Articles - Page 140

<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/andycohen">Andy Cohen</a><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/critics/deane"> </a>is the founding architect of Sitecore XM Cloud. He is VP/Chief Architect at <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.altudo.co/">Altudo</a>, and a CMS Critic contributor. <hr /> When people talk about personalization, they often mean “the right content to the right person at the right time.” That idea is now past tense.I have watched this shift play out up close, from <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/sitecore">Sitecore’s</a> early rules-based personalization, through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/contentstack">Contentstack’s</a> use of edge-based personalization in a composable architecture, to <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/products/optimizely">Optimizely’s</a> launch of Opal, a system of marketing AI agents. Personalization no longer stops at swapping content on a page. It now reaches into the interaction itself, and soon, into the relationships agents form with one another.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-us">When Agents Adapt to Us</h3>That shift, from “what” to “how,” is where the major CMS players are already moving, and you can see it in the different bets they're making:<ul><li>Contentstack has put its weight behind <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/livin-on-the-edge-contentstacks-new-adaptive-dxp-might-just-rock-your-world">EDGE</a>, which they call a hyper-personalization platform. It blends their headless CMS with a real-time CDP, AI, and automation. The goal is simple but ambitious: deliver one-to-one experiences in the moment and at scale. Because it is composable, brands can adapt interactions without locking themselves into rigid patterns. What strikes me about EDGE is that it reframes personalization as something continuous, not a campaign you set and forget.</li><li>Optimizely has taken another route with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/optimizely-opal-gets-supercharged-for-agentic-ai-powering-infinite-use-cases-for-marketers">Opal</a>. Instead of a single assistant, Opal is built as a collection of agents that act like members of a marketing team. There is a campaign manager agent, a personalization advisor, a market researcher, and more. With the 2.0 release, Optimizely put the emphasis on letting these agents collaborate and run multi-step workflows across content, data, and experimentation. I have seen teams spend weeks coordinating those same steps manually. Opal hints at a world where marketing execution is handled by an ensemble of digital teammates who can plan, act, and adjust together.</li><li>Sitecore has focused on bringing assistance directly into daily work. Through <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.sitecore.com/products/sitecore-stream">Stream</a>, they have introduced AI copilots that support authors and marketers in real time as they draft and optimize campaigns. On top of that, Sitecore’s partnership with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/sitecore-sharpens-ai-focus-with-strategic-partnership-and-new-leadership-appointments">Gradial</a> shows how agentic workflows can extend into campaign execution. It is not just about smarter editors or quicker drafts. It is about agents that can carry intent through to delivery and adapt along the way. For a company that has lived for years in the world of static content publishing, that is a meaningful step forward.</li></ul>None of these approaches feels like a gimmick.They are different answers to the same problem: personalization is no longer about what content you are shown, it is about how the interaction unfolds. Whether that happens through hyper-personalization at the edge, through orchestrated marketing agents, or via copilots and execution partners, the shift is real and already in motion.<h3 id="what-nondeterminism-really-means">What Nondeterminism Really Means</h3>Most software behaves like math: 2 + 2 always equals 4. Generative AI does not. Ask it to draft a thank-you note and you will get three different answers, all plausible, none identical. That variability is what we call nondeterminism.It is the very thing that makes AI feel creative, but also the reason it needs personalization to stay useful. As <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://parivedasolutions.com/perspectives/managing-the-non-deterministic-nature-of-generative-ai/">Pariveda Solutions points out</a>, nondeterminism is what makes AI flexible and creative, but it also introduces governance challenges that remain unresolved. In my own work with <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://cmscritic.com/getting-loud-with-xm-cloud-sitecore-reports-100-growth-of-its-ai-powered-cloud-based-cms">XM Cloud,</a> I have seen how unpredictable outcomes can be a feature if the system adapts well – and a liability if it does not.<h3 id="when-agents-adapt-to-each-other">When Agents Adapt to Each Other</h3>The next frontier is agents adapting not just to us but to each other. Nondeterminism multiplies when two autonomous systems interact. They need ways to converge on workable outcomes.Sometimes that looks like adjusting communication style, where one agent is structured and terse, another free-form and verbose. Sometimes, it means learning to accept differences in task style, such as fast approximation versus cautious step-by-step reasoning. Other times it's about role negotiation: who leads, who validates, who escalates.And sometimes it is memory. Agents do not just adapt in the moment; they remember. That memory can look like a grudge. A search agent that hallucinated last time will get fact-checked the next. A procurement agent that botched a deal may face stricter oversight. Even first impressions stick. If an agent’s very first hand-off is sloppy, the other agent may never fully trust it, no matter how good the later work becomes.Humans behave the same way. In corporate life, one bad kickoff meeting can color a partnership for months. Agents will carry those patterns too.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.deepset.ai/blog/ai-agents-and-deterministic-workflows-a-spectrum"> Deepset calls this the “spectrum of determinism to nondeterminism</a>.” I call it relationship management.<h3 id="everyday-illustrations">Everyday Illustrations</h3>Picture a grocery agent told to buy apples if they are $0.99 a pound. A deterministic system comes back empty because they are $1.09. An adaptive one checks with you, “They are a little higher today. Should I buy anyway?” That is useful, until the store’s own agent learns to nudge yours into paying even more.Or ride-hailing. You set a $20 target. The price surges to $23. Do you want your agent to decline, wait, or decide on its own? What happens when the ride-share’s agent starts upselling yours into priority pickup at $28?Or travel. You say, “Book me a flight under $500.” The system finds none. A flexible agent returns with, “There is one at $525 with better times. Should I grab it?” Helpful, but it shows how quickly rules can bend.In the enterprise, this gets thornier. Procurement policies might cap software licenses at $50 per seat. A deterministic agent halts the deal. A personalized one negotiates to $55 and closes it. That looks like a win until you realize the vendor’s agent deliberately anchored higher, knowing yours would flex upward.Healthcare raises the stakes even more. You ask for an appointment with your doctor next week. A rigid agent says none available. A personalized one offers a nurse practitioner tomorrow or a specialist in two weeks. That looks like a better experience, but it could also push you toward higher-margin services instead of the care you really wanted.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.salesforce.com/blog/deterministic-ai/">Salesforce has written about this exact problem</a> of when to script agents tightly and when to let them roam. I see it every day in delivery projects. Too rigid and you frustrate users. Too loose and you open the door to manipulation.<h3 id="agents-that-carry-“you”-with-them">Agents That Carry “You” With Them</h3>Now push it further. Imagine your agent not only executes tasks but carries your personality footprint into every interaction. If you are cost-sensitive, it pushes harder. If you are time-poor, it pays more for speed. If you are detail-driven, it double-checks everything.What if you could swap personas entirely?<ul><li>"Frugal Andy" does the grocery shopping</li><li>"Executive Andy" books the flights</li><li>"Playful Andy" explores games and hobbies.</li></ul>Your agent would not only personalize to you. It would personalize as you.But there is risk in this. If the other agent knows who you are or which persona you are using, it can adapt back. That can be powerful when aligned with your goals, but it can also be exploited. Imagine a vendor agent that recognizes executive mode and steers you toward premium packages.This is not hypothetical. Optimizely’s Opal agents already act like different team members depending on context. Contentstack’s Brand Kit lets you define voice profiles and store guidelines so that every AI-generated artifact reflects your identity. Sitecore’s Stream copilots are designed to guide content creators in real time, aligning their work with brand and role expectations.These are early signals of a future where agents carry pieces of us, including quirks, preferences, and even biases, into every exchange.<h3 id="why-this-matters">Why This Matters</h3>This is why nondeterminism is not a flaw but the feature. Deterministic systems did not need personalization. There was only one output. Nondeterministic systems can go in many directions, and personalization is what prevents chaos.The best metaphor I know is jazz. Musicians improvising do not know exactly where the others will go. They adapt, they respond, they personalize their playing to the group. The music works not because it is scripted but because the players trust each other enough to bend and flex.<a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.mckinsey.com/capabilities/quantumblack/our-insights/seizing-the-agentic-ai-advantage">McKinsey has argued</a> that this adaptability is the defining advantage of agentic AI. From what I have seen in publishing systems, SaaS cost optimization, and large-scale CMS migrations, I agree. The resilience comes not from rigid plans but from the ability to adapt in context.<h3 id="what-leaders-should-prepare-for">What Leaders Should Prepare For</h3>Leaders should focus on their readiness in key areas. For example, trust frameworks must extend beyond human-agent interactions into agent-to-agent ecosystems. Standards cannot stay as fixed APIs; they need flexibility built in. Identity management has to protect personality profiles and alter egos from misuse. And agents must be able to remember not just what they did for us, but how they worked with others.<h3 id="the-future-of-personalization">The Future of Personalization</h3>Personalization started with content. It evolved into experiences. Now, it is moving into interactions – first with humans and then with other agents.If we get this right, nondeterminism will not be something to suppress. It will be the source of resilience, adaptability, and creativity. The companies that thrive will not just personalize their websites. They will personalize their agents. Those agents will adapt to us, and to each other, in ways that reflect who we are or even who we choose to be.And like humans, they will remember. First impressions will matter. Grudges may form. And relationships between agents will start to look a lot like relationships between people. <hr /><h3 id="upcoming-events">Upcoming Events</h3> <img style="width:31.61%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/storyblok-joyconf-2025-logo.jpg" /><h4 id="storyblok-joyconf-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Storyblok JoyConf 2025</a></h4>October 14-15, 2025 – Amsterdam, Netherlands November 4, 2025 – New York, NY November 6, 2025 – Los Angeles, CAJoin us at JoyConf 2025, where the future of content meets the people shaping it. Built for developers, marketers, and digital innovators, this free conference goes way beyond product updates or yet another strategy playbook. It’s where you’ll get inspired, get real, and get connected – to ideas, to the community, and to what’s possible when you build joyfully. Whether you're building lightning-fast frontends or launching cross-channel campaigns, this is where content becomes connection and collaboration becomes second nature. Come for the talks. Stay for the community. Leave with joy. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://joyconf.storyblok.com/">Save your spot.</a> <img style="width:28.9%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/sitecore-symposium-2025.jpg" /><h4 id="sitecore-symposium-2025"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Sitecore Symposium 2025</a></h4>November 3-5, 2025 – Orlando, FLAt Sitecore Symposium, you’ll learn how to meet your customers where they are – across channels, moments, and touchpoints that didn’t exist a year ago. You’ll hear how the boldest brands in the world are transforming content into outcomes and creating experiences that are fast, relevant, and human. Join 1,500 marketers, digital leaders, and technologists in Orlando to see what’s possible when personalization scales, AI accelerates creativity, and trust becomes your competitive edge. This is the Third Wave of the Internet. And this is your moment to lead in it. <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://symposium.sitecore.com/">Get your tickets today.</a> <img style="width:31.44%" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2025/08/cms-kickoff-2026-logo.png" alt="" /><h4 id="cms-kickoff-2026"><a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">CMS Kickoff 2026</a></h4>January 13-14, 2026 – St. Petersburg, FLMeet industry leaders at our fourth annual CMS Kickoff – the industry's premier global CMS event. Similar to a traditional kickoff, we reflect on recent trends and share stories from the frontlines. Additionally, we will delve into the current happenings and shed light on the future. Prepare for an unparalleled in-person CMS conference experience that will equip you to move things forward. This is an exclusive event – space is limited, <a target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer" href="https://www.boye-co.com/conferences/cmskickoff26">so secure your tickets today.</a>

Agent-to-Agent Personalization: Trust, First Impressions, and the 'Grudge' Factor

andycohen

Established in 2009, Cloudways Click&amp;Go is a Malta-based managed <a href="http://www.cloudways.com/en/cloud?id=10601" target="_blank"> cloud hosting </a>  solution.
With <a href="http://www.cloudways.com/en/cloud?id=10601" target="_blank"> Cloudways Click&amp;Go </a> , independent bloggers, designers, developers, web agencies, small businesses and enterprises can all deploy popular web applications with just one click.
These web applications include WordPress, Magento, Drupal, Joomla, and Moodle. Cloudways Click&amp;Go also lets you deploy PHPStack, which enables you to manually install any CMS or App you wish to.
Cloudways Click&amp;Go is a Platform-as-a-Service (PaaS), and is hosted entirely in the Amazon EC2 cloud – so there's no downloading or installation required. The ideas is that you configure exactly how much you want your server to offer, with the option to scale later on if you wish.
Cloudways describe their platform as:
<blockquote>“An affordable, Secure and Scalable Cloud Hosting that super-charges your websites.”</blockquote>
So, the aim of Cloudways Click&amp;Go is to simplify application deployment, before offering secure, speedy hosting with options to scale your online presence.
With this review, I'll explore just how much of that Cloudways does, and how well it does it.
<h2>Initial Thoughts</h2>
When it comes to online platforms and services, the host's website is important. It's where you go for support, and it provides customers and clients with their first impressions of the product along with the team behind it.
The Cloudways website is professional. When I paid it my first visit, I was convinced that I'd eventually be using a platform which was being run by a team who knew what they were doing – and that's precisely the type of vibe a website should send out.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/0700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
I did have some gripes though. Despite each page looking simple at first glance, I noticed that those same pages were quite lengthy.
I found myself scrolling more than I should have in an attempt to find out what Cloudways could do. There's plenty of text, but the main issue was the size of that text, along with the bulky nature of other elements.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/0_01700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Obviously, the Cloudways website isn't their platform. However, I'm always weary of issues like these, as they often leak into the platform itself.
<h2>Getting Started</h2>
Cloudways offer a 3-day free trial, asking you to provide your email address and cell number – which is needed in order to receive a a verification code. No credit card is required though, which is nice.
As part of the set up process, Cloudways Click&amp;Go allows you to select precisely what you want your plan to include. Server sizes, bandwidth, storage size and more can all be finely configured.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/0_1.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Thanks to Cloudway's pay-as-you-go pricing system, the monthly price you pay will depend entirely on what exactly you request for your plan.
Here's what you get to configure:
<h3>Applications</h3>
First of all, you'll be asked to select which application you want to run with.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" /> 
WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Magento, Moodle, Media Wiki and PHP Stack are all on offer. For the sake of this review, I selected WordPress.
<h3>Server Size</h3>
Step two lets you select the exact size of the server you wish to create.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Using the slider, you can select the amount of pageviews per month you're expecting to receive. From this, Cloudways recommends a server size for you.
<h3>Location</h3>
Step three allows you to select your server location, which is done via a simple drop-down menu. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Cloudways Click&amp;Go has 8 datacenter locations to select from. These include:
<ul>
<li>USA – Northern Virginia</li>
<li>USA – Northern California</li>
<li>USA – Oregon</li>
<li>EU – Ireland</li>
<li>Asia Pacific – Singapore</li>
<li>Asia Pacific – Sydney</li>
<li>Asia Pacific – Tokyo</li>
<li>South America – Sao Paulo</li>
</ul>
<h3>Bandwidth</h3>
Step four asks you to select your desired bandwidth.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" /> 
Once again, you can use the slider to set the total GB of bandwidth you want, or simply type in into the field to the right of the slider.
<h3>Storage</h3>
Finally, you can also decide on the storage/disk size of your server.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
This section is split into two; Application Web Files and Database. The slider makes another appearance, allowing you to quickly define the exact storage size of each section.
Below step five is the Pay as you Go counter, which adapts to the changes you make in any of the above steps. More bandwidth for example, pushed the price up. I thought it was a nice touch to display it on the server configuration screen, since it allows customers to make changes immediately – before server set up begins – in order to accommodate their budgets.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/6.png" alt="cloudways review" /> 
However, I would have preferred if the pricing was scrolling with me as I went through the steps, instead of being the last thing you see before launch.
After I configured all of the steps and was happy with the price, I simply hit “Launch”. Cloudways then got to work on creating the server which I had just designed. It told me I needed to wait 7 minutes, which isn't too bad.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/7700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" /> 
In the meantime, I had a handy introduction video to watch, which walked me through some of the core features of Cloudways Click&amp;Go.
<h2>Server Management</h2>
After set up was complete, I was presented with my new server on the same set up page, just as I had designed it.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/8700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
I renamed it, checked the various stats and facts, and noticed some handy options including; stop, restart, delete, add app, clone and of course, manage server. Clicking “Manage Server” allowed me to get to some more interesting features.
The Server Management tab gives you a quick summary of your server, similar to the summary shown on the previous set up page.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/8_9700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Scrolling further down revealed the following features and options, neatly laid out in expandable tabs.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/tabs700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
<h3>Monitoring</h3>
One of the most impressive features I found within Cloudways Click&amp;Go, was monitoring. Using an extremely simple graph and drop-down menu, you can choose to analyse  over 15 different variables, including; Idle CPU, Reads per Seconds, Incoming Network Traffic, and so forth.
Furthermore, you can choose to view statistics hourly, every 12 hours, daily, weekly and monthly.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
What I liked most about the monitoring feature though, was the short and sweet explanation of each variable. For example, in the image above, you can see a short explanation of what Idle CPU means. This goes for every other variable also, and makes the statistics approachable for less technically orientated users. A small, but very useful feature indeed.
<h3>Vertical Scaling</h3>
If you need to scale your server or disk size up at any time, Cloudways Click&amp;Go lets you do so with ease.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/10700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Found below the monitoring tab, the Vertical Scaling tab allows you to use a slider across three different sections, giving yourself more or less room to expand your server. Naturally, new costs will be incurred for scaling, in line with the Pay as you Go system. Personally, I think this is a brilliant way to manage a server.
<h3>Manage Services</h3>
Other services like MySQL, Apache and so forth can also be managed through the server management section.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/11700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
You can stop, restart, purge and disable certain services, as well as review their active or inactive statuses.
<h3>Backups</h3>
One of the most important aspects of any cloud-based hosting solution is the backup system. Cloudways Click&amp;Go enables you to set the server to back itself up every day, two days, and so forth – up to a weekly period.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/12700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
You can also click “Take Server backup now” to manually backup the server. It could be argued that some customers may wish for more frequent backup periods, but once per day seems reasonable as a starting point.
<h3>Add-ons</h3>
Although Gmail SMTP is the only add-on available, the tab is present in the server management section. Naturally, this means that Cloudways are working on further add-ons.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/13700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" /> 
It's a shame though, that only one is current available. It makes you wonder whether the add-on section should even be accessible at this point.
<h2>Application Management</h2>
Switching to the “Application Management” tab, you'll find some more technical configurations waiting to be tinkered with (or left well alone). 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/14700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" /> A summary of your server is given, along with admin area access credentials and MySQL access credentials. You also have the option to launch an SSH terminal, along with secure FTP credentials.
Just like with the Server Management section, you'll find more options further down the page.
<h3>CNAME/Alias Management</h3>
In the CNAM/Alias Management tab, you can add a new alias, which is essentially a domain name.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/15700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Once again Cloudways offers a helping hand, informing you to create a CNAME DNS record on your DNS provider in order for the alias to work correctly.
<h3>Restoring Backups</h3>
Backing up files is important, but not if you can't restore them again. Cloudways enables you to do this from the Application Manager section – although I personally feel it would make more sense to place this feature along with the backup feature, in the Server management section.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/restore700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Nevertheless, the option is indeed there as expected, and allows you to restore the latest backup. This is fine, although the option to see a list of recent backups and select files manually would greatly improve this rather important feature.
On top of these application management features, Cloudways Click&amp;Go also offer SSL Certificate configuration, and are currently working on two further features. These are Application Add-ons and Migrator Tools. Both of these upcoming features – although empty tabs – are present in the admin dashboard. Again, this doesn't do much for the simplicity of Cloudways's interface, providing unnecessary clutter.
<h2>Getting Help</h2>
Cloudways do a really solid job when it comes to help and support.
With 24/7 live chat (with helpful staff on the other end), an FAQ section and a dedicated <a href="https://support.cloudways.com/en/" target="_blank"> knowledge base </a>  with searchable archives, there's little room for anybody to get lost and stay lost whilst using Cloudways.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/help700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Also, dotted around the admin panel are useful help tips, which display when question marks are hovered over. These provide users who aren't technical geniuses find their way around a little easier. It's a nice touch.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/help33700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Ironically though, I actually think Cloudways could do with toning down some of their on-screen support options.
The server management dashboard (and all other pages) display not one, not two, but three support-related tabs.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/help2700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
The tab on the right asks visitors and customers for feedback, whilst the tabs on the left and on the bottom of the screen offer the same functionality – live chat.
Both are good to see, but that doesn't mean I want to see them all the time. There's no way to close the tabs, and with two of them offering the same thing, it just seems a bit much.
<h2>Pricing</h2>
With every option set to its lowest possible configuration, Cloudways Click&amp;Go starts from $44.56. For powerhouse users who want to max out every available option, prices soar to $113.92 per month.
However, Cloudways Click&amp;Go is running a 30% off Special Offer, offering the plan which should cost $44.56 at $32.32 instead. It's a pleasant price drop, but I did notice that there was no mention of that within the set up process itself, which left me slightly confused.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pricing700x0.png" alt="cloudways review" />
Competitors such as Siteground for example, charge from $75.58 for cloud hosting, which puts Cloudways' prices into a pleasant perspective.
Perhaps the icing on the cake for Cloudways Click&amp;Go's pricing, is the 30-day money back guarantee on offer. With starting prices already low, it's a pretty sweet deal.
<h2>The Verdict</h2>
Cloudways Click&amp;Go does a great job of blending technicality and approachability together.
The platform has just the right amount of technical detail for users and businesses to modify, scale and configure their servers to suit their projects, without losing touch with its friendly side. This is partly down to the simple user interface, but perhaps more to do with the useful tips and help windows dotted around, along with the 24/7 live chat support found on every page.
Not to mention, applications like WordPress, Drupal, Joomla and Magento are all seamlessly integrated, making Cloudways one of the better connected hosting solutions out there.
There are a few interface elements which I would change, and a few which I'd remove altogether. But looking at Cloudways Click&amp;Go holistically – I only have positive comments to make.
For me, Cloudways Click&amp;Go is a managed cloud hosting solution which offers everything you need, and all the support you could ever use to keep servers not just running smoothly, but running how you want them to.
<h3>Pros</h3>
<ul>
<li>Cloudways Click&amp;Go offers a great range of applications including WordPress, Drupal, Joomla, Moodle, Magento and more.</li>
<li>A simple and user friendly interface</li>
<li>Servers can be built in minutes, renamed, restarted, cloned, deleted and added to, all from the same interface.</li>
<li>Backups are easy to configure and carry out.</li>
<li>Server monitoring is easy, yet very detailed.</li>
<li>You can build your own servers, finely configuring database sizes, bandwidth, and more.</li>
<li>The Pay-as-you-go pricing system works hand in hand with database building, which ensures you pay only for what you need.</li>
</ul>
<h3>Cons</h3>
<ul>
<li>Although the interface is good overall, three support-related tabs on the left, right and bottom of the screen can get annoying.</li>
<li>Only one server add-on available, in the form of Google SMTP.</li>
<li>Minor inteface issues include the presence of features which are not yet ready for use.</li>
</ul>
<h2>Final Remarks</h2>
I've looked into the Cloudways Click&amp;Go interface to determine just how easy it is to run and manage servers. Also, I've read comments dotted around the Internet and Twitter from customers and clients, all of whom seem to be quite happy with the performance of Cloudways.
The only real issues I faced were in the form of some interface elements which could be improved upon. Certainly, the gripes I had with the bloated Cloudways website weren't found in the platform itself. Instead, it was simple, easy on the eyes and above all – fast.
With that being said, I'd have no issues recommending Cloudways Click&amp;Go as a solid cloud hosting solution.
Don't just take my word for it though, start your <a href="http://www.cloudways.com/en/cloud?id=10601" target="_blank"> free 3-day trail with Cloudways Click&amp;Go today </a> .

Cloudways Review

mike-johnston

Clickability has announced this morning a new and improved user interface for their SaaS (software-as-a-service) web content management system.
According to their press release, Clickability's new UI allows them to offer the following benefits:
<ul>
<li> More Control for Marketers and Content Authors: An intuitive visual environment allows marketers and content authors to more easily edit web page layouts and templates without the help of IT, while in-context editing lets them rapidly create and update content. As a result, they have more control over website presentation and the ability to provide rich, impactful content experiences.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Increased Marketing Agility: Design aesthetics have been separated from content and layout, allowing users to independently update designs, layout, and content on the fly with no expensive customizations required. Users are not locked into their design choices and are liberated to swiftly implement new marketing initiatives.   </li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Faster Content Publishing Across Multiple Channels: Out-of-the-box multi-channel capabilities are built into content and design workflows, removing the need for costly customizations and additional time-consuming steps when publishing to multiple channels. Proprietary technology automatically delivers responsive design, allowing ideal viewing of content and images on all devices.  Users can also preview, as they are editing, how content and designs will appear on desktop, mobile, and tablet devices to ensure optimal customer experiences throughout the digital experience.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> Sleek and Configurable Experience:   An intuitive, drag-and-drop UI lets users easily complete tasks and perform the most critical functions quickly. They can also tailor their own experiences within the UI by configuring views, navigations, fields, and workflows in a way that best fits their specific needs and preference.</li>
</ul>
Taking a look at the new interface, you can see that it now offers a cleaner and more visually appealing look. The screenshot below is of the content editor which enables users of the tool to create, edit and update website content. It contains workflow capabilities, content configuration and in-context editing functionality as well as the ability to view multiple page layouts.
<img style="display:block;margin-left:auto;margin-right:auto" src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/content-editor570x0.png" alt="Clickability Content Editor" />
Below is a screenshot of the new Template Editor which is a visual environment for combining page layouts with design bundles and page elements to create publishing-ready page templates. Users create any number of custom templates and easily drag and drop page elements. Additional capabilities include auto-built field and component libraries and multi-device preview.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/templateditor570x0.png" alt="Clickability Template Editor" />
<blockquote>
“Today’s marketers and content authors face increasing demands and expectations,” said Noah Logan, General Manager, Clickability.  “They are tasked with continually publishing new content globally, personalizing customer experiences, integrating campaigns across channels, and quickly addressing new needs and initiatives.  As we developed our new UI, we worked with our users to identify what they required to successfully address these requirements, and we then applied these insights.  The outcome is a very flexible offering that empowers all types of users to execute their strategies effectively.”
</blockquote>
For more on this release, visit <a href="http://www.clickability.com/">www.clickability.com</a>

Clickability Launches New User Interface

A content management system is only as good as the content it enables you to create.
Previously, I touched upon how <a href="/products/magnolia-cms/"> Magnolia CMS</a> makes life easy for publishers on the move thanks to being <a href="/magnolia-the-worlds-first-mobile-optimized-cms/">mobile-optimized</a>. Now it's time to dig deeper into just how well Magnolia empowers its users when it comes to content creation.
Magnolia CMS makes content creation easy through a range of features like Favorites, which helps to manage and organize tasks, and The Pulse which enables team members to collaborate effortlessly.
These Magnolia features – and many more like them – all come together to make editing and publishing content a piece of cake.
Let's now explore six of these features in a little more detail.
<h2>1. Create Content, Using a Beautiful &amp; Efficient Interface</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag1700x0.png" alt="Magnolia Editing Interface" />
Magnolia's user-friendly interface makes it simple to start editing content quickly and easily, with no need for prior training or coding knowledge.
All of Magnolia's menus and pages are neatly designed and easy to understand, making navigation effortless. For example, the “Action Bar” found on the right-hand side on the interface, offers quick access to various options such as page duplication, renaming, and so forth.
This sleek user interface came as a result of the release of Magnolia 5 in 2013. Leading up to its release, Magnolia worked tirelessly through over 3000 mock-ups to arrive at the beautiful and efficient interface as it is today. 
 
 Another extremely useful feature, is the ability to edit content directly on a web page. This ensures that your visitors see your content exactly the way they're meant to. You can even preview web pages as they would appear to visitors on both desktops and mobile devices.
Also, Magnolia enables you to reorder page content with an easy to use drag and drop function, which lets you place content and page elements like text blocks and images efficiently.
<h2>2. Manage Content from Anywhere</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag2.png" alt="Magnolia Tablet Interface" />
Thanks to <a href="/magnolia-the-worlds-first-mobile-optimized-cms/"> Magnolia's mobile-optimization</a>, you don't need to be in the office or even on a desktop computer in order to create and manage content.
As well as the interface responding to tablet screens, Magnolia CMS boasts specific features which tablet users can enjoy exclusively.
This includes touch-friendly menus, gesture support, responsive Action Bars which are optimized for tablet usage, along with the ability to take photos via your tablet, upload them to Magnolia, and then use them within content. This feature in particular is ideal for journalists and other workers who are always on the move.
<h2>3. Streamline Workflows with Favorites</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag3700x0.png" alt="Magnolia Favorites" />
With Magnolia's “Favorites” – which is a feature easily accessed from the top of the Magnolia CMS interface – you can quickly create shortcuts to important pages, tasks and admin areas.
These shortcuts can be organized into groups, which means you can even create to-do lists for yourself and other team members. Also, you can access the Favorites you create across devices, meaning that Favorites created on a desktop computer can later be accessed with a tablet.
Not only does the Favorites feature enhance team collaboration, but it also streamlines workflows, helping you and your team get tasks done faster.
<h2>4. Keep Tabs on the Team with The Pulse</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag4123700x0.png" alt="Magnolia Pulse" />
Thanks to Magnolia's communication hub, “The Pulse”, you can stay updated when it comes to things like content status, comments, requests, warnings, as well as offering content statistics. It even lets you send messages to other team members.
Further teamwork features include the ability for team members to edit the same content at once, compare the edits of different page versions, and more. What's more is, all this can be achieved simply through web browsers, with no client installations or platform dependencies to worry about.
<h2>5. Overcome Language Barriers</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag5700x0.png" alt="Magnolia Language" /> 
If your publications are intended for a continental or even a global audience, language will certainly be an issue. Unless you're using Magnolia CMS of course.
With Magnolia, you can easily assign different languages to different websites or simply allow different websites to share the same site structure, with only certain areas or sub-sites served in different languages.
Additionally, Magnolia makes life easy for content authors, offering its user interface in over 15 languages, including English, Russian, Chinese, French, German and Spanish.
<h2>6. Focus on Tasks Using Apps</h2>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/mag6700x0.png" alt="Magnolia Apps" />
A Magnolia App is built to serve one specific function, like editing a page with the Pages App for example. With each App, you can work on one task or one data set at a time, bringing clarity to your work day.
Magnolia comes with a range of useful Apps including Pages, Contact and Assets, all of which offer their own unique functions. However, perhaps the most exciting aspect of Magnolia Apps, is the potential of what can be created by the Magnolia community.
You and your organizations will almost certainly have some very specific everyday tasks that could benefit from being made into an App. Now, those Apps can not only be created, but also shared with the wider Magnolia community.
So there you have it, Magnolia's six simple yet effective ways to make content creation easy, flexible and functional – wherever you are.
To see for yourself how Magnolia CMS enables users to unleash their creativity, check out their <a href="http://www.magnolia-cms.com/product/features/teamwork-collaboration.html"> authoring and teamwork collaboration features page</a>.
Also, be sure to check out <a href="/products/magnolia-cms/"> Magnolia via our CMS Directory</a>.

6 Ways Magnolia CMS Makes Content Creation Easy

Following the recent success of Metrics for iPhone, Squarespace have now released <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/squarespace-metrics/id730533177?mt=8" target="_blank"> Squarespace Metrics for iPad </a>  as a universal download.
<a href="http://www.squarespace.com/?channel=pp&amp;subchannel=general&amp;source=cmscritic" target="_blank">Squarespace</a> is a hosted website builder which powers millions of websites around the web. The platform was also named the winner of our 2012 Critic’s Choice Awards for <a href="/critics-choice-for-best-website-builder-goes-to/">Best Website Builder</a>.
With Squarespace Metrics, iPad users can now monitor key performance indicators and interactive charts for their Squarespace sites and connected social accounts.
<h2>Handcrafted for the iPad</h2>
Squarespace have taken care to bring iPad users a unique experience with this release, claiming that the app has, “a beautiful new interface that was handcrafted for the iPad.”
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/screen480x480.jpeg" alt="Squarespace Metrics for iPad" /> 
Here are three of the main features found within the new Squarespace Metrics iPad app:
<ul>
<li> Auto-play:  A new feature that automatically scrolls through each page of your data, allowing you to monitor all of your website analytics completely hands-free. All data is automatically refreshed, making the app a great dashboard to showcase your website performance.</li>
<li> Multi-column Layouts:  Want to change the way your data is presented? This layout option allows you to visualize all of your key performance metrics at once, and order them in a way that makes the most sense to you.</li>
<li> Multiple View Options:  Sparklines, pie charts, and lists all display seamlessly on your tiles to give you insight into each dimension of your website data. Natural, smooth animations guide you as you select each tile for expanded, detailed information.</li>
</ul>
You can download Squarespace Metrics for iPad for free from the Apple App Store. A Squarespace 6 account is required.
Squarespace offer a <a href="http://www.squarespace.com/?channel=pp&amp;subchannel=general&amp;source=cmscritic" target="_blank">14-day free trial</a>, and can also be further explored through our <a href="/products/squarespace/" target="_blank">CMS Directory</a>.

Squarespace Metrics Released for iPad

Recently, I had a chance to mess around with Webydo, the website builder that is targeted towards designers who want design code free websites. The results of my time using Webydo are documented in my Webydo Review video which you will be able to watch below.For those of you who are considering using Webydo for a future project, I'd strongly recommend watching my video below to hear my thoughts on this platform and whether it's a good option to consider for your next (or existing!) website.Webydo offers both a free website plan and paid options from $11 and up. They offer a unique interface that they market as professional cloud software for graphic and web designers. Does it do the job? Watch the Webydo Review video to find out.http://youtu.be/yvGwRciWSRY<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/webydo.jpg" />Interesting in checking it out? Visit them on the web at <a target="_blank" href="https://www.webydo.com">https://www.webydo.com</a>What did you think of my assessment? Do you agree? What are your experiences? I'd love to hear your comments below.

Video Webydo Review

Offiria today announced its release of its enterprise social network program Offiria Enterprise 3.0 for download.
Offiria is an advanced, fully-featured enterprise social networking software that offer a flexible, collaborative workspace for teams to get work done. What’s unique about Offiria is, instead of offering it as SaaS software, we focus on delivering a self-hosted, highly customizable solution for organizations with modern collaboration requirements.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/offiria913x0.png" alt="offiria" />
That reputation has been further strengthened by the release of Offiria Enterprise 3.0.
Key updates in this release:
<ol>
<li>Fresh, updated design</li>
<li>(New) Wiki pages</li>
<li>(New) Advanced file management system</li>
<li>(New) Photos and videos gallery</li>
<li>(New) New poll module</li>
</ol>
<h2>New features highlight – Wiki document and robust file management support</h2>
Among the new features on Offiria 3.0 is wiki document support, which allows a team to collaboratively share information on a document.
Offiria stores a history of all the changes made to a wiki page and allows all users with access to the page to update it. It also uses a modern wysiwyg editor instead of cryptic wiki syntax.
File management in this latest version has also been massively improved. We introduced a more intuitive folder structure and an “Official Files” feature where common files can easily be shared across the whole organization
<h2>Photo and Video Gallery</h2>
Support for photo and video gallery has also been added in this latest version.  Although it is not strictly a collaborative feature, support for photos and videos gallery has proved to be useful in a work environment. 
This makes the feature an added benefit for those who frequently use and share photos and videos in the workplace. User can organize these photos and videos within categories, creating an extremely structured content that is easy to search.
<h2>Pricing and Enterprise Edition</h2>
Offiria Enterprise 3.0 (self-hosted) is now available with two support package options.
The first and cheapest option is a 6-month support package at a highly affordable price of $249. The second and more comprehensive option is the 12-month package at $350 for an unlimited number of users.
In-line with Offiria’s open source commitment, the software will continue to operate even after the support package has expired.
Community vs Enterprise Edition
<table>
<tbody>
<tr>
<td>
Features
</td>
<td>
Community
</td>
<td>
Enterprise
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Social stream
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Work groups
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Event Management
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Task/Milestones
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Employee Directory
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
File management
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Advance file management
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Poll and survey
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Wiki pages
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Photo gallery
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Video gallery
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
MS SQL Server support
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
MS Active Directory integration
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Dropbox integration
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Support
</td>
<td>
–
</td>
<td>
YES
</td>
</tr>
<tr>
<td>
Pricing
</td>
<td>
FREE
</td>
<td>
FROM $249
</td>
</tr>
</tbody>
</table>
<h2>About Offiria</h2>
Offiria is an open source, enterprise social networking software that focuses on providing tools for companies to deploy internal collaborative workspace within their own secure technological infrastructure.
Unlike other companies who increase SaaS deployment costs as more users are added, Offiria offers a fixed cost to its customers.
For more information please contact <a href="mailto:email@offiria.com">email@offiria.com</a>

Offiria 3.0 released – Open Source, self-managed, enterprise social network software

Power your CMS on AWS

Manage your websites & apps in the most trusted cloud.

#ffffff

Sometimes, you just want use basic tools to build websites quickly.
You want to skip things like the server and database configurations, but at the same time, you want the code to be your own.
<a href="http://900dpi.com/" target="_blank"> 900dpi </a>  is a hosted CMS which enables you to build websites using nothing but HTML, CSS and Dropbox.
You can code your website to suit your own needs, although 900dpi offers features like form handling (the results of which are written to your Dropbox folder), blogging, and server side includes (SSI).
Today, I decided to give 900dpi a quick test drive.
<h2>Seamless Dropbox Integration</h2>
900dpi works seamlessly with Dropbox, meaning that all your assets and web pages are safely stored in the cloud. All you have to do is simply drop your files into Dropbox and 900dpi will host them for you.
The 900dpi sign up process asks you to link your Dropbox account to your 900dpi account. After that, you just choose a password, and you're ready to go.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/900.png" alt="900dpi Dropbox" /> 
Your dashboard – where user friendly instructions and calls to action lead the way – is where the action begins.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9003700x0.png" alt="900dpi Dashboard" /> 
The dashboard lets you create new websites, edit existing ones, invite new content editors, setup your domain name, and so forth.
Creating your first website is as simple as clicking a couple of buttons. Within a few seconds, you're taken straight to your brand new 900dpi example website. Pure speed was what stood out for me. In under a minute, I was ready to start editing the example website by clicking on text in order to change it for example.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9004700x0.png" alt="900dpi Example Website" /> 
900dpi's example website looks very nice, but I wanted to test out just how easy it was to throw up my own code. So I switched back to my Dropbox, which was now home to my 900dpi website files.
I quickly navigated to my website files via Apps &gt; 900dp &gt; CMS Critic, and uploaded my new “index.html” file. Essentially, Dropbox was now my FTP client.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9005700x0.png" alt="900dpi Dropbox" /> 
My new html page was uploaded in seconds, and thus my 900dpi website was now displaying my brand new web page. Once again, 900dpi was quick off the mark, and I came across no issues at all with getting my web page online.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/9006700x0.png" alt="900dpi Website" />The 900dpi toolbox located on the left-hand side of the preview mode offers all the same options found on the dashboard, plus an option to toggle the “Edit Mode” on and off. With “Edit Mode” on, I could get back to editing things like text and other elements on my website, just like I did with the original example website.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/edit700x0.png" alt="900dpi Edit Mode" />
<h2>A CMS For Experienced Designers</h2>
Although its user interface is as friendly as they come, 900dpi isn't a content management system built for laymen. To get the best out of it, you will need to know your way around HTML and CSS. For instance, if the (extremely simple) piece of code below baffles you, I'd steer clear.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.png" alt="900dpi code" /> 
Although, that's not to imply that 900dpi is difficult to use or manage.
For example, to make elements editable with 900dpi via the “Edit Mode”, you only need to add the “900-edit” class to the element in question. Thankfully, 900dpi's Dropbox integration makes changes like this extremely quick and easy.
So, if you're hunting for a super easy website builder for Internet newbies, 900dpi isn't for you.
However, if you know your way around basic code and Dropbox, 900dpi will become second nature for you in no time, making it a great fit for your upcoming projects.
To find out more about 900dpi, visit their <a href="http://900dpi.com/" target="_blank">official website</a>. If you decide to sign up with 900dpi, be sure to use the coupon code “SPRINGFLING”, which gives you 75% off the monthly subscription.

900dpi: Build Websites With HTML, CSS, Dropbox and Nothing Else

<a href="http://www.onehippo.org/" target="_blank">Hippo</a> have today launched Hippo CMS 7.9, which brings about a host of enhancements.
Hippo CMS is a powerful, enterprise-class platform which helps deliver personalized experiences across a wide variety of channels and devices to increase conversion and to improve brand loyalty. Hippo CMS is also open source, 100%  Java.
Version 7.9 of Hippo CMS brings brings extended functionality for all users, improving ease of use and security. The most notable changes are the Advanced Channel Management and the introduction of CKEditor, along with SCXML Workflows and Secure Content Replication.
Now, let's take a deeper look into what's new with Hippo.
<h2>Improved Performance &amp; Another Layer of Security</h2>
Hippo's new functionality changes bring increased control over website navigation and content presentation into the hands of end-users, and enable developers to develop advanced workflow scenarios. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/unicoblogimage.jpg" alt="Hippo CMS" /> 
By introducing a secure replication mechanism between delivery and authoring environments, Hippo CMS 7.9 adds an additional layer of security to content in staging and embargo phases. Moreover, the performance of the content repository and delivery tier of Hippo CMS have been further increased.
Here are a few highlights of Hippo's newly introduced functionality:
<ul>
<li>With the Advanced Channel Management, business users can modify site menus from the Hippo CMS user interface without IT involvement. With Hippo’s drag and drop interface, marketers can quickly build dedicated (sub)home, landing and campaign pages.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li> The introduction of CKEditor as the new rich text field editor enhances usability through a wide range of new functionalities including intuitive context menus, configurable keyboard shortcuts, spell-check as you type and many more.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>With Secure Content Replication, only published live content resides in the delivery repository.  Any published content, layout or targeting rule change is replicated automatically, immediately and consistently from the authoring to the delivery zone. All inbound connections to the authoring zone can be rejected, making intrusion impossible.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Hippo CMS 7.9 introduces the open source Apache Commons SCXML 2.0 library and the W3C State Chart for XML (SCXML) standard specification to execute a workflow definition as a state machine. Also, workflows can be adjusted in a running system.</li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li>Introducing a streamlined document model in the repository tier and fast model reloading on the delivery tier to better accommodate implementations with a vast number of channels as well as frequent channel configuration changes have further optimized performance.  Furthermore, memory usage of the delivery tier was reduced by an average of 30%.</li>
</ul>
Furthermore, here is a quick breakdown of the offerings found within the last three versions of Hippo CMS:
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/hipponew.png" alt="Hippo 7.9 Features" /> 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/hippo2.png" alt="Hippo CMS" />
<h2>Offering Relevant Customer Experiences</h2>
Hippo CTO and co-founder Arjé Cahn had this to say upon the release of Hippo CMS 7.9:
<blockquote>“Hippo CMS 7.9 brings improvements to IT and business users alike as they are both crucial for organizations looking to connect to their online audiences in the most relevant way. Advanced Channel Management removes IT bottlenecks from website management so that content managers can optimize their channel experiences easier and faster.
When used in combination with Hippo CMS’ targeting and personalization capabilities, marketers can now enhance their campaign success with high-converting landing pages.
With secure replication and SCXML workflows, the IT department can support the agile demands of the marketing department better and more easily. By letting both IT and Marketing focus on their strengths, and making that easier, with Hippo CMS 7.9 organizations should be able to optimize their value, offering the most relevant customer experience they can.”</blockquote>
For more detail on the enhancements introduced along with Hippo CMS 7.9 for developers, check out the <a href="http://www.onehippo.org/" target="_blank">Hippo Community Website</a>.
Additionally, be sure to explore more of Hippo via our CMS Directory.

Hippo CMS 7.9 Released: Advanced Channel Management, Secure Content Replication & More

Founded in Paris in 2012, <a href="http://www.pikock.com/" target="_blank"> Pikock</a> is a user friendly drag-and-drop website building tool, built to make website creation as easy as possible.  
 Today, Pikock have launched their “Layout Slider” – a website editing tool which allows administrators and publishers to instantly slide their way through pages, changing the look and feel of their website. 
 Intrigued by the feature, I personally signed up with Pikock to get a feel for how their new Layout Slider works, as well as how Pikock works as a website builder.
<h2>Instant Carousel Changes</h2>
Pikock's Layout Slider first struck me as a bit of a redundant tool. However, the more I used it, the more impressed I became. Essentially, the carousel interface enables you to instantly change the entire look of a web page by simply sliding new page templates into place.  
 <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pikock1700x0.png" alt="Pikock Layout Slider" /> Using the slider, you can browse through your website pages, select the one you want to change, and then simply flick through templates using the “Next” and “Previous” buttons. The page design is then replaced before your eyes. 
 Once you come to a suitable template, you can revert back to the editor, where you can adapt the pages by inserting text, images, videos and a range of other widgets via a drag-and-drop system. 
 <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/p3700x0.png" alt="Pikock Editor" />
Pikock comes with a small, but very well designed template selection, all of which are customizable using the drag-and-drop editor. With Pikock, your website will also be automatically optimized for mobile devices. Administrators can even preview Pikock websites on tablets and smartphones via the admin panel. 
 <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/pikock700x0.png" alt="Pikock Smartphone Preview" /> I also managed to ask Pikock Co-Founder Tsifei Chan a few questions about the Layout Slider, and where he and his team intend to steer the platform next:
<blockquote>
“Some of our users had some difficulties creating nice layouts. Entrepreneurs are not web designers, but they can differentiate between what is beautiful and what is not. It is easier in general to adapt [an existing page] rather than to start from a blank page. We decided then, to create some ready-to-start layouts in different categories. And in terms of UX design, the best deal in terms of simplicity was a slider.  
 For future ideas, Pikock is working in a different approach of the Drag and Drop builder.And we are thinking about also a new approach to upload images. We'd [also] love the slider move on to the iPad.”
</blockquote>
To find out more about Pikock and to sign up for a free trial, visit their <a href="http://www.pikock.com/" target="_blank">official website</a>. 
You can also watch an <a href="http://vimeo.com/91726951" target="_blank">introductory video on the new Layout Slider</a>.

The First of Its Kind: Pikock Launch Layout Slider to Simplify Website Building

Drupal versions 7.27 and Drupal 6.31 which now available for download, containing several fixes for security vulnerabilities.
<a href="https://drupal.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Drupal</a> is an open-source platform maintained and developed by a community of 630,000+ users and developers. The nature of Drupal's open development model means that people are constantly working to make sure Drupal is a cutting-edge platform that supports the latest technologies that the Web has to offer.
The security releases introduce small API changes which may require code updates on sites that expose Ajax or multi-step forms to anonymous users, and where the forms are displayed on pages that are cached (either by Drupal or by an external system).
Although there are no new features or non-security-related bug fixes in these releases, Drupal “strongly recommends” that users of both Drupal 7 and Drupal 6 download these security updates.
To dig into the details of each security upgrade, you can check out the <a href="https://drupal.org/drupal-7.27-release-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Drupal 7.27 release notes</a> and the <a href="https://drupal.org/drupal-6.31-release-notes" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Drupal 6.31 release notes</a>.
For maximum security, you can upgrade your Drupal version <a href="https://drupal.org/upgrade/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">right here</a>.
Also, be sure to explore more of <a href="/products/drupal/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Drupal via our CMS Directory</a>.

Drupal Release Versions 7.27 and 6.31 to Fix Security Vulnerabilities

Yesterday, <a href="http://buddypress.org/" target="_blank"> BuddyPress</a> released their latest version – BuddyPress 2.0 Juliana.
BuddyPress is a powerful WordPress plugin that transforms WordPress.org powered websites into social networks, with features like user profiles, activity streams, user groups, and more.
In keeping with WordPress's knack of naming major updates, BuddyPress 2.0 Juliana was named after <a href="http://julianaspizza.com/" target="_blank"> Juliana's Pizza</a> in Brooklyn, New York. The Pizza establishment is frequented by two core members of the BuddyPress team.
So, let's take a look at what Juliana brings to the table.
<h2>A Range of New Administrative Tools</h2>
BuddyPress 2.0 brings about a number of new tools that simplify and centralize common administrative tasks, including:
<h3>Profile editing</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/1700x0.jpg" alt="BuddyPress Profile Editing" /> 
Need to manage a user’s profile information? We’ve integrated a new “Extended Profile” tab into the Dashboard &gt; Users interface, where you can manage profile data, avatars, user status, and more.
<h3>Spam User Management</h3>
 <img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/2700x0.jpg" alt="BuddyPress Spam User Management" /> 
 WordPress Multisite has long had the ability to manage spam users from the Dashboard. We’ve brought the same capabilities to non-Multisite installations.
<h3>Pending Users</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/3700x0.jpg" alt="BuddyPress Pending Users" /> 
The Pending users tab in Dashboard &gt; Users lets you see a list of signups that have not yet been activated. You can also perform useful tasks like manual account activation and resending activation emails.
<h3>Repair Tools</h3>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/4700x0.jpg" alt="BuddyPress Repair Tools" /> 
Occasionally, BuddyPress friend counts and other data can get out of sync. The new Tools screen lets admins manually reset these values.
<h2>Improved Performance &amp; Activity Stream Enhancements</h2>
BuddyPress 2.0 Juliana also comes served with an impressive performance boost.
For example, the BuddyPress team have worked to streamline some of the most common problematic queries – such as those in the Members and Activity directories – to shave up to 95% of the query time off of certain individual queries.
The sheer number of queries has been dramatically reduced as well, so that single page views access the database up to 50% less than in BuddyPress 1.9. And we’ve totally overhauled the way that BuddyPress utilizes advanced caching systems like APC and Memcached, so that users of these systems will see up to 75% fewer cache misses on costly queries.
BuddyPress 2.0's third primary enhancement comes in the form of an updated Activity Stream.
First of all, BuddyPress 2.0 now automatically lets you know when new activity is ready to be loaded.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/5.jpg" alt="BuddyPress Activity Stream" />
BuddyPress' activity stream is better integrated with blog posts now too. Comment on a blog post, and an activity item is posted. Comment on a blog-related activity item, and a blog comment is posted. No more worrying about fractured conversations.
Phrases like “Boone posted an update” have also been reworked, so that they’re always up-to-date and always translatable.
There are many more new features introduced by BuddyPress 2.0, so make sure you check them out via the complete <a href="http://codex.buddypress.org/developer/releases/version-2-0/" target="_blank"> BuddyPress 2.0 Juliana changelog</a>.
Also, you can explore more of <a href="/products/buddypress/" target="_blank"> BuddyPress via out CMS Directory</a>.

BuddyPress 2.0 “Juliana” Serves up New Administrative Tools & Performance Enhancements

WordPress 3.9 is now out and brings with it a number of welcome changes including improved image editing, an updated visual editor has improved speed, accessibility, and mobile support, drag and drop images and more.
<h3>Improved visual editing</h3>
The updated visual editor has improved speed, accessibility, and mobile support. You can paste into the visual editor from your word processor without wasting time to clean up messy styling. (Yeah, we’re talking about you, Microsoft Word.)
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/editor1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9 editor" />
<h3>Edit images easily</h3>
With quicker access to crop and rotation tools, it’s now much easier to edit your images while editing posts. You can also scale images directly in the editor to find just the right fit.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/image1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
<h3>Drag and drop your images</h3>
Uploading your images is easier than ever. Just grab them from your desktop and drop them in the editor.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/dragdrop1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
<h3>Gallery previews</h3>
Galleries display a beautiful grid of images right in the editor, just like they do in your published post.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/gallery1.jpg" alt="wordpress 3.9" />
This is only a small subset of the features in this release. For a full run down and a video showcasing the features, visit the announcement page: <a href="http://wordpress.org/news/2014/04/smith/">http://wordpress.org/news/2014/04/smith/</a>

WordPress 3.9 Brings Improved Image and Post Editing & More

<a href="http://www.nuxeo.com/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Nuxeo</a> have today announced the release of their latest Fast Track version of their popular content management system – Nuxeo Platform 5.9.3.
Nuxeo is an open source CMS platform used primarily by architects and developers to build, deploy, and run content-centric business applications. The Enterprise Content Management (ECM) system offered by Nuxeo allows for document management, case management, digital asset management and other applications.
With the release of version 5.9.3, Nuxeo have introduced a host of new features and enhancements for users, administrators and developers.
<h2>Elasticsearch, Collections &amp; Much More</h2>
One of the most notable features of this new Nuxeo release is the integration of <a href="http://www.elasticsearch.org/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">Elasticsearch</a>. It brings greater scalability to the Nuxeo Platform thanks to its uses regarding document indexing as one example.
Another great addition that comes with 5.9.3 is the Collections type. A Collection is a folder-like document in which you can classify existing content. Documents are not actually copied or moved into the collection, as it only houses links to the document in its original location.
Furthermore, Nuxeo have released an <a href="http://www.nuxeo.com/blog/development/2014/03/introducing-open-source-box-api/">open-source implementation of the Box API</a> that runs on top of a Nuxeo repository. This enables the Nuxeo Box API to:
<ul>
<li>Allow developers to run “their own local Box server” using the Nuxeo Platform. This enables them to run a Box server locally, in a continuous integration chain, great for testing Box-based applications.</li>
<li>Serve customers with on premises requirements (or different cloud infrastructures).</li>
</ul>
Additional enhancements to Nuxeo include a full-screen mode, user invitations, UI tweaks and much more.
Version 5.9.3 is now <a href="http://nuxeo.com/downloads" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">available for download</a>. To read the full list of Nuxeo updates for users, administrators and developers, check out the full <a href="http://nuxeo.github.io/releasenotes/5.9.3/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> 5.9.3 release notes</a>.
Also, be sure to check out <a href="/products/nuxeo/" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Nuxeo via our CMS Directory</a>.

Nuxeo Platform 5.9.3 Released

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