You run your own business and you've been thinking about the feasibility of creating a website.  You have business colleagues who have used DotNetNuke and highly recommend it.  But you just entered "What is DotNetNuke" into your favorite search engine and the hit list you got has scared you to death.  On the one hand, you're told it's free but on the other hand you've found sites offering to build your DNN -- the acronym for DotNetNuke -- website for only $300 or $400 or whatever.  Just what is DotNetNuke?

What is DotNetNuke?

DotNetNuke is a Website Content Management System (WCMS).  In simple language, it is a software application program developed by Microsoft that allows anyone -- even non-geeks -- to create and maintain a new website or add features to an existing website.  A menu driven interface takes you through the process.  A visit to the DotNetNuke website will tell you they state that it is quite "intuitive."  To test that claim you can register for a free demo account and actually play around with the software.  You can also sign up for Webinars on that site.  Both will give you much needed experience with DNN before you make any decisions on whether or not it is right for your business.

Why Use DotNetNuke

Some experts point out that since DNN is a Microsoft product based on the Microsoft.net framework it is only good for Windows operating systems.  This is seen as a disadvantage for the Linux and Mac OS X users.  But in an internet world dominated by Windows operating systems and servers is that really a disadvantage?  Unfortunately, yes.  You probably know by now that your website must be "hosted" on a service with enough servers to handle your traffic.  Most low cost hosting services use Linux.  In addition, sites are best viewed via Internet Explorer.  Visitors from Firefox may have some difficulties, although these are constantly improving as problems are noted.  Even with these disadvantages DNN has enough going for it that it currently powers well over 500,000 user sites around the world.  And since it is open source software supported by more than 700,000 users, it is constantly being updated and improved.

So why then should you consider using this program?  In a word, control.  Business owners can create and change content on the site without professional help.  Suppose you take the plunge and do it yourself.  You learn everything you can from the DNN Website, you buy "DotNetNuke for Dummies" and read it cover-to-cover five times and then you use DNN's modules to get going.  DNN has a professional edition -- which you pay for -- and a Community Edition -- which is free.  The professional edition offers some security and analytic features more suitable for larger businesses and you can always upgrade later.  With the Community Edition you have access to modules ranging from FAQs to Maps to Calendars to Surveys to Events and Announcements to Reports to Links and to News.  These modules all allow for direct interaction between your visitors and the site itself.  If you want to spruce things up a bit you can buy some different skins or additional modules from third party vendors.  And best of all you don't have to learn HTML to do this.  Download the software and start placing modules on your webpages -- it's a simple drag and drop operation.  Now let's suppose you hired an outside consulting firm to do it for you.  In either case, you have control over the content of the website.  You can make any changes you want to any page in your site right from the page itself.  All you have to do is identify yourself as site administrator and click a button on the page you are viewing to edit it and the changes will appear instantly.  If you've done your homework you know that content is key to a successful website.  The owner of the business is the expert when it comes to determining what content should go on the site, be deleted from the site, or be added to the site.  With DNN you have the control to do that yourself.  Good luck with your site!