Articles - Page 148

<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

If there's one thing that I've learned in my many years covering the CMS space, it's that I will never truly know about every single CMS out there, no matter how hard I try. Every day, it seems, a new content management system hits the ‘net and while some of the developers of these systems are good at marketing and pushing their product, many aren't.
That's one of the reasons I started CMS Critic in the first place over 6 years ago. I wanted to share my experiences with each CMS (including the lesser known ones) and help people find the real hidden gems.
Finding the perfect CMS is not an easy thing to accomplish. So today, I'm going to share with you some suggestions and tips I've learned over my many years of consulting and providing advice.
<h2>Don't be wowed by the interface.</h2>
There are some beautiful and stunning interfaces within a large number of content management systems out there but one important thing to keep in mind is that, just like choosing a partner, you don't always want to make your selection based on looks. The adage “it's what's on the inside that counts” couldn't possibly be more true and applies to far more than just dating and relationships. I've seen a significant number of CMS with beautiful interfaces but little to no functionality or they are chock full of bugs. That's not to say there aren't the exceptions to the rule but it's definitely something to keep in mind. It's easy to make something pretty, it's hard to make it pretty AND functionally useful.
Don't always be quick to dismiss the system with the simple interface. More often than not, these are the first ones you should look at. Usually, it's a sign that the developer prefers less bloat and is more focused on the code and functionality. In some cases, it's the flip-side and simple literally means simple but it's important to always thoroughly explore all options before you write something off as “too plain” or “too fancy”.
<h2>Do make a list of of needs and wants.</h2>
Another important item people tend to overlook when searching for a CMS is the requirement for a clear and concise need / want list. This list should be very straight forward and easy to compile. I recommend getting together with members of each functional area that will be using the CMS (or supporting it) and listing out items that absolutely MUST be in the new CMS and items that would simply be ‘nice to have'.
Some examples of needs might be:
<ul>
<li>Strong workflow functionality.</li>
<li>Integration with existing ecommerce suite.</li>
<li>Multilingual capabilities</li>
</ul>
An example of a want might be:
<ul>
<li>Workflow Notification by SMS (system may have email notification but no SMS in which case, you could make do fine if it fit your other requirements).</li>
</ul>
I recommend always making sure you involve all of the business units that will be in some way touching the system. This helps eliminate frustration amongst all parties and allows everyone to feel like they've had a chance to offer their input.
Don't forget to think about what you already have (if you are currently using a homegrown system or another CMS) and what you couldn't live without during a change.
<h2>Do check out each vendors support groups / forums / Twitter accounts (if available).</h2>
It's vital that you always check out how a vendor treats their existing customers before you go spending money with them. I recommend checking out their Twitter accounts thoroughly (if they have them).
<ul>
<li>Do they reply to queries from existing and potential customers?</li>
<li>Are they helpful when doing so?</li>
<li>How active are they on each platform?</li>
</ul>
Forums are another excellent way to see how people are reacting to a certain product. If the company you are considering is not active and assisting those with questions, steer clear as it's a sure sign of nightmares down the road.
<h2>Do contact each vendor you are considering and ask lots of questions.</h2>
Don't be afraid to grill each vendor you are considering. A good vendor will be happy to answer your questions and if they want your business, they will do their best to give you thorough and complete answers. This is another great way to guage how much value the vendor places on acquiring you as a customer. A good vendor will work hard for your business, answering your questions and directing you to the correct resources.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/questions_to_ask_when_chosing_a_cloud_vendor1.jpg" />
This is also a good way to guage how quickly a vendor can respond with accurate answers. If it takes them a long time and you get bounced from person to person, this could be a good indicator as to how easy or hard it might be to get support down the road if you became their customer.
<h2>Do not let the vendor lead the demo for you.</h2>
Now, this might seem a little bit odd but I've seen a number of demos where the customer has simply sat back and let the vendor lead the demo showcasing all of the great stuff within their product. Here's the problem with letting the vendor lead the demo, they will only show you the stuff that works and works well. 
I always recommend making a list of what you expect from the demo, what do you want to see, what you do not care about and telling the vendor how to proceed. Don't be afraid to throw in curveball questions during the demo to see how they react. Can they answer your question? Are they lost and stammering? These things are important as well as they make the vendor think how they would use their system to accomplish your specific tasks and since you are on a demo, you can visualize how easy it might be for you as a customer as well.
This is a critical one and can be the a significant deciding factor when choosing a product so don't be afraid to take charge! It's your money after all.
—
I hope these few items help you in your search for the perfect CMS. Do you have other things you think are important that you'd like to share? Please do so in the comments below

How to Find the Perfect CMS

mike-johnston

Today, <a href="http://www.sdl.com" target="_blank">SDL</a> launched a unified suite of offerings to help marketers create and deliver seamless customer experiences across all channels, devices, regions and languages. 
 For a number of years, SDL have provided innovative software and service solutions via web content management, analytics, social intelligence, campaign management and translation services. Today, over 1,500 organizations, including 42 of the top 50 global brands, rely on SDL to deliver locally relevant customer experiences throughout the customer journey.
The <a href="http://www.sdl.com/CXC" target="_blank">SDL Customer Experience Cloud™</a> has been introduced in order to make it easier to deliver data-driven experiences at each point of the buying journey, regardless of location or device. 
<h2>Any Language, Any Context, Anywhere</h2>
Regarding the launch of the SDL Customer Experience Cloud™, Mark Terauchi – general manager at the Corporate Brand Office at Fujitsu, had this to say:
<blockquote>
“With thousands of customers all over the world, it’s especially important to have technology that allows us to engage with our user base in real time, in any language and context, from anywhere. We believe SDL can provide us with the ability to deliver a comprehensive customer experience, and the new releases from SDL will help us to advance our customer strategy more effectively.”
</blockquote>
Additionally, Mark Lancaster – the CEO of SDL, also commented:
<blockquote>
“We are in a new age of customer marketing where the journey and post-sale behavior can glean insights for brands to make smarter decisions about how they build relationships. This Customer Experience Cloud packs all the critical elements of customer experience management into one accessible suite and delivers on our vision that every marketer can meet the expectations of their global customer base and remain connected and responsive throughout the entire buyer journey.”
</blockquote>
<h2>Everything in the Cloud</h2>
Based on customer demand, SDL has spent the last several years integrating its Customer Experience Management products to work together and to deliver the entire solution in the cloud.  
Highlights of this new release include:
<ul>
<li>A single intuitive user interface across all SDL’s CXM products that has been significantly enhanced to provide a seamless marketing user experience that is modern, easy to use and easy to deploy.</li>
<li>SaaS delivery model for all SDL products, available now, with continuous enhancements quarterly throughout 2014.</li>
<li>Industry-first, integrated CXM Suite which enable marketers to create engaging, personalized and contextual customer experiences leveraging real-time data to drive better marketing decisions.</li>
<li>SDL Social is the only social intelligence solution with real-time analysis of social data and conversations across all social channels to effectively predict buying and brand advocacy across the entire customer journey.</li>
<li>The introduction of SDL Language Cloud, the industry’s first cloud translation solution offering both machine and human translation for radically simplified global translation – enabling marketers to engage customers in their preferred language across all interactions quickly and cost-effectively.</li>
<li>SDL Web Content Management is the first to enable marketers to easily target and drive consistent, contextually relevant digital customer experiences across all channels and devices from a single, intuitive interface.</li>
<li>SDL Marketing Campaign enables campaign testing, simulation, optimization and advanced segmentations – enabling customers to drive large-scale campaigns faster and more cost-effectively.</li>
<li>SDL E-Commerce provides advanced digital merchandizing features, which give retailers precise control over campaign context and prioritization over the placement of product and offers across search, navigation and promotional activities.</li>
<li>SDL Analytics provides real-time customer intelligence to understand, target and convert customers across the entire buyer journey.</li>
<li>SDL Documentation enables seamless post sales customer support by providing easy access to online materials including manuals, support information and other important documentation.</li>
</ul>
To find out more about the newly launched SDL Customer Experience Cloud™, check out <a href="http://www.sdl.com/CXC" target="_blank"> SDL's official website </a> .

SDL Launches SDL Customer Experience Cloud™, Aiming to Deliver Personalized Customer Experiences

<a href="http://www.squarespace.com"> Squarespace </a> , winners of our  <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/cms-critic-awards/"> Critics' Choice Award </a> for Best Website Builder, have hit the big time and are now heading to the Superbowl.
Given the cost of these ad spots and the fact that they are often talked about more than the Superbowl itself, this is a major step forward for the popular website builder and goes to show that Squarespace is doing very well for themselves.
From their announcement, they describe the ad as follows:
<blockquote>Our ad. A Better Web Awaits, strikes a contrast between two very different visions of the web. All too often, the Internet we experience today is a sea of clutter and spam – dubious discounts, mortgage offers, and weight loss tips abound. As a company, we’ve always fought to keep our product, and our customers’ websites, imbued with a respect for simple and beautiful design. We believe strongly in these values. We believe that a better web starts with your website.</blockquote>
You can check out the ad ahead of time here:
<iframe src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/S0Or1f_RxKQ?feature=oembed" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen="allowfullscreen"></iframe>
What do you think of Squarespace? Do you like it? Hate it? Let us know in the comments below. If you aren't familiar with <a href="http://www.squarespace.com">Squarespace</a>, check out our  <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/squarespace-review-the-long-awaited-commerce-solution/"> Squarespace Review </a> to get the inside scoop.

Squarespace goes to the Superbowl

The latest release of WordPress is now available and it is recommended that all running the previous version of the CMS update via the dashboard or by downloading the latest release.
WordPress 3.8.1 is a maintenance released that includes some fixes to a number of bugs and issues that arose in the 3.8 release.
It contains the following:
<ul>
<li>a fix for embedding tweets (by placing the URL to the tweet on its own line), which was broken due to a recent Twitter API change.</li>
<li>various fixes and improvements for the new dashboard design and new themes admin screen.</li>
<li>An issue with taxonomy queries in WP_Query was resolved.</li>
<li>submit buttons that won’t do anything when you click on them have been found and fixed.</li>
</ul>
You can read the full list of changes here: <a href="https://core.trac.wordpress.org/log/branches/3.8?rev=27018&amp;stop_rev=26862">Changelog</a>

WordPress 3.8.1 Released

When you build a website – or in this case, an online store, it's nice to feel the support of a community behind you. <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/" target="_blank"> PrestaShop</a> recognise, and facilitate that.
The free to use, user friendly online store builder boasts a <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/forums/" target="_blank"> fully fledged online forum</a> with discussions spanning a range of topics related to PrestaShop itself, and the wider prospect of selling online.
But there's more to PrestaShop than just a thriving online community. In fact, the platform is bursting at the seams with features.
<h2>Online Store Features Galore</h2>
PrestaShop has over 310 built-in features and functionalities, accompanied by over 3,500 modules and templates. Naturally then, building a unique online store with the platform should be a piece of cake.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta1700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop" /> 
The admin dashboard is simple, yet it doesn't leave much out. After signing in, you'll be presented with vital store information relating to sales, page views, and other statistics. All areas of your online store can be accessed and modified within the dashboard, giving you complete control over how your store looks and works.
Some of the general features you'll eventually come across in PrestaShop will allow you to optimize your website for search engines, create marketing campaigns, review website statistics, and more.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta2700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop" />
Additionally, <a href="https://addons.prestashop.com/en/?utm_source=prestaEN&amp;utm_medium=Modules&amp;utm_campaign=prestashop" target="_blank">PrestaShop's Official Marketplace</a> provides pretty much everything you need to make your online store the best it can possibly be.
With a myriad of themes and modules to choose from, you can go about implementing new payment options, marketing tools, customer service functions, and so forth.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta5700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop" /> 
The PrestaShop Official Marketplace even holds regular sales, giving its worldwide community a chance to grab high quality modules and templates at discounted prices.
<h2>A Professional Helping Hand</h2>
With so many features to learn and implement, <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/en/training-prestashop" target="_blank">PrestaShop offer a range of training courses</a> to help you get the hang of their platform.
PrestaShop's dedicated training courses are held online, in English, at various points throughout the year. The online courses offer two days worth of helpful content, offered in three packages to target different user types, from complete beginner to aspiring PrestaShop expert.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta3700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop" />
The help doesn't stop there though. You can also <a href="http://addons.prestashop.com/en/35-guides-training-official" target="_blank">purchase further guides and training packages</a> from the PrestaSgop Marketplace.
So, whether you're a brand new online merchant looking for some professional advice, or if you simply want to optimize your store and your selling skills to the best of your ability, PrestaShop can offer the helping hand you need.
<h2>A Sense of Community</h2>
As previously mentioned, PrestaShop offers an interestingly active online forum community, where users can ask questions, share strategies and learn about the extensive features within the PrestaShop platform.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/presta4700x0.png" alt="PrestaShop" />
The forum allows you to discuss general PrestaShop issues, third-party modules, themes, and even job offers.
Some of the discussion boards within the PrestaShop community hold thousands upon thousands of topics and replies. Hence, finding solutions to problems, and ideas for improving your store should come very easily. Not to mention, it's nice knowing that  you have a like-minded community to fall back on if you were to face any issues.
Also, to accommodate PrestaShop's international user base, the forums have dedicated sections for a very wide range of languages and regions, allowing you to connect not just with other PrestaShop users, but local ones too.
 Does PrestaShop sound good? Find out more about <a href="/products/prestashop/" target="_blank"> PrestaShop via our CMS Directory</a>. Or, check out their website to <a href="http://www.prestashop.com/" target="_blank">download PrestaShop</a> for yourself.

PrestaShop: a Free, Feature-filled Online Store Builder With a Thriving Community

Sometimes I forget that CMS Critic started off back in 2008 as a blog and for 2014, I've decided to start sharing not just news and reviews but also more related personal stories that are relevant.
We've had the fortune to have been in business for over 6 years now and 2014 needs to be a year of being grateful for all of the amazing experiences we've been able to achieve with this site. So watch for not just news and reviews but also more editorials, personal stories (related of course) and many more interviews.
Now that that is out of the way…
I'm excited to announce that Jahia has invited us to join them at their first ever conference in Paris, France from February 6th to 7th of this year. Since they were so kind as to cover our costs for travel from wintery Canada to attend and cover the event, we've decided to ensure that we get to check out as many things as we can along the way.
Since <a href="http://thekitchenmagpie.com">my wife</a> is a bit of a Disney fanatic, we've chosen to fly in several days early (we arrive February 1st) and visit Disneyland Paris prior to attending the <a href="http://jahiaone.com">JahiaOne </a>conference. Given that we've just arrived back from a crazy long vacation of over a month (including a Disney Cruise, New Orleans, Disneyland and Phoenix), you might think we're Disney'd out but when I said she was a fanatic, I wasn't joking. As soon as she found out it was there, going became a must. Not that I'm not looking forward to it, it's going to be an amazing experience. 
Not only will we be visiting Paris, however. Once the fine folks at <a href="http://www.magnolia-cms.com/">Magnolia</a> found out we were going to be in Europe, they quickly arranged to have us take a train from Paris to visit them for a few days in Switzerland for an interview and tour of their offices. They are located in beautiful Basel, so we get to enjoy some time there as well before flying home mid-month.
Having never really had a chance to explore Europe before, I'm looking forward to the opportunity to do so while also getting to connect with two amazing CMS vendors. If anyone is going to be attending the <a href="http://jahiaone.com">JahiaOne</a> conference, be sure to swing by and say hello. We'll be the crazy people taking tons of pictures and covering the event.
Kaya will also be joining us for the Paris portion of the trip which is great since he's been writing for CMS Critic for quite some time and we've never actually had a chance to meet. He resides in London so this works out perfectly and we're looking forward to connecting.
Watch for plenty of updates on the site from these two adventures throughout February!
~Mike

Upcoming Paris and Switzerland Trips

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CMS Critic is proud to announce their status as a media sponsor for the <a href="https://conference.modmore.com/" target="_blank"> MODX Weekend by Modmore conference</a>.
The event begins on Friday 19th and ends Sunday 21st of September 2014. 
The venue is to be within the Netherlands, in the heart of a privately owned 111 acre forest. Along with all-inclusive hotel rooms, food and drink, attendees can enjoy listening to a range of speakers who will be speaking on all the latest goings on at <a href="http://modx.com/" target="_blank"> MODX</a>. Additionally, the weekend talks will serve to update the MODX community on whatever is coming soon for the platform, as well as the Web industry as a whole. 
 The MODX Weekend conference promises to offer a high quality experience on a number of fronts, so let's take a closer look at what's on offer.
<h2>All-inclusive Treatment at a Stunning Venue</h2>
Attendees of the MODX Weekend by modmore conference can essentially kick back and relax, as the hosts take care of pretty much everything – from start to finish. 
 Luxurious VIP coaches are scheduled to pick up attendees from local airports and train stations, taking them right to the Conference Center Woudschoten, where the event will be held. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/woudschotenbovenaf700x0.jpg" alt="MODX Weekend by Modmore" /> The Conference Center Woudschoten is home to a professional conference center, complete with three star hotel rooms, multiple bars and restaurants, and a breathtaking view. 
Every hotel and conference room has a beautiful view of the natural environment surrounding the buildings, which will certainly enhance the typical conference experience. To explore the forest, attendees are also more than welcome to go for a stroll or even a bike ride. 
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/woudschotenhotel700x0.jpg" alt="MODX Weekend by Modmore" />
The rooms provided all have a great view of the surrounding grounds, and come with two single beds, a shower, a flatscreen TV, a desk to work on and some friendly amenities. 
A full list of what's on offer throughout the conference can be seen below:
<ul>
<li>3 nights in an on-site three star hotel room (Check-in Friday afternoon/evening, checkout Monday morning)</li>
<li>Breakfast Buffet on Saturday, Sunday and Monday morning</li>
<li>Lunch Buffet on Saturday and Sunday</li>
<li>Dinner on Friday (buffet), Saturday (three-course menu) and Sunday (BBQ)</li>
<li>Unlimited coffee, tea, water and a variety of soft drinks and snacks during the day</li>
<li>Drinks (including a selection of alcoholic beverages) and snacks every evening</li>
<li>Munchies and water in the hotel room</li>
<li>Evening Entertainment, including live music on Friday and Saturday, a Fussball tournament and more</li>
<li>Complimentary maps of the estate for walking or biking</li>
<li>Bikes are available at no charge at a first come-first serve basis</li>
<li>Access to at least 15 sessions on MODX and the Web</li>
<li>Unlimited streaming access to professionally recorded and edited videofootage for the sessions, available within a week or two after the event.</li>
<li>Pick-up on Friday from Schiphol Airport or Utrecht Central Station with a luxury VIP Coach.</li>
<li>Drop-off at the same location on Sunday evening or Monday morning.</li>
<li>Free goodies from modmore and event partners</li>
</ul>
<h2>The MODX Weekend Programme</h2>
MODX's weekend event boasts over 15 individual sessions, all of which will stretch from between Friday 19th to Sunday 21st of September 2014. 
The official programme can be seen below.
<blockquote>
 Friday (Sept 19th): We look forward to welcoming you to the venue on Friday afternoon/evening. There will be a dinner buffet served in the bar at 6pm, with plenty of drinks and opportunity to socialise while the lounge band plays. 
 Saturday (Sept 20th): The conference starts around 9.30. The morning programme is all about the latest and upcoming techniques to use in MODX and the web in general. After lunch we look at performance and workflow in the broadest sense of the words. Attendees are also invited to do a 5 minute lighting talk at the end of the day. After a three-course menu in the restaurant there will be a good ol' fashioned party night in the bar complete with live band, stand-up comedy and more…
 Sunday (Sept 21st): On Sunday there will be two tracks of sessions. In the front-end track we talk about web techniques and front-end integration with MODX. The back-end track will be about developing custom components, plugins and other techniques on the manager or framework level. To end the conference we're firing up the BBQ and enjoying the last evening together.
 Monday (Sept 22nd): After breakfast it's time to check out. We're looking into some activities for the monday morning.
</blockquote>
Early Bird Tickets are available at €699 (including VAT) until February 28th. After that, the price goes up to €799. So, make sure you <a href="https://conference.modmore.com/register/" target="_blank"> take advantage of the massive €100 discount</a> before it's too late! 
 To find out more about the all-inclusive MODX Weekend by modmore, check out the event's <a href="https://conference.modmore.com/" target="_blank"> official website</a>.

All-inclusive "MODX Weekend by Modmore Conference" Set for September 2014

<a href="http://www.squarespace.com">Squarespace</a>, winners of our Critics' Choice CMS Award for Best Website Builder (see here: <a href="https://www.cmscritic.com/cms-critic-awards/">http://awards.www.cmscritic.com/past-winners/</a>) have announced a new free tool for the easy creation of quick and simple logos.
Dubbed Squarespace Logo (creative name isn't it?), this new logo tool may not be the next biggest thing in the world of logos but what it does do is offer a quick tool for those who are struggling to come up with something unique for their website.
The video below shows how it works:
http://youtu.be/jBQ3FW8HaTA
With the help of <a href="http://www.thenounproject.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">The Noun Project</a> and Google Fonts, this new tool provides a huge number of symbols (7,000 and growing!) and fonts that you can easily turn into a unique logo for your business. To give you an idea of how your logo will look, they have also provided previews to see your new logo on a business card, a website, or a t-shirt. When you’re ready to download your logo, the tool provides you with white on black, black on white, and full color images in a variety of formats.
Squarespace Logo is free for anyone to use for non-commercial purposes. Hi-res logos for commercial use are free for Squarespace customers and just $10 each for everyone else.
Check out Squarespace Logo today.

Introducing Squarespace Logo

A new version of MODX Revolution has been released. MODX Revolution 2.2.11 includes a number of security fixes and aims to prevent change loss for those running the popular open source CMS.
This release includes two security fixes including one affecting the phpThumb library that ships with Revolution. In addition, it eliminates a bug that appeared in Google Chrome 32 and adds an alert notifying users to confirm navigation to prevent losing unsaved changes.
Here are the highlights of changes in the 2.2.11 release:
<ul>
<li>Update phpThumb to 1.7.11-beta to close security vulnerability</li>
<li>Prevent XSS on actionVar in header.tpl in the Manager</li>
<li>Eliminate unwanted “confirm navigation” alerts in Chrome 32+</li>
<li>Added intentional “confirm navigation” to prevent loss of unsaved changes</li>
<li>Fix caching of manager menus. Until now, they may not have been ever cached</li>
</ul>
<div>For more details, read the complete <a href="https://raw.github.com/modxcms/revolution/v2.2.11-pl/core/docs/changelog.txt">changelog</a></div>

MODX Revolution 2.2.11 Released

For those of you who are fans of or who are considering using <a href="/products/dnn-evoq-content/">Evoq Content</a> from <a href="http://www.dnnsoftware.com">DNN Software</a>, I just finished this video walkthrough of the product for your enjoyment.
Evoq Content is also the winner of our <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">People's Choice Award for Best Small to Midsize Business CMS</a>.
In the video, I will show you how easy it is to set up a free 14 day trial of Evoq Content and some of the functionality of the CMS.
http://youtu.be/JMt_wX2s0HI
To learn more about Evoq Content, visit <a href="/products/dnn-evoq-content/">their listing in our CMS directory</a>.

A video walkthrough of Evoq Content by DNN Software

B2Evolution has just launched their new revamped skins site for users of the open source blog platform. B2Evolution, for those unaware, is a great alternative to more popular tools like WordPress and Blogger.
With the new Skin repository, users can now browse all available skins for B2Evolution quickly and easily using a ton of handy filters. Skin authors can also submit their skins to the repository for inclusion.
<img src="https://cmscritic.com/ms-content/uploads/2023/08/b2evolution-skins900x0.png" alt="b2evolution-skinsio" />
As of now, there are already a significant number of skins within the repository so if you are looking for a good skin or just want to take a look and see how B2Evolution can look, <a href="http://skins.b2evolution.net/">head on over</a> and browse it.

Looking for B2Evolution Skins? Check out their new Skin site!

For those running Drupal as their CMS of choice, you should be aware that two new security releases have been made available this week. Drupal 6.30 and 7.26 are now available for download.
These releases are security updates only and do not contain any bug fixes. Details can be found in the official security advisory:
<ul>
<li><a href="http://drupal.org/SA-CORE-2014-001" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">SA-CORE-2014-001</a></li>
</ul>
To fix the security problem, please upgrade to either Drupal 7.26 or Drupal 6.30.
You can do so by downloading the latest updates from <a href="http://Drupal.org">Drupal.org</a>

Drupal 7.26 and 6.30 released

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Some exciting news for Sitecore customers and Microsoft Dynamics users, Sitecore has just announced that they are partnering with Microsoft to integrate their platform with Microsoft Dynamics.
Sitecore, the winner of both our Critic's Choice and People's Choice awards for <a href="/cms-critic-awards/">Best Enterprise CMS</a> this year, is really showing a strong push forward to ensure their platform maintains it's solid footing in the industry.
<blockquote>“In the increasingly competitive e-commerce landscape, retailers need to make customer experiences seamless across every channel where they interact, and personally relevant whether they are in the store, or online anywhere,” said Darren Guarnaccia, Chief Strategy Officer, Sitecore. “This joint solution will bridge the gap between in-store and digital experiences. Sitecore’s experience platform harnesses the power of real-time data insights to deliver a deep understanding of customers’ preferences, wants and needs. When combined with Microsoft Dynamics’ end-to-end omni-channel retail platform, retailers will now truly have the power to offer the right product, at the right time, in the right context – driving sales and delighting customers.”</blockquote>
This combined solution will enhance and extend Sitecore’s end-to-end customer experience management capabilities and deliver true end-to-end e-commerce.
<a href="/products/sitecore/">Learn more about Sitcore.</a>

Sitecore and Microsoft join forces to integrate platforms

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