Efficiency Through Simplicity
Posted in Web Design on July 7th, 2008 by SimonA brief explanation of the benefits of using a custom built system over a pre-packaged content management or similar system.
There are plenty of free, open source platforms out there for administering your own online ecommerce site, blog, or database of clients. Wordpress, Zen-Cart, Joomla and Mambo are a few of the ones that spring immediately to mind. Most are written by experienced developers, with a good knowledge of the systems they write. They come with a plethora of features, some useful, some less so. So why, I am asked often, would people bother paying for a custom built system when there are plenty of totally free ones out there?
The truth is there is no one simple reason not to. For many people, a pre-packaged solution is exactly what is needed. However, I maintain that more often that not, a pre-packaged platform is not only overkill, but will be inefficient and costly in the long run, and will come to be considered a mistake.
That’s a pretty big statement, but it is not unfounded. Here is my reasoning…
-Changing anything in the way the system works takes a LONG time… and you are probably going to have to hire a developer to make the changes anyway. This developer will then spend hours sifting through code just to change a simple setting.
-For every one feature you use, I guarantee there will be ten that just get in your way when you are trying to find what you need, and that you will never understand what purpose they serve.
-These system area built with everyone in mind - but you are NOT everyone, you are your own specific business, with your own goals, processes and requirements. This means you will be using the system the way it demands to be used, not the way you want to use it. This is a pretty inefficient way to do business.
-Security. This is a point I mentioned in my last article on handwriting code. A pre-packaged solution has many many facets, most of which you may never see, and many of which have the potential to be exploited if you do not configure them correctly. It’s like owning a house so big you don’t even know where all the doors and windows are - which makes it kind of hard to lock them all. In contrast, a custom built solution will have no more code than necessary. This means any changes to be made can happen quickly and easily, and with the peace of mind that the changes are well tested and free of vulnerabilities.
So, is a pre-packaged solution for you? Maybe… there could be one that fits your needs, that is quick and easy to use. But if efficiency and security are crucial to your business, I wouldn’t mess around - get someone who knows what they are doing, and build the system that does exactly what you need in the simplest, most concise fashion.
