Articles - Page 144

<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

Toiling in order to attract customers and make sales is already difficult and time consuming enough, yet the effort needed to process and ship those very orders can be just as arduous. But not any more.
<a href="http://mbsy.co/3mQzZ" target="_blank">ShipStation</a> is a cloud-based software designed to help online merchants process, fulfil, and ship their orders from all the most popular online marketplaces and shopping carts via world renowned carriers.
Founded in 2011, ShipStation has since flourished into one of the most popular, flexible and feature-filled shipping softwares on the market.
<h2>Signed, Sealed &amp; Delivered from the Cloud</h2>
One of the beauties of ShipStation lies in its accessibility. The software is completely cloud-based, meaning that there is nothing to download or install, and yet you can access it on any device, from anywhere in the world, and at any time.
ShipStation itself enables you to import, sort, and process your orders just the way you want them.
The software combines order processing, production of shipping labels, and customer communication in an easy to use, web-based interface that integrates directly with major carriers and selling platforms.
Shipping rules can be specifically defined, labels can be printed in bulk, returns can be professionally managed, branding can be applied and much more. It's everything you need to successfully fulfil orders, all in one place.
Yet, the conveniences of using ShipStation don't end there.
<h2>Seamless Integration with Popular Marketplaces &amp; Carriers</h2>
No matter how or where you sell your products, or with which carrier you like to deliver them, ShipStation can almost always seamlessly integrate.
Marketplaces like eBay, Amazon, Shopify, Bigcommerce, Volusion, Etsy, PrestaShop, Squarespace and many more are all a piece of cake for ShipStation to join forces with.
This integration includes automatic order retrieval, automatic customer notification regarding order status and tracking, customized email confirmations, branded shipping slips and so forth.
And if that wasn't enough of a comfort, ShipStation also integrates just as easily when it comes to popular carriers, including FedEx, UPS, DHL and USPS.
It's as easy as selecting your orders, choosing and then automating your shipping options and then printing your shipping labels all in one fell swoop. There's also no need to separate orders by carrier, weight or destination. ShipStation simply handles it all with no complications.
<h2>Multi-channel Unification</h2>
ShipStation isn't just compatible with different online marketplaces – it's compatible with all of them at once.
For merchants who sell through multiple channels, like Amazon and eBay for example, this means that ShipStation can process all orders seamlessly, even though they come from different selling platforms.
This is also true for when you use multiple carriers. ShipStation once again streamlines the process, allowing you to manage multiple carrier shipments using just one interface, without having to constantly log in and out of individual carrier accounts.
So, the chore of attending to each platform and carrier to gather up and fulfil orders is long gone – all thanks to ShipStation's all-in-one solution.
To find our more about ShipStation, and to sign up for a completely free 30 day trial, <a href="http://mbsy.co/3mQzZ" target="_blank">visit their official website</a>.

ShipStation: a Seamlessly Integrated Cloud-based Shipping Service

mike-johnston

Commercial content management systems need to offer simplicity by default, but without leaving out technical options to help organizations customize and evolve over time. <a href="http://www.envisagecms.co.uk/" target="_blank"> Envisage</a> does a pretty good job on both those fronts.
Envisage are a UK based CMS, offering their commercial platform as on-premise, with easy and flexible editing in mind.
Their offering of a real-time WYSIWYG editor keeps things straightforward for those who need it, whilst full source code editing, multi-device previews, template creation and more, all provide technical users with the tools they need to go forth and create.
<h2>Real-time &amp; Responsive WYSIWYG Editing</h2>
With a user friendly real-time WYSIWYG editor, even those with limited knowledge of web design can start implementing their ideas into web pages.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/envis2700x0.png" alt="Envisage WYSIWYG Editor" />
But the Envisage WYSIWYG editor also goes a step further. Thanks to Envisage mobile, you can always be on hand to approve new content, create new pages and insert new content right from the screen of your mobile device.
Furthermore, to ensure editing is done correctly and to the highest standard, Ensivage enables you to preview your website in three different formats; Desktop, Tablet and Smartphone.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/envis3700x0.png" alt="Envisage Multi-Device Preview" />
This intelligent multi-device preview option ensures that your content doesn't just look good on desktops,whilst lacking in quality on mobile devices. It enables you to tweak the design via the different mobile views in order to perfect it on all channels.
And yet, you never have to leave the comfort of the Envisage WYSIWYG editor.
<h2>Purpose Built Apps, Widgets &amp; More</h2>
As impressive as the real-time and responsive editing options are, Envisage CMS goes even beyond that in terms of flexibility.
Built-in <a href="http://www.envisagecms.co.uk/features/apps" target="_blank">Envisage Apps</a> make general use of the platform extremely dynamic. These include a feature-filled form builder, integrated Google Analytics, and more. Also, Envisage mobile, an app which I have already discussed, enables editing from any device on the move.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/envis4700x0.png" alt="Envisige Form Builder" /> 
<a href="http://www.envisagecms.co.uk/features/widgets" target="_blank">Envisage Widgets</a> – which are all free for Envisage users, enable you to integrate elements like Google Maps, Vimeo, Twitter feeds, social buttons and much more into web pages, with a simple drag-and-drop function.
But Envisage doesn't stop there.
Their platform is highly compatible with search engines, and offers detailed search engine optimization configurations, including keywords and page descriptions, alt text and descriptions for images, links and so forth.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/envii454700x0.png" alt="Envisage File Management" /> 
File management is also a key feature, with users being able to upload and manage web assets. Yet more drag-and-drop functionality makes it easy to add new files and folders, whilst folder management, search and categorisation ensures that your organization will never lose a file, or need to re-upload an image ever again.
To find out more about Envisage CMS, check out their <a href="http://www.envisagecms.co.uk/" target="_blank">official website</a>, where a free online demo can be accessed.
Additionally, you can check out <a href="/products/envisage/" target="_blank">Envisage via our CMS Directory</a>.

Envisage: a Commercial CMS Built for Simple & Responsive Editing

SiteSupra Review

WoodWing Software have released version 9.2 of its <a href="http://www.woodwing.com/en/reach-your-audience-multi-channel-publishing-overview" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">multi-channel publishing </a>  system Enterprise. Via a brand new connector, this release enables the centralized publication of content to WordPress sites. 
WoodWing Software, founded in 2000, develops and markets a premier, cost-efficient multi-channel publishing system, Enterprise – including the editorial management application “Content Station” – coordinates and streamlines the process of creating, managing and publishing static, dynamic and interactive content for all media channels including print, Web, social, smartphones and tablets. 
Along with WordPress publishing capabilities, Enterprise 9.2 also brings about a number of additional new features ensure even smoother and faster processes in multi-channel publishing environments.
<h2>WordPress Publishing &amp; Smooth Multi-channel Content Production</h2>
Traditionally seen as more of a blogging tool, WordPress has been continuously expanding toward becoming a mature Web CMS. As a result, the distinction between traditional blogs and full-featured websites is becoming increasingly blurred. The system is rapidly gaining acceptance by media and brands, including Forbes, Time, Metro (UK) and many more. 
 In fact, according to WordPress, 409 million people view more than 13.1 billion WordPress pages each month.
<h3>Three Easy Steps to Publishing to WordPress</h3>
The new WordPress connector for Enterprise enables publishers and brands to transparently integrate WordPress as a new channel in their publishing and communication processes.  <a href="http://media.ne.cision.com/l/hacbewfn/www.woodwing.com/en/reach-your-audience-multi-channel-publishing-content-station" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Content Station</a>, the editorial management application of Enterprise, follows the same easy three-step process as for any other digital channel when it’s publishing to a WordPress site: Creation of a dossier, authoring of text and images, and the immediate publication of the article.
With Enterprise 9.2, WoodWing also further simplifies repurposing of content. Article components and other content published to WordPress sites can easily be reused in social media, mobile, other CMS systems, in print and on tablets – and vice versa.
<h3>Smooth Content Production for Online, Digital &amp; Print</h3>
The latest version of Content Station now eases the editing of the properties of any number of files at one time, a huge time saver when facing production deadlines. For example, users can quickly update properties of multiple assets such as their status, next assigned worker in line, copyright information, and other metadata.
In print production and tablet publishing,  <a href="http://media.ne.cision.com/l/hacbewfn/www.woodwing.com/en/reach-your-audience-multi-channel-publishing-enterprise-server" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> Enterprise Server</a> enables users of InDesign and InCopy to access all content through WoodWing´s Smart Connection panel directly from within both applications. They can conveniently search and browse, open layouts, place images, save versions, and route documents to others according to the pre-defined workflows. 
The Smart Connection plug-in now allows the replacing of an image in the layout with a file in a different format – all while the version control features of Enterprise help keep track of the changes.
With Enterprise 9.2, WoodWing also officially released the support for Adobe InDesign CC and InCopy CC, which successfully passed an intensive public testing. 
 Dennis van Nooij, Vice President Product at WoodWing, had this to say:
<blockquote>
“In order to help our customers to stay competitive, we always strive to further optimize existing processes based on customer feedback, while at the same time providing new features reflecting market trends and new opportunitie. The new version 9.2 of Enterprise and Content Station offers a well-balanced mix of both.”
</blockquote>
To find out more about Woodwing and their products, visit their <a href="http://www.woodwing.com/en" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer"> official website</a>.

WoodWing Releases Enterprise 9.2 Enabling WordPress Publishing

Treehouse, an online education platform that teaches anyone how to code, today launched a completely revamped beginner course that teaches students how to create their own website from scratch. Central to the new “How to Make a Website” class is Treehouse’s new innovative code-editing environment called Workspaces. The integrated editor makes it simpl for students to follow along with class instructors and save their work to the cloud. The new course and in-browser editor are available to all Treehouse students at <a href="http://teamtreehouse.com/workspaces">http://teamtreehouse.com/workspaces</a>.
<blockquote>
“We believe coding is a basic skill that anyone can learn and master, no matter what your background or education,” said Ryan Carson, Co-founder and CEO of Treehouse. “Our new course and Workspaces tool makes learning to code even easier, while helping students catalog and showcase their accomplishments. It’s part of our mission to give people the tools they need to achieve their dreams.”
</blockquote>
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/treehouse600x0.jpg" />
The Workspaces editor allows students on any OS to begin coding without having to download or install any third-party software. Users are guided through an easy-to-follow training course that includes 10 hours of video tutorials, quizzes and code challenges. Students who complete the course will have learned how to create their own portfolio website to showcase their future work. Workspaces makes the entire learning experience a breeze with the following key features:
●        Simplicity – The tool eliminates confusion when multiple text editors are shown in course materials. Now, instructors and students use the same text editor, making the class more accessible to basic coders.
●        Freedom – Workspaces was created so students can easily build and save a project, then “fork” the source code into entirely new projects. Forking allows students to try out new ideas while also leaving their original project intact. Similar to a native text editor, students can use the tool to code alongside a project or develop something completely different from scratch.
●        Power – Unlike other online coding environments that lack many of the features of native text editor applications, Workspaces provides the functionality developers and designers have come to expect from a full-featured code editor like auto-complete, quick-open and the ability to drop files right onto the workspace to upload them.
To date, more than 50,000 students have taken Treehouse’s first-generation website-building course.
The newly revamped online course and Workspaces tool is currently available to all Treehouse students. To learn more about “How to Make a Website” or to start a free trial, visit <a href="http://www.teamtreehouse.com">www.teamtreehouse.com</a>.

Treehouse Launches New In-Browser Development Tool with Beginner Web Site Coding Course

Social networking CMS <a href="http://elgg.org/" target="_blank">Elgg</a> has released two important security updates for two of their current versions. Elgg 1.8 has received version 1.8.19, whilst Elgg 1.7 has been upgraded to  1.7.22.
Elgg is a free and open-source social networking software that has been around since 2004. The popular platform provides a robust framework on which to build all kinds of social environments, from a campus-wide social network for your university, school, or college or an internal collaborative platform for your organization to a brand-building communications tool for your company and its clients.
Features and functionalists include blogging, microblogging, file sharing, networking, groups, and much more.
The security fixes in both of these new security updates will help to enhance the security of the “Remember Me” feature and also introduces measures to prevent brute-force attacks of the “Remember Me” cookie. This upgrade will invalidate all “Remember Me” cookies for admin users, so admin users may need to log in again.
<h3>Other changes in 1.8.19 include:</h3>
<ul>
<li>Fixed numerous PHP warnings.</li>
<li>Groups: Corrected breadcrumb for group discussion pages.</li>
<li>Fixed RSS validation for the River RSS feed.</li>
<li>Moved Site Secret update to configure -&gt; advanced.</li>
</ul>
However, perhaps more importantly, Elgg have also strongly encouraged their 1.7 users to make the migration to 1.8 in lieu of Elgg 1.9 releasing.
<blockquote>Users of 1.7 should migrate to 1.8 ASAP as Elgg 1.7 will no longer be updated when Elgg 1.9 is released.</blockquote>
For more information on the release of Elgg versions 1.8.19 and 1.7.22, check out Elgg's official blog. Both versions can also be <a href="http://www.elgg.org/download.php" target="_blank">downloaded here</a>.
Additionally, you can explore more of Elgg via our CMS Directory.

Elgg Release Security Updates & Encourage 1.7 Users to Migrate

This week, <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/">Sitecore</a>, the customer experience management software specialists, released its first-ever mobile applications to provide marketers with anywhere, anytime access to their  <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Products/Customer-Engagement-Platform.aspx"> experience platform</a>.
These applications, available on Windows 8.1 and iOS, have been developed using Sitecore’s Mobile SDK. The “Sitecore Executive Insight Dashboard” application for <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/app/sitecore-executive-insight/874b8517-1e75-4774-aa06-90d7524f213e">Windows 8.1</a> tablets and Apple <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/executive-insight-dashboard/id778652991?ls=1&amp;mt=8">iPad</a> gathers customer engagement analytics and insights across touch-points and presents them in a simple mobile view.
The <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/sitecore-media-uploader/id804654857?ls=1&amp;mt=8">Sitecore iOS Media Uploade</a> application allows marketers to upload rich media content, including high-resolution photos and videos, via an iOS mobile device directly to the <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/Products/Web-Content-Management/Content-Management/Digital-Asset-Management.aspx">Sitecore Media Library</a>.
So, let's check out what these brand new apps can bring to the Sitcore marketing table.
<h2>Enhanced Marketing Flexibility</h2>
The Sitecore Executive Insight Dashboard, available for both Windows 8.1 and iOS, displays customer activity from across all touch points, giving marketers the ability to access engagement analytics and insights from mobile devices. Using these apps, marketers can make informed decisions about customer engagement while working on-the-go.
Customer activity is automatically added into existing customer intelligence profiles stored in Sitecore’s experience platform, which is accessible via the app. The dashboard increases marketer productivity with another access point to glean key insights from customer data and campaign engagement metrics, providing superior coverage of customer analytics.
The Sitecore iOS Media Uploader allows marketers to use mobile devices to feed rich media content directly into the Sitecore Media Library, where it will be immediately accessible through Sitecore’s Content Management System. Photos and videos uploaded via the iOS Media Uploader are instantly added to existing customer profiles and automatically tagged.
Upon the release of the apps, Mark Floisand, Vice President Product Marketing, Sitecore, had this to say:
<blockquote>“Marketers face increasing expectations from customers to deliver relevant and personalized online experiences, yet today’s marketers are always on-the-go, making it difficult to adjust engagement campaigns via web or software-based customer experience management systems. With the Sitecore Executive Insight Dashboard and Sitecore iOS Media Uploader, marketers now have access to key analytics and content repositories right from their mobile devices, increasing efficiency and giving marketers the ability to own the experience.”</blockquote>
Furthermore, both of these apps – which are the first Sitecore apps ever to be released, are completely free.
The “Sitecore Executive Insight Dashboard” can be downloaded for <a href="http://apps.microsoft.com/windows/en-gb/app/sitecore-executive-insight/874b8517-1e75-4774-aa06-90d7524f213e" target="_blank"> Windows 8.1</a> and <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/executive-insight-dashboard/id778652991?ls=1&amp;mt=8" target="_blank">iOS</a>, whilst the “Sitecore iOS Media Uploader” is <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/executive-insight-dashboard/id778652991?ls=1&amp;mt=8" target="_blank">exclusive to iOS devices</a>.
To find out more about Sitecore, visit their <a href="http://www.sitecore.net/" target="_blank">official website</a>.
Additionally, you can explore more of what's on offer from <a href="/products/sitecore/" target="_blank">Sitecore via our CMS Directory</a>.

First-Ever Sitecore Apps Unlock Mobile Marketing Capabilities

Shopify - The global commerce platform

Build your business with Shopify to sell online, offline, and everywhere in between.

The global commerce platform

#ffffff

<a href="http://www.easysocialshop.com/" target="_blank">Easy Social Shop</a>, a leading Facebook commerce solution, today announced a partnership with popular ecommerce platform <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/shopify" target="_blank">Shopify</a>, in a bid to make social commerce easier than ever for Shopify merchants.
The partnership means that Shopify will offer the Easy Social Shop application in its app store, allowing Shopify merchants to easily build an effective marketing and sales platform on social media through Easy Social Shop.
Launched in 2011, Easy Social Shop boasts nearly 100,000 merchants the world over, hosting over 8 million items. The platform is designed to maximize the social media presence of companies in order to drive sales, boost awareness and help reach new markets and consumers.
<h2>Taking Selling Social</h2>
Available in 7 languages, Easy Social Shop is a social commerce mechanism that allows online merchants to import their e-commerce stores to a Facebook shop for free – and now, that includes Shopify stores.
Easy Social Shop hosts almost 100,000 shops, driving an average 10%-18% sales growth for its merchants overall.
The platform is simple to set up and enables transactions to occur on the original site itself, streamlining the sales and analytics process. Shops built through Easy Social Shop are customizable, can be translated into 7 different languages, allow cross-platform sharing across social media, and are seamlessly integrated with eBay, Etsy, Shopify, Amazon, Magento and other major e-commerce platforms.
Nissim Lehyani, the Easy Social Shop’s CEO and Co-Founder, had this to say:
<blockquote>“Every business and corporation has an e-commerce presence, and one of the biggest challenges for a small business is standing out. By helping businesses tap into the benefits of social media, Easy Social Shop enables the type of cross platform engagement that can level the playing field and give small business an amazing channel to new and existing markets.”</blockquote>
Shopify, an e-commerce store provider, powers more than 90,000 stores and has thus far enabled its merchants to sell over $3 billion of merchandise.
By offering the Easy Social Shop app on the app store, Shopify continues to stimulate the growth and success of its user base. Both Easy Social Shop and Shopify have developed user-friendly platforms that offer extensive and versatile capabilities without requiring coding experience.
Ofir Tahor, the CTO and Co-Founder of Easy Social Shop, commented on the status of Shopify:
<blockquote>“Shopify provides SMBs with an e-commerce presence that can help transform them into successful companies. They are a natural partner for us since we, too, are committed to helping SMBs take advantage of existing technology to spur further success through solutions that are simple, effective, and offer great functionality.”</blockquote>
To find out more about Easy Social Shop,visit their <a href="http://www.easysocialshop.com/" target="_blank">official website</a>.
Alternatively, you can explore more of <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/products/shopify/" target="_blank">Shopify via our CMS Directory</a>.

Easy Social Shop Team up With Shopify to Facilitate Social Commerce

With a release date of March 17 th, PrestaShop version 1.6 is right around the corner.
<a href="http://www.prestashop.com/" target="_blank"> PrestaShop's popular ecommerce platform</a> powers over 165,000 online stores across the globe, throughout 160 different countries.
Version 1.6 promises to bring about an array of new features, including a completely re-designed front and back end.
The team over at PrestaShop recently gave me early access to version 1.6, and with just days to go before launch, I can confirm that PrestaShop users have a lot to be excited about.
<h2>A Revamped Front End</h2>
Before I delve into what PrestaShop admins will soon be enjoying, there are some notable improvements made to the PrestaShop “Front Office” which will drastically improve the shopping experience for customers.
PrestaShop has gone into detail about all of the updates version 1.6 brings to the front office via their <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/prestashop-version-1-6-a-look-at-the-redesigned-front-office/" target="_blank">official blog</a>, but I was less concerned about the features list, and more concerned about how it all came together – so I made my way over to PrestaShop's brand new Front Office myself.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta7700x0.png" alt="PrestaShp 1.6 Front Office" /> 
First things first, I think that PrestaShop 1.6 brings about one of the best looking default themes offered by any ecommerce platform on the market.
The theme is sleek, responsive and beautifully presents customizable banners in a way which is eye-caching, yet professional. Also, thanks to Sass Compass technology, you can edit colors, fonts, CSS and much more with just a few clicks using the Live Template Edit feature directly from the Front Office.
Another notable feature I quickly came across was the “Quick View” functionality for all listed products. The feature brings up a “Quick View” button whenever customers hover over a product, which in turn opens up a lightbox presenting key product information, images, pricing, social sharing buttons, and so forth.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta5700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Product Quick View" /> 
Changes to the catalog pages also stood out for me. Customers can choose between viewing products in a grid or in a list, with both options looking and working well.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta9700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Catalog" />
Furthermore, the catalog pages house a host of search filters, making shopping extremely easy. Customers can filter products by colour, size, materials, styles, price and more with just a few clicks.
Banners make another appearance on catalog pages, allowing you to add some colour and creativity to the page. The sidebar beneath the filter section offers more space for promotion, enabling you to showcase new products, special products, previously viewed products, and so forth. This may sound like a lot of features to include on one catalog page, but thanks to the very light and spacious design of the theme, it all just works.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta10.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Sidebar" />
Finally, I can't ignore PrestaShop's brand new and improved Shopping Cart system – which is arguably the most important element of an ecommerce website.
Quick access to the cart is available via the top right-hand corner of the page, but unlike previous versions of PrestaShop, the drop-down menu gives you a large, cleaner window, along with the featured image of the products in your cart.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta11700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop1.6 Shopping Cart" /> 
The shopping cart page itself is once again sleek and easy to understand. Check out is separated into five sections: Summary, Login, Address, Shipping and Payment. Pretty straightforward stuff.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta8700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Shopping Cart" />
All of these features and modules make shopping on PrestaShop 1.6 a breeze. Customers receive a professional browsing and purchasing experience from the homepage, and all the way through to check out.
Social sharing buttons are common place throughout the theme, catalog filtering is easy to use, and the overall design of PrestaShop's new responsive defealt theme is simply elegant.
<h2>Back End Beauty</h2>
To accompany an impressive new Front Office, PrestaShop 1.6 also introduces an all new modern and user-friendly “Back Office”.
Much like with the Front Office, PrestaShop have documented many of the new features of their new Back Office via their  <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/blog/en/prestashop-v-1-6-back-office-whats-new-and-improved/" target="_blank"> official blog </a> , but I was more interested in perhaps shedding some light where it had yet to be shone.
So I got to grips with its sleek interface, and I have no qualms in confirming that it is indeed a colossal improvement on the current PrestaShop admin panel.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta12700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Back Office" />
The top menu, which provides access to latest orders, registrations, messages, achievements, and more, is very neatly laid out and unintrusive, even with drop-down menus. The left-hand sidebar contains the bulk of available features and functions, all of which are listed below a handy search bar.
Quick access to product uploading, profile settings and your store's homepage is provided by the top menu bar, which sits above a secondary tab containing a help button specific for each page of the Back Office.
The sidebar can be minimized too, allowing the main window to take center stage.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta2700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Back Office" /> 
PrestaShop 1.6's dashboard itself is a sight to behold. It houses a wide range of statistics, insights, useful links, news and even gives you the ability to add further measurement tools via <a href="https://addons.prestashop.com/en/" target="_blank"> Addons </a> , if you so wish.
All the interfaces I came across in the back office of PrestaShop 1.6 maintained the modern feel I found on the dashboard, with each section offering detailed functionality.
Further statistics could also be found via the newly introduced “Intelligent Merchant KPI” feature, which displays relevant facts and figures relating to stock levels, profit margins, abandoned carts, and more. These stats are all displayed across the top of different pages and sections of the Back Office.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta3700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Intelligent Merchant KPI" /> 
Another feature I noticed, was that certain back-end pages offered me “Recommended Modules”. For example, the “Orders” page recommended me modules pertaining to fraud and feed management systems. Impressively, I didn't even need to leave the lightbox in order to install these modules.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta4.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Recommended Modules" /> 
It was these smaller elements which were standing out for me. Each page had its own dedicated help page, a set of recommended modules, relevant statistics and more. All of these features combined to give the entire admin panel a real sense of detail.
<h2>Real Time &amp; Forecasted Statistics</h2>
PrestaShop version 1.6 really is all about the statistics. The dedicated “Stats” page is still around, but with a brand new look. It allows you to get a wide range of statistics from all the nooks and crannies of your store – all of which are automatically measured.
The Stats page offers insights into areas like best product categories, best customers, best sellers, sarch engine kewords, visitors, best vouchers and many more. Although this feature isn't new, the enhanced design makes it feel as if it is. There is so much to monitor, and yet the simple graphs and lists associated with each parameter makes that monitoring easier to do than ever before.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/prestaaa700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop 1.6 Stats" /> 
But wait, there's more.
PrestaShop 1.6 also brings about a truly unique ecommerce feature – “Real Time Net Profit Margin”. As the name implies, it automatically updates net profit margins in real time, presenting you with sales and your profit figures instantly, every minute of the day.
Finally, the “Forecast Statistics Panel”, lets you see how your sales are trending and what the outlook is for the future. Using this tool, you can make smarter business decisions based on current trends and forecasts based entirely on the performance of your store.
These progress measurement tools, accompanied by the “Intelligent Merchant KPI” I mentioned earlier, makes PrestaShop 1.6 a statistical powerhouse, enabling you to monitor various metrics from a variety of helpful angles.
<h2>Newly Integrated Technologies, Seamless Upgrading &amp; More</h2>
Technologies such as Bootstrap 3.0, FontAwesome, Sass Compass and D3 Data Driven Documents have all been integrated into version 1.6 of PrestaShop, putting it right up there with the most technologically advanced ecommerce platforms.
Seamless upgrading for nearly all PrestaShop users is also offered, thanks to version 1.6 having virtually zero core changes from 1.5x – meaning that any 1.5x store can be upgraded with minimal effort.
Additional noteworthy features include integrated product comparisons with dedicated URLs, cross-selling features via the “Add to Cart Confirmation” screen, and more.
<h2>Community Driven Progress</h2>
If you caught my <a href="/prestashop-a-free-feature-filled-online-store-builder-with-a-thriving-community/" target="_blank"> previous coverage of the PrestaShop </a> , you'll know that they are an ecommerce platform who are big on community.
Whilst piecing together version 1.6, PrestaShop have worked closely with their expert community volunteers <a href="https://github.com/PrestaShop" target="_blank"> through GitHub </a> , and have also obtained feedback and suggestions from their thriving online forum which is populated by over 620,000 members.
Because of this community connection, PrestaShop have been able to gather feedback directly from their user base, and implement it into version 1.6.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/prestaaaaa700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop Forums" />
The proof of this community driven progress is in the pudding. For example, PrestaShop have listened to the calls from their community by taking a number of paid-for features from their Addons store, and have converted them into integrated features included as standard in PrestaShop 1.6 – making them completely free of charge for everybody.
Such features include Rich menu navigation, Add to Cart with Cross-selling, Quick Product View and Advanced statistics.
Now that's what I call giving back to the community.
<h2>Just Days Away</h2>
Version 1.6 of PrestaShop has been in development for a while now, but its launch date is now tantalisingly close. Just days away in fact.
There is excitement within the PrestaShop community, with merchants the world over anticipating new ways to sell, monitor and improve their online stores. The first impressions were extremely good, and the platform only grew on me as I explored it further.
I believe many of the new and unique features implemented by PrestaShop will become indispensable for store owners before very long. Many will forget what it was like to run their store without instant profit margin reports or forecasted sales figures – and for those reasons alone, PrestaShop 1.6 is an impressive piece of software.
PrestaShop 1.6 is set to be released on March 17th at 12:00pm EST. To find out more about PrestaShop, visit their <a href="http://www.prestashop.com" target="_blank"> official website </a> , or check out the <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/en/progress-1-6" target="_blank"> PrestaShop 1.6 progress page </a> .
Additionally, you can explore more of <a href="/products/prestashop/" target="_blank"> PrestaShop via our CMS Directory </a>

Hands-on With PrestaShop 1.6

While the days of mailing self-addressed, stamped envelopes (along with typed or laser-printed poems, short stories, or short creative non-fiction) to journals are not completely behind us, it's become increasingly rare to find a literary journal that does not use cyberspace as a way of accepting submissions. Today, in fact, when one talks about a submission system being “old fashioned” or “low-tech,” chances are pretty good that that means email! More and more literary magazines today are leaving even email submissions behind, instead using submission management systems to track authors and their writing, including updates on which editors have read what so far and whether staff members have voted to accept or reject the work.
<h2> Submittable </h2>
By now, editors and aspiring writers alike have certainly encountered the user-friendly interface of the open-source software of Submittable (formerly called – and often still referred to as – “Submishmash”). Authors who click the “submit” button on the websites of journals that use Submittable recognize the pop-up form that's branded with the company's familiar orange logo. Submittable is used not only by some of the most well-known and prestigious journals like The New Yorker, McSweeney's , and The Atlantic – but it's also what a large percentage of respected journals that are not as well known outside of the literary world are using, too.
From the editorial side, Submittable has been called a “one-stop shop,” allowing for automatic emails to be sent to authors, acknowledging receipt of submissions – and also allowing editorial staff to easily rank submissions and track information. The Submittable website also boasts that no web designer is needed to use the system, and submission capability can be built into a journal's existing site. Submittable is PCI compliant and secure – and it also allows for analytics, reporting, and the exporting of data. Editors can review submissions on their iPads, iPhones, or Kindles.
There are 3 Submittable plan levels, costing from $220 to $2200 per year, depending on the number of editorial staff who will be accessing the account, as well as the number of submissions the system will be able to handle. However, non-profits and/or publishers of art or literature get a 50% discount with the coupon code “NonProfitArtLit .” And, speaking of the issue of money, Submittable also allows journals to collect reading fees.
One Submittable features writers appreciate is that a Submittable username (the user's email address) and password, once set up for one literary magazine, is good for logging in to all journals with submissions systems powered by Submittable. They may also appreciate the fact that authors, whenever they're logged in from any Submittable-subscribing journal's website, will see a complete list of work submitted to other Submittable journals as well, along with a note on what's accepted, rejected, or still simply “in progress.”
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_submittable_screenshot.jpg" alt="submission management systems - Submittable user interface screenshot" />
<a href="http://www.submittable.com"> Check out Submittable </a>
<h2> Submission Manager </h2>
Writers who submit their work to journals that don't use Submittable may often experience a strange feeling of déjà vu when clicking on a literary magazine's “submit” button and finding themselves being asked to create an account on a vaguely familiar-looking grid page. There's a reason for this feeling of déjà vu: sign-up and log-in pages powered by another popular literary journal submission management system – going simply by the name “Submission Manager” – does, unfortunately, require writers to create a new account for each journal; despite the familiar-looking user interface and the feeling that you've “been here before,” the déjà vu often just means you've submitted work to another journal that uses Submission Manager – but not yet for this particular journal (meaning, yes, you do have to create a new account).
Submission Manager's website boasts that it manages reading periods – which means that neither authors nor editors have to face the annoyance of trying to submit work (or of getting work) during a time when editors are not accepting it. It also allows the capability, where an SMTP application is available, to send automatic emails that acknowledge submissions. Submission Manager consists of a MySQL (version 4.1 or higher) database with a front end programmed in PHP (version 4.3 or higher). It requires a web server and a browser that's set up to accept cookies. While there's no eye-catching logo like the memorable orange one that Submittable uses, the color scheme and fonts can be customized.
Most marketing for Submission Manager seems to be through the Council of Literary Magazines and Presses (CLMP), a non-profit organization which is funded in part by the National Endowment for the arts – and which offers Submission Manager's services to literary journals for $200.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_submission_manager_screenshot.jpg" alt="submission management systems - Submission Manager user interface screenshot" />
<a href="http://www.submissionmanager.net/">Check out Submissions Manager</a>
<h2> Tell it Slant </h2>
A third submission management option for literary journals is Tell it Slant. One feature that Tell it Slant predominantly markets is how it handles simultaneous submissions; like Submittable (and unlike Submission Manager), Tell it Slant allows authors to use a single username and password – when logging in either from individual literary journal websites or directly from Tell it Slant's own site. This particular submission management system, however, goes a step farther, also taking full advantage of having all information together in one place – by first detecting when a single piece of writing has been submitted to more than one journal that uses Tell it Slant; then, when one journal on the system accepts the simultaneously submitted piece, that piece of writing is automatically deleted from the submission queues for other journals on the system. This is great news not only for journals but also for authors, who usually have to go through and individually withdraw the accepted piece of writing from consideration by other journals.
Tell it Slant also boasts of forum-style discussion capability that allows editors to have meaningful online exchanges about specific submissions and authors – as well as a function that allows editors to perform keyword searches in author bios. A handy feature for writers is that there's also a specific area of the user profile that builds this bio – whereas, with other sites, adding biographical information tends to be a matter of authors having to copy-and-paste their bios in from elsewhere every time they submit work.
Their site is free for literary journals, with processing fees being charged only for submissions to journals that receive more than 75 a month submissions a month. The processing fee also applies for journals which charge a reading fee.
As far as payment information is concerned, from the writer's perspective, authors who submit their work purchase “credits” through PayPal in order to pay submission fees when using the system. According to Tell it Slant's website, prices vary by journal but tend to be between $1.50 and $3.00.
While it is true that many journals using Submittable and Submission Manager, by contrast, don't charge submission fees, it's worth noting that submitting to journals the the old-fashioned way (through the U.S. Postal Service) requires sufficient postage for sending the writing (costing more or less, depending on the size of the manuscript), plus a self-addressed stamped envelope for a reply (and an additional amount of postage when authors want to have the manuscript returned to them) – all of which adds up for any writer trying to get their work out there. According to Tell it Slant's website, their credit system was started with the plan of eventually offering discounts for writers who buy credits in bulk, so they're making an effort to really make this fee system worth everyone's while.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_tell_it_slant_submission_mgmt_system.jpg" alt="submission management systems - Tell it Slant user interface screenshot" />
Check out Tell It Slant
Writers and literary journal editors alike today appreciate the ways in which technology has helped to streamline the editorial process. While email is easier to search and track than the old-fashioned paper-and-envelope method, many literary magazine editors have embraced the multitude of features that submission management systems offer. Submitting writers, too, appreciate the seamless, paper-free systems that more journals are using now; with any luck, the fact that more writers are able to get out of the post office line – and get online instead – also means they're able to spend more time crafting great work that's one step closer to being discovered.

3 Submission Management Systems for Literary Journals: an Overview

Established in 2007, EDU 2.0 have steadily grown into one of the most popular learning management systems of offer – and for good reason.
EDU 2.0 raced past the 1 million user mark back in 2013, and are still going strong today by providing their platform for schools, universities and businesses in particular.
They moved their entire platform into the cloud in 2008, and claim to, “still operate like a startup”, with new features rolling out all the time. The icing on the cake is EDU 2.0's super sleek interface, making their platform easy on the eyes, and easy to use.
<h2>A Perfect Fit for Schools &amp; Universities</h2>
EDU 2.0 for School/University – as the name implies, was originally designed for the schooling system back in 2007.
The platform enables schools and universities to take advantage of a number of features, including curricula creation tools, lesson planning, attendance checks, and more. All of which can also be tracked and measured using built-in analytics, helping teachers to visualise progress of individuals and groups.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-17700x0.png" alt="EDU 2.0 Learning Management System" /> 
Furthermore, EDU 2.0 offers a completely free package for schools with up to 2000 students. The free plan does not expire, and includes unlimited storage, unlimited bandwidth, and access to community support forums.
<h2>Seamless Integration for Businesses of All Sizes</h2>
EDU 2.0 for Business was launched in 2010, and offers a wide range of useful features. These include file management, calender scheduling, and a handy integrated messaging and alerts system to help streamline workflows.
Ecommerce is also supported by EDU 2.0, which enables its business users to associate costs with their courses, thus allowing students to browse and make purchases using their credit card or PayPal accounts. EDU 2.0's shopping cart also supports multiple discount codes and multiple currencies, with Authorize.net and PayPal offered as payment gateways.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/sshot-1700x0.png" alt="EDU 2.0 Learning Management System" />
Perhaps the most helpful feature of EDU 2.0 for Business, is its flexibility when it comes to integration with other tools and services. Such services include Google Docs, LDAP, Calendars (iCal), Paypal, SMTP/POP3, and more.
Further integration – with Google Apps, for example, is set for later on in 2014, whilst EDU 2.0's API can be used to create custom integrations.
<h2>Help &amp; Support in a Variety of Forms</h2>
Integrating and understanding a new piece of software can be stressful on staff within both schools and businesses, and since migrating from one digital environment to another has an impact on almost every task, the learning curve needs to be a short one.
The team at EDU 2.0 recognizes these issues and provides a robust support system to help ease companies and schools into their software. Help and support come in the form of standard on-site training, web-hosted training via online conferences, regularly updated video libraries, and more.
To find out more about Edu 2.0, check out their <a href="https://www.edu20.org" target="_blank">official website</a>. You can even try out an <a href="https://www.edu20.org/info/demo" target="_blank">online demo</a>.

EDU 2.0: a Flexible, Cloud-based Learning Management System

A college or university has many moving parts – and all of these parts need to work together smoothly in order for the institution to function. All kinds of information has to be made accessible to a large number of varied users – from visitors and students to staff, faculty, and administrators. In today's technology-rich world, in addition to a social media campaign that is up-to-date and well-integrated, colleges and universities have a whole host of their own, unique website and technology needs. (There's so much riding on the on-the-go accessibility of interactive information from the registrar's office alone). Each CMS for Higher Education discussed here is designed with 100% mobile-friendly capability and offers many other user-friendly features as well:
 Ingeniux 
Ingeniux is known as a flexible, secure, and reliable managed hosting solution offering day and night, year-round monitoring and support, including managed software upgrades. It requires no technical knowledge for users and is simple for those who are windows-oriented. Content (including videos, slide shows, etc.) can be easily imported and, in turn, embedded – simply by clicking and dragging from desktop applications. Ingeniux has course catalog and registration features and also allows for newsletters and campus event calendars. Other features include a forms builder, modules for athletics and news, and RSS feeds.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_ingeniux_for_higher_ed_screenshot.jpg" alt="CMS for Higher Education - Ingeniux user interface screenshot" />
 OmniUpdate Campus 
OmniUpdate Campus employs non-proprietary code that is built on open standards. It's been around for a long time and was specifically designed for higher education (now used by more than 700 colleges and universities) – offering course catalog, faculty directory, and interactive campus map features, as well as the capacity to manage as many users, pages, and sites as needed. The windows-friendly user interface is intuitive and requires less than an hour of training for non-technical users; the average user will find it easy to copy and paste content such as images, videos, etc. from an existing website and quickly publish it on this one.
In addition to RSS feeds and forms publishing, other capabilities include blog management and social media syncing. Another convenient feature of OmniUpdate is the fact that it alerts users to problems and necessary solutions before publishing. It does not require the installation of a separate application; rather, it is 100% internet browser-based and can normally be up and running in a matter of days.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_omniupdate_for_higher_ed_screenshot.jpg" alt="CMS for Higher Education - OmniUpdate user interface screenshot" />
 Campus Suite 
Campus Suite has earned its reputation as a secure, cost-efficient, easy-to-use turn-key software system, combined with support and hosting service – all specifically designed for colleges and universities. There are no apps to install, and built-in interactive web features allow for teacher pages, staff and faculty directories, event calendar, e-newsletters, news and press release management, blogging, podcasting, FAQs, form builders, and RSS feeds. There are also templates available that allow for easy assembly of photo and video galleries and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_campus_suite_for_higher_ed_screenshot.jpg" alt="CMS for Higher Education - Campus Suite user interface screenshot" />
 dotCMS 
DotCMS is a flexible, quick-launching, open source java-based system that can be used to manage a campus' entire web (including intranet) infrastructure. The WYSIWYG editor and drag-and-drop custom template builder allow for easy management and publication of documents, images, slide shows, event listings, etc., as well as the copying of material from an old, existing site to the new one. Remote widgets are available, and remote publishing can be set up in minutes. URLs and campaign domains can also be mapped to specific pages and sites using vanity URLs and domains.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/weaver_elizabeth_dotcms_for_higher_ed_screenshot.jpg" alt="CMS for Higher Education - dotCMS user interface screenshot" />
Campus IT professionals know that college and university websites today must have flexible, interactive designs – and must always be up and running. They are used by many stakeholders, including students, professors, parents, staff, and administrators – all of whom will have a whole range of technical skill levels. Ingeniux, OmniUpdate, Campus Suite, and dotCMS are all well-designed CMS' for Higher Education with the types of features a college or university's technical staff will find desirable, and all are well worth considering.
What do you think? Do you use any of these systems? Know of another we missed? Please share your thoughts and experiences in the comments below.

CMS for Higher Education: 4 Great Options with User-Friendly Features

After building and perfecting your content management system, it's now time to market itThere is already an ocean of content management systems available, and so it's very easy for new products to get lost in the currents, never to be exposed to the masses.This marketing struggle doesn't only affect newcomers to the CMS world either. Many platforms which have been active for months and sometimes even years can find it difficult to stand out from the crowd.So, to help get your product heard, seen and spoken about, I've put together a handy guide which outlines the best ways to market a content management system.<h2>Start a Blog</h2>Blogging is one of the most powerful ways to market online. Period.By setting up a blog for your content management system, you can detail some of its core features, explain answers to commonly asked questions, and even comment on wider issues which are trending in your niche.Using your blog, you can produce free, valuable content which will breed trust in your product and keep customers informed. The content you create can then be shared on social media and will eventually be picked up by search engines – both of which will bring you traffic.A blog is also a great way to keep your customers up to date with product news and updates surrounding your product. Additionally, the comments section of a blog is the perfect setting to engage with customers directly, and personally.<h2>Write Quality Press Releases</h2>Whether you're launching a new product, or releasing an update, pushing out a press release to news websites is a great way to get exposure.But don't just write a press release – write a damn good one.Nobody likes a lengthy, boring press release, nor a long list of impersonal bullet points. If your press releases don't intruige the reader, they won't bother trying to find out more about your product, which is assuming that your boring press release got published by anybody in the first place.So instead, ensure that your news actually is news worthy, and present it in a way which is concise, professional and above all, engaging.<h2>Get Active on Online Communities</h2>Marketing isn't all about beng formal, nor is it about staying within the zones of your own digital spaces. In fact, marketing requires you to branch out.Online communities like <a target="_blank" href="https://www.quora.com/">Quora</a> allow you to interact with people who are asking questions relevant to your industry. By answering these questions and presenting yourself professionally under the name of your product or brand, you will naturally enhance your reputation, and gain some targetted traffic whilst you're at it.Furthermore, online forums related to your industry are ideal for getting your product seen. The trick is to find relevant discussion boards, sign up, take part in the community, and make good use of your forum signature to link back to your website for yet more targetted traffic.<h2>Jump on to Social Media</h2>Speaking of branching out, there's no better way to do it than with social media.For starters, get your product a dedicated account on Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and LinkedIn. Then, start to engage with customers and people in your target market directly by answering questions, partaking in hashtags and showing a bit of personality.Although, showing personality doesn't mean losing your professionalism altogether. Keep your social media updates relevant more often than not, and avoid tangents which will alienate your fans and followers.If your niche or industry is flexible enough, you can even extend your online presence to other social platforms like Vine, Instagram and Pinterest. A photography-based CMS for example would be a great match for such visual social networks.<h2>Initiate Email Marketing</h2>Perhaps the most important piece of information you can collect from a customer, is their email address.Having a list of emails from previous and potential customers enables you to send out products news, special offers and other marketing content right to their inboxes. That means complete access without having to worry about the customer missing the memo, like they may do if you only make announcements via social media or blog posts.So, start building an email list today using your website and blog by integrating a newsletter subscription form. The more emails you collect, the further the reach of your email marketing campaigns.<h2>Hold Developer Contests</h2>Another great way to market your content management system is to hold developer contests.The idea is that developers compete with eachother to produce valuable content for your platform in return for a prize, or perhaps some form of coverage on your website or blog. The content can be in the form of templates, plugins, or whatever else you feel would work best.Not only will your CMS gain some new content, but this method will also help your product be heard amongst the developer community in particular.<h2>Join the CMS Critic CMS Directory</h2>For those of you who haven't yet noticed, CMS Critic hosts a very detailed CMS Directory, which is free to become a part of.If you have a content management system, there is no reason at all why it shouldn't be listed on our directory. Not only will it be found by browsing customers, but they can also find your website, social media accounts, videos, screen shots and more. The directory even allows users to “Like” products.And as if all that wasn't enough, it's also a piece of cake to submit your CMS.<h2>Over to You</h2>So there you have it, some sure-fire ways to get your content management system under the noses of potential customers.If you can successfully leverage these methods in a consistent manner, the results will soon speak for themselves.So get out there and start talking – because the Internet is full of ways to get your voice heard.

The Newbies Guide to Marketing a Content Management System

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