The Case For Expression Engine
Here I outline why I believe expression engine is a good tool to invest in for complex CMS driven web development. There are many free applications out there which can do some of the tasks you may require. However, in order to build complex websites with an application like structure it is often difficult (and more costly) to bend these solutions to accommodate the task. This is not to say joomla, wordpress, drupal, etc. are not useful in their element. They should be used when warranted, but for more advanced projects it is my belief that Expression Engine is the best choice.
The cost of a license is a one-time fee of $299 for a commercial site. This is less for non commercial (non-profit) but most clients will fall into the commercial category. The cost may seem a hurdle at first but break it down into billable hours and it starts to make more sense in terms of profit margin. At a $100 per hour rate this accounts for 3 billable hours.
Let’s say you have a project that requires customization beyond what a free application offers. Further there is no plug-in or component that will do exactly what you need without some form of compromise in function or design. This is not an unusual situation to be in as it happens quite frequently. For example say you need a CRUD solution with a customized report to display search results and you are using joomla. Due to a lack of built in functionality you may find yourself using a third-party component to build the form and manage submissions. When it comes to presenting the data for search you may spend several hours figuring out how to customize the report to the project’s specifications. This hurdle then cost you in time to come up with a solution. While there is a support forum for the third party module you remain at the mercy of the developers or a community member to get an answer to your questions. Maybe there is a subscription service offered, but this is yet another expense, and it only covers the third-party product. If we were using expression engine creating the form, the search, and the report would have been a straightforward process and any further customization could have been handled without the need for a third-party plug-in/add-on/component. This in turn would have saved us hundreds of dollars in time spent on the project.
The example above is only one instance where a seemingly simple project escalates in cost due to the lack of flexibility of, in this case, joomla. Not only is there a cost associated with development there is also an unseen cost in maintenance. For instance: joomla has a security issue that warrants an upgrade. If you are not actively looking for this issue, days or weeks can pass before you are made aware of its existence. During that time sites are vulnerable to attack and should one fall victim the cost in fixing the issue and more importantly in client relationship escalates far beyond the initial cost of the project itself. There is more, with each update you not only have to worry about the core system, but also with the third-party components the site depends on for advanced functionality. We now have to keep track of these for vulnerabilities as well as the software they run on which in turn is an added cost. (note: wordpress offers an excellent update system and is my first choice for smaller projects)
Here lies the value of a paid product which contains the ability to extend itself beyond the typical free solution. When you purchase Expression Engine you not only receive the license to run the software, but also support from the developers and community so that problems are addressed in a personal manner as opposed to relying solely on a community to answer a question (or not as is often the case). Your product is also backed by an active development program that has a financial incentive to push the software forward in a responsible yet innovative manner. You will be made aware of security issues rather than discovering they exist allowing a proactive approach to fixing potential problems. This is in contrast to the reactive (damage control) mentioned earlier. Should there be a need for a third-party solution there is an active group of developers out there with a wide array of solutions, at the same time creating your own add-ons is an easy process that is supported with extensive documentation and support forums (just like the free solutions).
The bottom line is your bottom line, what seems to be a cost can be a savings when the total cost of each solution is examined. While there are times when a free solution is a wise choice, I believe this to be the exception and not the rule. It is important that you determine what tools you want to use and stick to them so that you can build a solid understanding of their abilities and limits. This will help you judge projects in terms of total cost. The end result will be a savings of time and money which in turn increases profit margin and good will associated with your brand.
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