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Frequently Asked Questions
If you have more questions about FLUiD CMS please contact us: info@feedstream.com
What is a CMS?
A Content Management System is a software package that allows users to create, update and edit content for their Web site. A Content Management System that is powered by FLUiD CMS can be customized to create a content management solution that solves an organization's specific problems.
Why do I need a CMS?
The FLUiD CMS content management system allows employees to focus on their specific strengths without overwhelming them with the intricacies of Web development technologies. The expertly designed FLUiD CMS template has built into it the technical and commercial elements of a professional Web site. You just add content and rest easy knowing that the links and navigation will take care of themselves, and that the site will be Search Engine Optimized and Accessible. This level of automation streamlines the Web publishing process, allowing content to be delivered to multiple destinations in various formats looking the way you need it to look. To be most effective, a content management system needs to be easy to use while taking advantage of the current skill set of a company's most important resource—it's people.
What is SEO?
Search Engine Optimization (SEO) refers to building and designing Web sites so that search engines will give them a high ranking for the desired key words. The reason why Search Engine Marketing (SEM) is such an attractive proposition is that companies reach potential customers when they are at their most receptive—and over 85% of Web surfers use search engines to get what they need. FLUiD CMS enables users to easily create and manage a professional Web site that is automatically Search Engine Optimized.
Why do I need a CMS to take care of SEO?
Given the complexity of the search engine algorithms, and the ever-changing techniques that are used to get Web site ranked highly by search engines, most users need a CMS to take care of making their Web site Search Engine Optimized. Not only is the architecture of FLUiD CMS designed specifically to be Search Engine Optimized, it also automatically prompts users to properly label their content and to use meta tags correctly to make sure that the content itself is Search Engine Optimized.
How does FLUiD CMS handle SEO?
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FLUiD CMS makes it easy to add fresh content
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FLUiD CMS creates Google-friendly Web addresses Database dependent sites generally produce complicated Web addresses that are unsuitable for search engines. FLUiD URLs are search engine-friendly, as well as being user-friendly. For example, Google has more difficulty ranking database-produced URL such as, http://www.northernlife.on.ca/frontPageArticle.asp?view=45956 compared to this FLUiD-published web address: www.northernlife.ca/archives/2004/January
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FLUiD CMS users control meta tags, descriptions, keywords, alt tags, headings The user is given full control over inserting proper meta tags and keywords, as well as alt tags for images, such that the content of the site is optimized for search engines.
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FLUiD CMS optimizes internal linking for search engines FLUiD CMS is built so that it links internal content pages to your main page for SEO. Internal links between related pages will help search engines crawl around your site. And when you move or delete pages FLUiD CMS automatically updates the links. This ensures that there are no dead-ends or orphaned web pages, which are undesirable to search engines. As well, FLUiD CMS creates site maps, which increase internal linking and improve SEO, as well as making the site easier to navigate.
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FLUiD CMS archives content automatically Archived content in a file-based storage format, rather than in a database, is excellent for search engines because the keyword-rich content becomes available to the search engines.
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FLUiD CMS Solves the Problem of URL-based Session IDs that Reduce SEO Many recent Web sites use session IDs to track users, and these IDs are stored in the URL. But URL-based session ID’s can cause exclusion from search engines, so FLUiD CMS uses session IDs that are stored in an array instead of in the URL.
What is XML?
XML stands for Extensible Markup Language. It is the, "...universal format for structured documents and data on the Web... XML makes it easy for a computer to generate data, read data, and ensure that the data structure is unambiguous... it is extensible, platform-independent, and it supports internationalization and localization"--The W3 Consortium. XML is a language which stores data in a text-only format. Because of this, XML-based data can be used by any computer system and sent across any network, regardless of the platforms and software systems involved. XML is the industry standard for intercompatibility in data storage and retrieval. Once data has been stored in XML format, there is no limit to how it can be published. Consider this analogy: if HTML is a cake, then XML is the recipe AND the ingredients. Information stored in XML is highly accessible even for non-technical users. Each data element is assigned a logical name, so that it can easily be recognized and referred to. XML is said to be extensible because it is unlimited in the volume and complexity of data which it can store. An XML element structure can be created to store any user-generated information, however complex.
Why XML for a CMS?
Web technology evolves constantly, so an organization must plan for change when developing their Web strategy. This means using content storage formats that are 'raw', such as XML. As the site develops and the design changes, or there are major software overhauls, the raw content of the site can be used in its original form without the need for a costly conversion process. And FLUiD CMS is 100% XML-based. Many content management systems advertise themselves as being 'XML-based' however, in most cases, this simply means that some of the system's data is stored in XML format. Such systems often use traditional relational databases to store content, which minimizes the effectiveness of XML. FLUiD CMS, however, is a fully XML-based Content Management System that is independent of any proprietary database technology. All of the information used by FLUiD CMS is stored as valid XML. FLUiD CMS also uses XML Schemas to validate content, and publishes XML data through the application of XSL Stylesheets. This combination ensures that any data generated by a FLUiD CMS user will be stored as XML. Once data has been stored in XML format, there is no limit to how it can be published. FLUiD CMS uses XSL Stylesheets within its publishing system. All FLUiD CMS users have a Publish button in their workspace. When clicked, this button instructs FLUiD CMS to gather all of the necessary XML content, applies XSL Stylesheets, and generates any number of output files (HTML, PDF, XML ...). FLUiD CMS then transfers the published files to a standard Web server, using FTP.
How does FLUiD CMS manage XML data?
The FLUiD CMS Workspace allows authors to quickly create and modify content without having to deal with the complexity of XML. Editing content in the FLUiD CMS Workspace is as simple as typing with a word processor.
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Screen shots of the FLUiD CMS Workspace
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Screenshot 1: The Document tab in FLUiD CMS
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Screenshot 2: The Options tab in FLUiD CMS
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Screenshot 1 shows the Document tab of the FLUiD CMS Workspace. It's an ideal interface for anyone familiar with basic letter writing or emailing skills—learned by using any standard word processing software. Invisible to the non-technical author is that FLUiD CMS saves the content in XML format. In addition to creating content, the FLUiD CMS Workspace allows authors to enter field data through tabbed forms. Multiple tabs allow authors quick access to information without cluttering a workspace with multiple windows and popups.
Screenshot 2 shows various text fields, checkboxes and image thumbnail fields, all defined in an XML Schema and rendered in the FLUiD CMS Workspace. By using schemas to define the structure of an XML document ensures that content created with the FLUiD CMS Workspace will always be in a presentation-neutral format—XML.
What is XSL?
XSL is a method for outputting XML content in a useful, readable format. An XSL Stylesheet contains whatever information is necessary to define a document, as well as a number of areas which will be dynamically filled with XML data. XSL Stylesheets used to generate Web pages will contain HTML code, while those which generate PDF files will contain FO (Formatting Objects) instructions. A Stylesheet developer must be familiar with both XSL and the intended output language (such as HTML, PDF, or SVG). However, once a Stylesheet is created, it can be reused as widely as necessary. A single XSL Stylesheet can normally be applied to dozens of documents, and most organizations use fewer than 10 Stylesheets for their entire publishing operation. XSL Stylesheets also effectively centralize the design process: by modifying a single file, developers can change the appearance or functionality of a large number of documents. This means that fonts, colors, and layout can easily be changed for an entire publication, whether it is a newspaper, a brochure, or a full website. Because each XSL Stylesheet can be applied to multiple XML documents, XSL developers rarely work directly with XML content. Instead, they use XML Schemas to predict the format and contents of XML data which will be generated by authors. In most cases, XSL Stylesheets can be created before authors have even begun to generate XML content.
How does FLUiD CMS use XSL Stylesheets?
FLUiD CMS uses XSL Stylesheets within its publishing system. All FLUiD CMS users have a Publish button in their workspace. When clicked, this button instructs FLUiD CMS to gather all of the necessary XML content, applies XSL Stylesheets, and generates any number of output files (HTML, PDF, XML ...). FLUiD CMS then transfers the published files to a standard Web server, using FTP.
What is an XML Schema?
An XML Schema acts as a template for XML data. A Schema is used to define the basic structure of an XML document, so that a group of related items will share a common format. This is important because it is much easier to process XML data which is in a consistent, predictable format. Schemas contain a combination of elements, each of which stores a single data type. Because of the flexibility of XML, an element can store anything from a simple name or phone number to a full-fledged annual report.
What is RSS?
RSS is an acronym for Rich Site Summary. It is a great way to describe, manage and make available to very broad audiences relevant and timely information. It is an XML format for distributing news headlines on the Web, also known as syndication. Alternately, according to the official RSS v1.0 specification, RDF Site Summary (RSS) is a lightweight multipurpose extensible metadata description and syndication format. RSS is an XML application that conforms to the W3C's RDF specification, and is extensible via XML-namespace and/or RDF based modularization. In other words, it is a means for describing news and events so that they can be shared across the Web.
Why use RSS with a CMS?
RSS feeds are great for driving traffic to your site. Subscribers get a headline only, and they must link back to your site if they wish to get the whole version of the RSS feed. They also improve your Search Engine Optimization by increasing the number of active external links to your site. So RSS feeds tend to increase the number of visitors to your site.
What is Accessibility?
The FLUiD CMS template was developed using the ATAG 1.0 seven guidelines for creating accessible tools:
Support accessible authoring practices Any tool that confuses or is unfriendly toward accessible design is going to hinder it. Unfortunately, this is the case with most products for creating Web content. Quite often, tools manipulate markup for their own convenience in processing, discarding accessibility-related content, or failing to allow such content to be added. The first guideline in the Authoring Tool Accessibility Guidelines 1.0 indicates that authors should be able to utilize the accessibility features of the languages supported by the tool. Content management systems should not hide or strip content not understood by the tool. Erasing existing content for the convenience of the tool often results in the loss of most accessibility-related markup, including alt text, descriptions, abbreviations, and table markup. This most often occurs during data capture, or in transformations or conversions. A rule of thumb for this is: handle what you know, preserve what you don't. Guideline 1 sets requirements for the provision of templates that conform to WCAG. Given the sheer number of documents that can be served from single templates, it is only logical that bundled templates should be accessible themselves.
Generate standard markup Valid, standardized markup is crucial to accessibility. Given that a wide range of assistive technologies use Web content, from screen readers and magnifiers to Braille displays to customized browsers for users with learning disabilities, all users benefit from an understanding of the semantics provided by languages like HTML. Valid content additionally facilitates cross-platform and cross-browser compatibility, since most modern browsers agree on how to render valid content. Authoring tools must by default create content that validates to published grammars. If the final output turns out to be invalid, for example if the author's portion of the template is invalid, tools are encouraged to evaluate and inform the author of the problem.
Support the creation of accessible content Tools can play a major role not only in staying out of the way of authors creating accessible content, but in simplifying the process for creating or adding such content. When dealing with collateral such as images and video, CMS products should prompt authors for alternative content, such as alt text on images, or audio descriptions and text transcripts for video. This content should be bound together with the collateral in the repository, and authors should be able to edit and manipulate the collateral and its alternative content. However, at no time should a tool fabricate alternate content if this material does not exist and is not known: for example, if an image has no alt text in the repository, but is known by the CMS to be a link to the home page, the tool may use "Home" as the alt text; however, if it is an image with otherwise arbitrary meaning, the CMS should not try to fabricate an alternative. CMS vendors should ensure that any templates bundled with the system have accessibility features integrated by default. The principle is familiar: first, do no harm. Tool vendors should be testing their templates against the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines as they are created. Likewise, all authoring tools should work to keep the structure of a document separate from its presentation. This means that content in repositories should not retain presentational data such as <font> elements or spacer images in HTML; instead, this information should be implemented in CSS.
Provide ways of checking and correcting inaccessible content Even if the CMS provides flawlessly accessible content by default, accessibility can be compromised by poor quality of authored content. To solve this, authoring tools can implement accessibility evaluation and repair functionality. For many customers, this is a convenient means of preserving their content. But in situations where accessibility is required by law, such as U.S. and Australian federal agencies, the ability to set policy based on the provision of adequate accessibility features may be a central purchasing factor. A CMS could design an accessibility check at publishing time, or after data entry, and guide users to repair content to a more accessible state. Overall accessibility checks of the system, producing a status report for review, is also helpful.
Integrate accessibility solutions into the overall "look and feel" As important as it is to have this functionality in authoring tools, it is not going to assist accessibility if it is not discoverable or familiar to the user. Guideline 5 of ATAG states that functionality that is related to accessibility should be a natural part of the authoring process, and those features should be "among the most obvious and easily initiated by the author." This is easier for many CMS products to satisfy than for shrinkwrap tools, since publishing rules are centralized, and content can be controlled more easily.
Promote accessibility in help and documentation Accessible help, documentation and training is hugely beneficial to creating usable sites. A fairly small minority of Web developers understand the principles of accessibility, while others, particularly the market catered to by CMS products, may not know anything about the problems, or even that a problem exists in reaching people with disabilities online. It is important, then, that the issue of accessibility, and the proper uses of the tool to solve them, is detailed in product documentation and online help. CMS tools that test for accessibility should provide explanations for any error messages. Accessibility-related features can be integrated in example code throughout the documentation, as well.
Ensure that the authoring tool is accessible to authors with disabilities People with disabilities are not just consumers of content, they are also producers. With that in mind, ATAG specifies requirements for applications that generate content. In addition to conforming to operating system accessibility standards and conventions, tool developers should ensure that users with disabilities are able to navigate, edit, search and manage content within the interface.
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