I agree with most of that, my primary problem with Drupal being the admin / frontend is not split - this is VERY confusing, I don't care how you argue.

Template support for Drupal is also dire, and when you want to get a head start in a project this is fundamental.

The lack of nested replies in this site "TopNotchThemes.com" is crap. Just as confusing as Drupals admin.

On another note. If you work for a company/client that allows you to fart around forever developing, and paying for it.

then Bjorn's comment applies
"A higher level of complexity is unavoidable and necessary. (If you have a vision for your enterprise-level site, and you don't want to compromise, you need to accept that it will take time and hard work.)"

Craigslist doesn't even use a css file, and has very simple code running it and it rules the universe because Craig Newmark was thinking of actually getting something done instead of Mentally masterbating over his own greatness.

I think the Drupalers are like the early Linux advocates or early website graphic designers... more interested in showing off some superior skill and making projects go on and on. Basically ignoring the end purpose for the tool.

Anyone with enough money for a Drupal coder to build a huge enterprise system would probably be better off going with a Micro$oft solution etc...

The whole point of an open source CMS or CMF(??whatever) is so that anyone can run with it. Not just elite programmers(Like some people posting here claiming they are "Professional Coders" and not Paste and Cutters??? Why re-invent the wheel!! Why pay a "Professional Coder" to create another Newsletter module etc...

CMS like Joomla follows more logical common sense and is why it has the worlds largest community by miles.
Keep It Simple Stupid

Snap out of it!
over and out - geeks

I should have said it doesn't even look like Craigslist uses a style sheet.
My bad. I was just riffin. Of course they use a style sheet.

My Craigslist comment actually supports drupals lack of theme development.

My point was more about the elitism attitude of some web developers usually on the drupal side. This gives people who are new to the CMS community a mis-direction.

To anyone deciding on either, try them both out for yourself.
They both are easy to learn.

And never mind everyone else' opinions.
Especially mine!

See Ya! Geeks

Often comparisons of content management systems are based solely on personal opinion. So I'm trying to get input from Drupal; and/or Joomla users about what they think each system does well and what it doesn't do so well. I am conducting a survey comparing Drupal and Joomla.

I think the survey will facilitate a more methodical examination of the strengths and weaknesses of each system. My goal is to quantify the tradeoffs involved in selecting a CMS.

Interesting article. I have been trying to work out whether to use WordPress, Joomla or Drupal for my sites. My latest blog is in WordPress and it works really well, after adding in a number of plugins. But in trying to make a different type of site with WordPress, which many claim is easy to do, I was frustrated and am now trying Joomla and will also try Drupal. My approach is to try for a day or two with each, and with a little knowledge and see how far I get just using my software experience. Then I will pick one and really learn how to use it properly. I know if I spent a few weeks at least on each CMS I could do lots but don't have that time at the moment so am trying my simple, though ugly, test approach. It is giving interesting results.

But back to Drupal, I think it is clear each CMS has its strengths. But trying to work out which is best is like asking which language is better: C++, Python or PHP? The answer is of course they are all excellent at different things.

I know in my case with limited time available, I am trying to devote my efforts to just one CMS and not have to learn all three, but I may have to give up on that and settle on at least two of them, or maybe all three. One article I read somewhere suggested that the best combination for many sites was Joomla, with a WordPress Blog on the side to help with SEO - that might well be the best for most sites. But for the greatest flexibility the clear view seems to be Drupal, but with a steep learning curve. No one seems to talk much about Plone, though. Unfortunately, or perhaps fortunately, there is no one tool (ring) to rule them all :-)

I will continue my research for what to use for my own sites and will try Drupal next week. Then make the call - is it Joomla or is it going to be Drupal?

Thanks again for the article

Owen McNamara

Jeff,
Here's a scenario of what I think Joomla won't be able to do (correct me if I'm wrong).

You create several custom content types, using CCK and provide field validation rules with appropriate field type templates (there are plenty of modules providing different CCK field types). Then you set fine-grained access permissions not only to the objects represented by these content types, but also separate access permissions for each field that constitutes this object. Thus, you can have a situation where a User-A can create an object "Invoice", but not change other users' invoices, a User-B that cannot change anything in the existing other user's invoice, besides one field - "status" (this user performs workflow control) and a User-C that cannot create or edit any of these, but has the permission to delete the invoice.

In terms of real-life this scenario may not make perfect sense, but it's mean merely to illustrate the level of flexibility you can get with Drupal.

Also, given Joomla's limited categorizing functionality, I don't think you can implement a complex document workflow path/policy based, again, on user roles.

Those are my two cents.