Content management systems take care of the running and organization of the website. They provide important functionality like search features, the ability to have many people writing for the website without having to provide them with administrative access that could pose a security risk, the ability of end users to leave comments, the capacity to schedule the publishing of information - even when you are away!

And because content management systems take care of the technical details, they allow regular people to update and maintain their own websites - without calling on expensive web designers and developers to make minor adjustments. They allow people to add content without knowing a lick of programming code, by providing a WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get) editor in which to enter and format content.

This facility, to add and change your own content, can save you a fortune in the long run. It also gives you greatest flexibility as it means you can make the changes to your site when the changes need to happen - instead of trying to synch with someone else's schedule!

Even for those who know their way around HTML, content management systems provide features you cannot easily get with other, static websites. I am reasonably proficient in HTML, and as soon as I discovered content management systems, I didn't really look back.

I love the way they allow your readers to interact with your website. And they provide a level of organization to large sites that you just don't easily get with HTML sites. The biggest caveat for me was in finding how to make them search engine friendly, but Joomla can be set up with search engine friendly URL's.

Once installed, Joomla is relatively easy to use. Of course, if you have no idea about content management systems, it can help to have a little assistance.

That's where this Joomla Tutorial video comes in really handy. It shortens the learning curve for both installing a Joomla site, and setting it up correctly.

It shows you how to set up your categories, images, RSS feeds, and your blog, amongst other things. And all in a step-by-step way for even the most time-challenged person. You can check it out here...

Joomla allows for all the important features you need in a content management system. It supports page caching, which reduces the load on your server and means your site will run faster and use less server resources.

There are printable versions of pages - without having to mess around installing any extra javascript. This is a great functionality if you have good content, and something your readers will thank you for!

Joomla has its own blog. There are a few tricks to setting this up, but the video series I mentioned above walks you through the whole process. Having an integrated blog means you don't have to worry about using a third party system, with a different code base, and thus makes it very streamlined.

You can add forums, polls, and calendars, amongst other things. And Joomla even supports different languages!

One of the key advantages to Joomla over other content management systems, is the ease with which you can add text, images, and other content once it is set up. The administrative interface is graphical, so it's very intuitive to use.

Hosting Requirements For Joomla 1.5

Joomla is best installed on a web host running Linux. You'll need to have one database - preferably MySQL, and PHP. The following is a list of the minimum versions of these needed for Joomla to run well:

PHP 4.3 is the minimum. The recommended is PHP 4.4.3 or higher. The Joomla 1.5 documentation currently states that you should not use PHP 4.4.2 or PHP 5.0.4, although other versions of PHP 5.x are fine.

With PHP 4.4.x, there was a compatibility issue with the Zend optimizer, version 2.5.10, that goes with it. It is recommended you contact your host to ask them to upgrade to a later release when feasible if they are using this.

MySQL should be a minimum of 3.23x or higher. The optimal is the 5.x series.

Apache should be at least version 1.3, preferably version 2.2x

As well as these server capabilities, you'll need to have mod_mysql, mod_xml, and mod_zlib activated within the PHP. Ask your host if you aren't sure.

Hosting Requirements For Joomla 1.0.12

Like Joomla 1.5, you'll need to have mod_mysql, mod_xml, and mod_zlib activated. But you can run this version of Joomla on earlier versions of PHP. The minimum is PHP 4.2x but it can be run on later versions.

The minimum MySQL is 3.23x or higher
The minimum apache is 1.3x or higher

Joomla 1.5 is the newest version of this CMS. Although it is described as stable, it has been having the teething problems you'd expect of such a massive code rewrite.

Having said that, many users are having no problem with using it. Others report a different story. Ultimately, the success of 1.5 will depend on a number of factors, not least is the hosting environment you use.

Additionally, the plugins you use, and the functionality you want from your site, will also play a role in what version is best for you. 1.5 is being actively supported, with frequent rebuiilds of the code base, allowing you to download the latest bug fixes fairly quickly.

Not all plugins (or mambots as they are called for versions 1.0x) are supported in 1.5, and some of them require a bridge. This may affect their functionality and speed somewhat.

But there are a number of plugins that have been designed to work specifically with the new version of Joomla. These are listed below, courtesy of the kind folks at the forums who out the list together.

* yvComment
* yvSmiley
* JXplorer (File Management And Sharing System)
* Alias for PageTitle Plugin (SEO without core hack)
* AdSense Module (Clicksafe) for Joomla 1.5
* Random Image Plus
* Template Chooser Module
* Stage6Plugin
* Slider Plugin
* Custom Code
* Bad Behaviour Plugin
* Hello World
* Hello World 2
* NoFollow Plugin
* Ulti Clocks
* OSTWigits - Captcha
* BW Google Verified Plugin
* Ulti Sudoku
* World Time Clock
* WikiBot2
* Joomla! 1.5 templatebuilder for Dreamweaver
* MjazTools Personalize
* Radius Authentication Plugin
* SearchCloud and Lists 2.2 - SEO Boost - 1.5 Native
* Translations Manager
* eXtplorer
* JC User Import
* Joomla Advanced Message
* Jx Latest Commented
* IncludePHP
* RokClub
* RokTodo
* RokSlideshow
* RokZine (commercial)
* RokFinder
* RokThings (club membership required)
* RokDownload
* RokComment (club membership required)
* RokBridge
* mod_zulu
* Manifest Maker for Components

Courtesy of Joomla Forums

Joomla themselves use Rochen web hosts, and in the past they have used Lunar Pages. Rochen tends to be a bit pricier, and many other people use Lunar Pages and other hosts.

Those that get the thumbs up include

* Rochen
* Lunar Pages
* Bluehost
* IPowerWeb
* Siteground

People have also run sites on hostgator and 1&1. Generally, use GoDaddy only for your domain registration - they are not recommended as a Joomla host, although it can be done (the question is - would you really want to, when there are much easier options!)

These are not the only hosts available that support Joomla, of course. There are more options listed here: http://forum.joomla.org

Did you like these articles? Don't forget to check my Joomla Tutorial blog out, where I cover a lot more tips and useful stuff!

And if you're ready to build your very own, SEO friendly Joomla site the FAST way, stop by my Joomla Video Tutorials...