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MMBase is an opensource publishing system. MMBase can be used to create big websites that can be maintained easily. MMBase separates content from layout, in this way information can be reused easily. MMBase is very unique in the way it maintains its information. MMBase creates an object cloud that is a digital representation of the 'real' world objects that are of interest for you.
You can find the MMBase web site at: http://www.MMBase.org.
Q: When did you start and what was your motivation?
A: The VPRO, a Dutch broadcasting organisation, started to build a content management system in 1996. They had to deal with people that made television programs. These people wanted to publish their information on the internet. To be able to facilite these program makers in an easy way, they needed a CMS system. The market didn't provide proper tools at that time, so the VPRO had to create their own tools. This eventually resulted in a nice open source project: MMBase.
Q: How many people are involved and how is the project organised?
A: There are many people involved. Many people know about MMBase and many organisations are using it. Organisations like: Ilse (Dutch search engine and publisher of magazines), Local authorities of Amsterdam, Broadcasting organisations, Universities (see MMBase web sites). We currently have like 25 full time engineers belonging to the MMBase community, but there are like 80 programmers on the MMBase developers mailing list.
Q: What is your target audience or market?
A: MMBase is a big CMS system, and you need to have some technical skills to make web sites with it. This means don't use MMBase if you want to create a small or statical web site. MMBase provides a lot of functionality for people who have bigger site with information that changes.
Q: Which functions and tools are supported
A: There are some organisations that are creating tools for MMBase, i am sure they are going to support their products.
Q: Which open source license is applied?
A: MMBase uses the Mozilla Public License (see license).
Q: Which development environment or programming languages are used?
A: MMBase is completely made in Java. XML is used for configuration and everywhere were data is involved. MMBase contains some abstraction layers which enable you to use different webservers and databases.
Q: Do you offer paid support?
A: There are supporting companies (see Supporting Companies). And we are currently setting up a MMBase foundation that will guide people though the MMBase 'market'.
Q: What are your strategies and perspectives?
A: MMBase is, at least we think that, special in a couple of ways: Use of objects (which is a digital representation of this that interest you), it's basically made for editorial people, and last but not least, it is open source what enables people to improve MMBase together. We want to find people who are interested in MMBase, and make together a good CMS so we can communicate to our audience in the most suitable way.
If you have questions, please sent them to info@mmbase.org
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