Mambo CMS: Is it Still the top Content Management System?

Many would argue that Mambo CMS offers the best content management system around. Mambo CMS is a free, open-source CMS program available for download online. An open-source CMS means that anyone can work on the project that is Mambo. Programmers and software experts alike can go in and iron out bugs in the program. It also means they can create new functions to Mambo CMS systems. That’s where the line between free and not free becomes blurred with Mambo. There are some provisions where a distributor can charge for distributing the Mambo CMS program. However, the actual software for Mambo CMS is considered totally free. This can be confusing for a beginner who is simply shopping for free software. A general rule of thumb with Mambo CMS is to search until you find the free version. That is, unless you understand the bonus you will get by purchasing the software through another party.

The question with Mambo CMS is whether this content management system will stand the test of time. When Mambo first came out, it created quite a stir online and offline. It won several open-source software awards, starting in 2004. This award actually came from heavy hitter Linux. Over the years, the awards have dwindled yet some would argue Mambo is still the best. Many others would say that open-source is only as good as the people who are working on it. If there are sites other than Mambo CMS getting more traffic, then it may not offer all that it used to.

Today, Drupal seems to have taken the throne as the most popular free CMS. Drupal is another open-source software and it has a large following. Due to this, some of its systems may be more current than those at Mambo. Having up to the moment developments due to programmers focusing attention here certainly will give any software the edge. However, whether or not a software is the best also depends on what it is being used for. If you have no need for what Drupal offers, Mambo might be your open-source software of choice. Ultimately, it is a personal choice and that’s why open-source software can spark such a debate.

Concerned that there may be few open-source options that are right for you? That is a viable concern and that’s why other CMS options exist. Purchasing a complex system is a choice for CMS users. Or even purchasing a moderate CMS program can offer user-friendly results. Costs for either option can go anywhere from a few hundred to thousands.

Whether you choose to use open-source or purchase content management, it’s here to stay. Even watching programs like Mambo change and develop new choices are on the horizon. CMS users are adept at watching for changes on the horizon. In the end, Mambo CMS end up as just one content management system in a market of many.