoCMS website templates (normally priced at $139 each).

http://bit.ly/Hu8tpT

Grow a Thriving Online Community with Oxwall

Whether you're looking to create your very own version of Facebook, a fan site, an education project or even a formal company social network, Oxwall has all the tools you need.

http://bit.ly/1gp8lXV

Jimmy Robinson’s Duck Lodge : Duck Hunting Day Three!

By the time day three of duck hunting  at Jimmy Robinson s Duck Lodge dawned quite literally- my shoulder was black and blue from using my shotgun so much. No amount of clay shooting had prepared me for duck hunting two days in a row, except perhaps to better my aim. I certainly hadn t toughened up...The post Jimmy Robinson s Duck Lodge : Duck Hunting Day Three! appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1apd9nM

Leftover Halloween Candy Recipes

It s now officially four full days of eating candy after Halloween. The gloss and glitz is over, folks. This is about the time where we are just about sick to death of mini candied everything, so very tired of picking up little candy wrappers all over our house (can t just be my house, right?? Tell...The post Leftover Halloween Candy Recipes appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/1ffNIKC

Jimmy Robinson’s Duck Lodge : Duck Hunting Day Two!

Day two of duck hunting at Jimmy Robinson's Duck Lodge, these ducks were hard earned, let me tell you!The post Jimmy Robinson s Duck Lodge : Duck Hunting Day Two! appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/HFFH5x

2013 Critic's Choice Winner for Best Website Builder

Today, I'm going to announce which Website Builder was selected by our panel of judges as the winner of the Critic's Choice award for Best Website Builder for 2013.

http://bit.ly/1aZYOjW

Leftover Halloween Candy Brownie Trifle

This trifle kinda blew my mind with it's sugary, chocolate awesomeness. Dudes. It's seriously crazy.The post Leftover Halloween Candy Brownie Trifle appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/18SMRd2

Redaxscript 2.0.0 Released

Redaxscript, which initially started as a fork of sNews CMS in 2008, has now reached version 2.0.0 of their simple, yet powerful CMS. Let's take a look at some of the new features in this release. PHP 5.0 Now Required Given that some of the functions in Redaxscript have been rewritten into OOP classes, PHP 5.0 is now a requirement in order for the system to run correctly. Redesigned and Responsive Admin Redaxscript's admin interface has been redesigned to work on any device without compromising functionality and usability.…

http://bit.ly/1bScLAS

Homemade Skim Milk Chocolate Pudding Recipe

Once you try this homemade chocolate pudding recipe, I guarantee you will never use a boxed recipe again.The post Homemade Skim Milk Chocolate Pudding Recipe appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://bit.ly/HDrGW2

Two Pros and their Blogs

Hi everyone! We are Mike and Karlynn Johnston, a married couple from Edmonton, Alberta Canada. We are also two professional bloggers by day and super parents by night. Or maybe just mediocre parents and super bloggers? Take your pick. This website has been years in the making. Like everyone else that blogs, we have searched the internet for blogging advice and like everyone else, we’ve also been overwhelmed at the sheer avalanche of information out there that comes falling down upon you. How can a person even begin to sort it out? Our main frustration when searching for real blogging advice is the lack of “blogging cred”. This is something that we are going to touch on a lot on this website. When searching popular websites for advice we would always look for the authors “real” blog. Where is the authors real blog, the one with content that isn’t about blogging? The website where they learned to work with sponsors, where they fielded emails from people, where they have advertis

http://twoprosandtheirblogs.com

Chickpea & Edamame Pumpkin Soup

Chickpeas, edamame and pumpkin combine together in a lovely healthy and delicious soup! The post Chickpea & Edamame Pumpkin Soup appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/chickpea-edamame-pumpkin-soup

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bundt Cake

Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bundt Cake, I just might have a chocolate pumpkin addiction. I'm not admitting anything.The post Chocolate Chip Pumpkin Bundt Cake appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/chocolate-chip-pumpkin-bundt-cake

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala Pasta

Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala Pasta. Have you been SO excited over a recipe that you just squeee with excitement? ** cue crickets chirping** Just me? Naw, can t be. There s some inner recipes squeee-er s (I just made up a word!!) out there, I guarantee it. You re too bashful to squee, that s all. I m also very excited (cue...The post Crockpot Chicken Tikka Masala Pasta appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/crockpot-chicken-tikka-masala-pasta

How to choose a Web Hosting Company for your Website

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); Choosing a web hosting company for your website can definitely be daunting given the incredible number of hosting companies out there. There are hosts all over the world that offer tons of services at all ranges of prices. Trimming the fat and finding a quality one can feel overwhelming but don t fret, I ve got your back. First, make sure you ve read my How to Buy a Domain Name post if you haven t already done so and get your domain before you proceed. Tip #1 Don t Google Hosting Reviews! This may not seem obvious but about 99% of hosting review websites on Google are simply paid for reviews. I d avoid using them at all costs as you definitely will not find any honest or unbiased reviews going this route. Tip #2 Don t Overspend! When it comes to hosting, you don t want to buy a crazy package with tons of perks and options just to run a basic blog. Overpaying for something is just a quick way to empty your wallet and the money you d wa

http://twoprosandtheirblogs.com/how-to-choose-a-web-hosting-company-for-your-website/

Migrating from Blogger to WordPress (Step by Step with Video)

(adsbygoogle = window.adsbygoogle || []).push({}); For those of you who have been blogging for some time, you most likely started off on one of the most popular platforms out there, Blogger.com. If you have, you may be wondering what the process is to move from Blogger (or Blogspot) to WordPress. Have no fear! Today, I am bringing you a video walk-through of the process that is designed to make the entire experience quick and painless. Before we get started, there are a few prerequisites you need to meet. You either need to have a blog up and running on WordPress.com (watch this video if you need help setting one up) or you must have gone through the process of setting up WordPress on your own domain (for example, www.mynewfoodsite.com). I ll be showing you how to install WordPress on your own domain in a new video coming soon. Here is a walk-through of the steps outlined in the video for those who are unable to see it. Migrating from Blogger to a WordPress Blog Note: These instructio

http://twoprosandtheirblogs.com/migrating-from-blogger-to-wordpress-step-by-step-with-video/

Plantanitos, or Fried Plantains

How to make Fried Plantains, with brown sugar & sour cream for dipping. Trust me, it's a fabulous combination! You'll have to try it and see!The post Plantanitos, or Fried Plantains appeared first on The Kitchen Magpie.

http://www.thekitchenmagpie.com/plantanitos-or-fried-plantains

Announcing the People's Choice for Best Social Networking Solution Nominees!

Announcing the People's Choice for Best Social Networking Solution Nominees!

WordPress 3.6 Oscar Goes Live

WordPress 3.6 Oscar Goes Live

On Doc Stoc

http://www.docstoc.com/docs/160180386/Squarespace-Review-by-CMS-Critic?

Weebly Review

http://www.slideshare.net/cmscritic/weebly-review-24872964

CMS Reviews

My slideshare for CMS reviews can be found here: http://www.slideshare.net/cmscritic/cms-reviews

Mediafire

https://www.mediafire.com/view/hlk5p6acs5xb2x1/SQUARESPACE.pptx

SQUARESPACE Review by CMS Critic

Check out my tumblr blog for more awesome stuff: http://thatcriticguy.tumblr.com/

Check this out: http://mlkshk.com/p/SYAX

Squarespace Review

Squarespace 6 was released and the latest includes a new ecommerce component. Here is our updated review: http://www.cmscritic.com/squarespace-review-the-long-awaited-commerce-solution/

Checkfront Review - Enabling Online Booking on Your Existing Site

We've just completed our checkfront review that you can see here: http://www.cmscritic.com/social-networking-with-joomla-just-got-better/

Drupal Security Breach Exposes Personal Information

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Drupal Security Breach Exposes Personal Information

Five Critical Decisions When Building a Community on Your Website

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Five Critical Decisions When Building a Community on Your Website

Temporary Post Used For Theme Detection (d4f4cc16-f7ee-4545-b6d9-8a8bec774474 - 3bfe001a-32de-4114-a6b4-4005b770f6d7)

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

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Interview with Squarespace CEO and Founder, Anthony Casalena

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Interview with Squarespace CEO and Founder, Anthony Casalena

Four Signs It's Time to Change Your CMS

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Four Signs It's Time to Change Your CMS

Squarespace Introduces New Features, Themes and a new Calendar!

Squarespace has been busy ramping up the feature set to keep themselves on top of their game and there have been some exciting new features as well as some new Squarespace themes added to their CMS.

For those who are unfamiliar with Squarespace, they won our Best Website Builder award in our 2012 Critic’s Choice CMS Awards and we recently shared our Squarespace review of the newly releases Squarespace 6.

Let’s get down to what they’ve recently added to the system, shall we?

Squarespace Commerce now supports Canada

First off, for those of you who are Canadian users and have been pining for a chance to use their sweet new ecommerce integration, you are now in luck. Squarespace recently announced full integration with Stripe Canada and now offers the ability to tie into your Stripe account and sell via your Squarespace page. As part of this integration, you get:

• 
  Canadian Currency Support – The currency displayed throughout your Squarespace store will reflect the currency set in your Stripe account currency (which you select upon sign-up, and cannot be changed). All prices are quoted in CAD for Canadian stores on Squarespace.


• 
  Tax System Improvements – You can now define taxes internationally and locally, down to the zip code level. As before, you can choose to add tax on products as well as shipping. Easily add more fine-grained shipping rules by jurisdiction, and define local rules by a single postal code or a range of postal codes.


• 
  Metric System Support – In Store Settings, you may now choose between Imperial and Metric standards to define product weights and weight-based shipping options.

New Theme: Adirondack

Check out this beautiful new theme available in the Squarespace template design library:

Adirondack is a modern, clean design built with small business owners and savvy entrepreneurs in mind. Minimal navigation and full header images provide a bold framework for your company or brand. The template is characterized by scrolling effects; the header shrinks to become less obtrusive as you scroll, and the banner image fades out and moves up in relation to the distance you’ve scrolled. Navigation links can be hidden to reduce clutter, and become visible when you hover the mouse over the menu icon or the site title.

 

It’s always nice to see new themes being added and we have to give kudos to the fact that Squarespace doesn’t just release your typical themes, they take the time to do beautiful ones that you WANT to use.

The Events Collection

Squarespace has also introduced a new calendar system that they call the Events Collection. Here’s how it looks and a bit of a breakdown on what you can expect from it.

The Events Collection comes with two viewing modes: Calendar View and List View. Each mode is responsively designed – like all other elements of a Squarespace website, your Events Collection looks perfect no matter what device you’re using. In List View, you can add thumbnail images to accompany each item, presenting your upcoming events in a compelling, elegant way.

Even More Features

The changes don’t stop there, however. There are a few additional features that have been added as well. They include:

• 
  Duplicate Pages – Since launch, we’ve gotten numerous requests for the ability to create copies of a page within your Squarespace site. As of today, this is now possible. You can find the Duplicate button at the bottom of the Collection Settings area (near the remove and save buttons).


• 
  Restore Deleted Collections  – Never worry about accidentally deleting a collection again. You can recover any deleted collections by clicking on “Restore Deleted Collections” under the Search bar in your Website Manager.


• 
  Multiple Backends for Form Builder – Unlimited and Business Account Users can now save form submissions to multiple destinations at once (Mailchimp and Google Docs, for example), instead of selecting just one.


• 
  Github Social Icon – We’ve added the ability to connect your Github profile to Squarespace. Look for the Github icon under ‘Connected Accounts’.

 

So what are you waiting for? Check them out or go sign up for their two week free trial (you don’t need a credit card, which is nice) and see if Squarespace is the right tool for you.

 

Squarespace Introduces New Features, Themes and a new Calendar!

WordPress vs. Joomla — A Perspective

You’re about to witness a showdown between the world’s two most popular open-source CMSs — WordPress and Joomla. The WordPress vs. Joomla question is kind of like a high school rivalry. Or maybe, it’s like the old Mac vs. PC debate. Thankfully, the discussion below is civil. My perspective claims WordPress as the winner.

In my roles as site editor and SEO consultant, I’ve used both WordPress and Joomla. Working at an agency provided opportunity to collaborate with designers, network admins, developers, and coders on the various advantages and disadvantages of respective CMSs. This article admits that CMS is a context-dependent choice, but advances the merits of WordPress as opposed to Joomla.

Your CMS — Your Choice

I picked WordPress for a variety of reasons outlined below. You may prefer Joomla. That’s fine, and we’re not going to call you names. Joomla and WordPress are both fine CMSs. Joomla may actually be better for you. Different users have different needs, and different CMSs serve those different needs.

Thus, with that disclaimer firmly in place, here are the reasons why I prefer WordPress over Joomla.

Popularity

I’m a believer in the “safety in numbers” of CMSs. If there are millions of people using something, there’s probably something good going on. WordPress and Joomla are the world’s most-used CMSs. However, WordPress is far more popular than Joomla. WordPress was founded in 2003, and Joomla in 2005. Over that time, WordPress’s growth has exponentially exceeded Joomla’s, owning a whopping 55.1% of the market share, as opposed to Joomla’s 8.8%. Furthermore, when WordPress receives a vote of confidence from some of the most intelligent developers I know, I have a greater appreciation of its capability and longevity. Of course, merely because something is popular doesn’t make it the best. Granted. However, we’re going to consider another factor below that flows directly from the popularity issue.

Community and Support

If you’re doing regular work on a site, you’ll probably need some help at some point. Both Joomla and WordPress have loyal tribes offering plenty of support for those who need it. One distinguishing factor of the WordPress tribe, however, is its sheer size. If you have a WordPress question and you can Google, you’ll probably find answers to your question on a forum, site, or blog of a WordPress devotee.

User Interface

WordPress has a much cleaner, slicker UI than Joomla. You can’t judge a CMS by its looks alone, but there is something to be said for a CMS that is intuitive, flexible, and even beautiful. For website agencies, handing over to the client the reigns of a WordPress site is something that takes an hour or two of coaching. Handing over the reigns of a Joomla site may take a bit more coaching, a few more desperate calls from the client, and a longer learning curve. The difference lies in the user interface. Of course, WordPress doesn’t have the same drag-and-drop kind of ease as something like Weebly. However, as powerful CMSs go, WordPress is as pretty as they come.

Plugins and Extensions

Plugins, or “extensions” as the Joomla moniker goes, can help to power up a site or to implement bits of complex code without the hard work of complex coding. At present, Joomla has over 6,000 extensions from the Joomla Extension Directory. Developers offer many more that are not hosted on the Extension Directory. WordPress Plugins number approximately 24,000. Although numbers don’t decide the power of plugins, it is evident from our experience that WordPress plugins possess a few advantages over Joomla plugins:

• Easier to setup and install on the site


• Wider selection and plugin browsing ability


• Greater capability and power of plugins

Simplicity

Setup and configuration is simple on a WordPress site. Right out of the box, it delivers a robust CMS experience. Joomla, on the other hand, takes a bit of setup and adjustment. One CMS Critic reader who is the site manager of a large site commented, “Joomla is a hell when it comes to modify and template it.” A significant amount of Joomla configuration is necessary, including a specific server architecture, is necessary to make things shipshape. Starting a WordPress site, particularly if using the free hosted version, takes a couple minutes. Sure, you’ll have to make some sweeping changes to the bland 2013 theme, but that’s also a relatively easy affair. And, by the way, “simplicity” doesn’t denote lack of power. See  the discussion on”power” below for more on this incendiary topic.

SEO

Because my field of expertise is in SEO, I’ve done significant research and consulting for agencies using both WordPress and Joomla. Onsite optimization of a Joomla site is a headache compared to the ease of a WordPress site. It is an accepted fact that Joomla is not an SEO-friendly CMS. There are, to be fair, Joomla extensions that make it far more successful for search optimization. Suffice it to say that WordPress is the superior CMS for easy and effective SEO. This is a crucial issue, due to the all-important nature of search.

Cost

Due in part, to the lighter developmental workload, WordPress is less expensive than its counterpart. In our recent survey of notable features of the top five CMSs, I provided estimates of the setup and ongoing monthly costs of popular open-source CMSs. Here is the recap:

• Joomla:  $2,400 – 20,000 setup; $500 ongoing monthly.


• WordPress: $1,000 – $15,000 setup; $250 ongoing monthly

Obviously, there’s a difference in those two numbers, even if the numbers are widely rounded out.

Power

I’ve put this at the bottom of my list, because it needs a bit of a disclaimer. I’m not claiming that WordPress is the most powerful CMS on the market. I merely want to defend against its naysayers. Castigations of WordPress usually begin with an assault on its allegedly diminutive “blogging” platform. Let’s get this settled once and for all:

WordPress is not just for blogs.

I could site examples of really big and powerful WordPress sites (that aren’t blogs), but I’ll resist. Instead, let’s simply accept the fact that WordPress has passed its adolescent period as a blogging platform. It’s part of the big leagues now. Sure, you may not be able to build an Amazon.com or an eBay with WordPress, but you can have a thriving e-commerce site with zero problems. And, hey, eBay does use WordPress (even if it is for its blog).

Conclusion

These topics outlined above aren’t the ultimate criterion by which to evaluate a CMS. If you are considering a CMS, a thorough understanding of your own needs is in order before you start asking questions of a particular CMS. We’ve chosen WordPress, and, understandably, use WordPress as the CMS of choice for CMS Critic. As you make your own decision, please check out our in-depth CMS reviews to see if your choice makes the grade.

So that’s my perspective. What’s yours?

WordPress vs. Joomla — A Perspective

Review of Purple Parrot CMS

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Review of Purple Parrot CMS

Hostgator Review - Shared Hosting on the Cheap

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

Cookies and Web Beacons
www.cmscritic.com does use cookies to store information about visitors preferences, record user-specific information on which pages the user access or visit, customize Web page content based on visitors browser type or other information that the visitor sends via their browser.

DoubleClick DART Cookie

• Google, as a third party vendor, uses cookies to serve ads on www.cmscritic.com.


• Google's use of the DART cookie enables it to serve ads to users based on their visit to www.cmscritic.com and other sites on the Internet.


• Users may opt out of the use of the DART cookie by visiting the Google ad and content network privacy policy at the following URL - http://www.google.com/privacy_ads.html.

These third-party ad servers or ad networks use technology to the advertisements and links that appear on www.cmscritic.com send directly to your browsers. They automatically receive your IP address when this occurs. Other technologies ( such as cookies, JavaScript, or Web Beacons ) may also be used by the third-party ad networks to measure the effectiveness of their advertisements and / or to personalize the advertising content that you see.

www.cmscritic.com has no access to or control over these cookies that are used by third-party advertisers.

You should consult the respective privacy policies of these third-party ad servers for more detailed information on their practices as well as for instructions about how to opt-out of certain practices. www.cmscritic.com's privacy policy does not apply to, and we cannot control the activities of, such other advertisers or web sites.

If you wish to disable cookies, you may do so through your individual browser options. More detailed information about cookie management with specific web browsers can be found at the browsers' respective websites.

Hostgator Review - Shared Hosting on the Cheap

Can your CMS do SEO?

At www.cmscritic.com, the privacy of our visitors is of extreme importance to us (See this article to learn more about Privacy Policies.). This privacy policy document outlines the types of personal information is received and collected by www.cmscritic.com and how it is used.

Log Files
Like many other Web sites, www.cmscritic.com makes use of log files. The information inside the log files includes internet protocol ( IP ) addresses, type of browser, Internet Service Provider ( ISP ), date/time stamp, referring/exit pages, and number of clicks to analyze trends, administer the site, track user’s movement around the site, and gather demographic information. IP addresses, and other such information are not linked to any information that is personally identifiable.

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Can your CMS do SEO?

WordPress 3.6 Beta 1 is out! (With Screenshots)

If you are, like me, always eager to test the latest and greatest that the CMS world has to offer, you’ll be excited to know that there’s a new beta available for the upcoming 3.6 release of WordPress. Just released today, this new beta includes a host of new features, outlined below. I’d suggest that if you are a theme or plugin developer, you start testing right away in order to ensure your code is going to function properly with the changes in this release.

Here’s what’s new in 3.6:

• 
  Post Formats:  Post Formats now have their own UI, and theme authors have access to templating functions to access the structured data.


• 
  Twenty Thirteen: We’re shipping this year’s default theme in our first release of the year. Twenty Thirteen is an opinionated, color-rich, blog-centric theme that makes full use of the new Post Formats support.


• 
  Audio/Video: You can embed audio and video files into your posts without relying on a plugin or a third party media hosting service.


• 
  Autosave:  Posts are now autosaved locally. If your browser crashes, your computer dies, or the server goes offline as you’re saving, you won’t lose the your post.


• 
  Post Locking:  See when someone is currently editing a post, and kick them out of it if they fall asleep at the keyboard.


• 
  Nav Menus:  Nav menus have been simplified with an accordion-based UI, and a separate tab for bulk-assigning menus to locations.


• 
  Revisions: The all-new revisions UI features avatars, a slider that “scrubs” through history, and two-slider range comparisons.

Don’t have time to download but you’re dying to know what the changes look like?

Here’s what the new post formats interface looks like in WordPress 3.6:

 

Here is the new default theme, entitled “Twenty Thirteen” for those who haven’t seen it:

Eager to test it out? Here you go: http://wordpress.org/news/2013/04/wordpress-3-6-beta-1/

WordPress 3.6 Beta 1 is out! (With Screenshots)