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Back in the beginning of the web (the 90′s), all websites were built with standard HTML (HyperText Markup Language) with some Javascript thrown in for embedded functionality. HTML programming is a huge task for any site with multiple pages, so specialized editors (Frontpage, Dreamweaver, etc.) were sold to simplify web development.

Then the open source guys went to work on a better way – They developed Content Management Systems (CMS) that required just an ftp (File Transfer Program) tool for uploading and just a browser for editing. They also broke web development down into three components, the framework, the content and the style, making consistent and easily navigable websites a snap.

The first CMS, PHP-Nuke, was primitive, but it spawned a whole new class of websites and web developers. While there are hundreds of CMS options today, the three big ones are WordPress, Joomla and Drupal.

WordPress (which is what this site is built upon) is popular among bloggers, but it’s also an excellent tools for smaller websites. In fact, smallish (5 pages or so) websites can be built in 30 minutes or less using WordPress … as long as all the content is available …

For more complex sites, Joomla and Drupal overlap, and after some evaluation, I went down the Drupal path. According to the logs, my first Drupal site was started 48 weeks and five days ago. That site was a replacement for an old HTML site, it received very positive reviews, and with that the die was cast.

At the time, I managed a dozen different HTML sites, some of which were beginning to show their age, and all of which required cumbersome editors. Last night, after 48 weeks and five days, my last HTML site was shut down and replaced with a Drupal implementation.

So today I’m 0% HTML – Not quite 100% Drupal because a number of WordPress sites were added, but good enough for me. Closing down HTML sites was a win-win – Customers received new sites for free and I simplified my site maintenance and upkeep going forward.

Honestly, customers don’t really care what’s driving their website as long as they work, so I really am the bigger benefactor. As I wipe the old editors (Dreamweaver and Sharepoint) from my hard disk later tonight, I’m going to be smiling!