So anybody got any favourites.

Java or PHP, ideally simple to install as to start with it's going to be running on an old server on a DSL line until it generates enough interest to be worth hosting.

Preference for not having to install a seperate DB mainly because that means home hosting would be more simple and then hosting would be chaper due to not needing MySQL support.

So far Mambo and Wordpress are being played with.

But how many php hosting plans these days can you find without at least one small mysql db included? I should just crack on with WordPress.

When it comes to hosting, learn from my mistake and no matter what special offers / cash back / discounts Fast Hosts are doing, avoid. Have a look at 34sp.com. Cheap as chips and not had any problems with them.

Edited 11 August, 200916 yr by wega3k

Wordpress is not a CMS :P Its a fantastic blogging application, and it can be turned into a CMS of sorts with various plugins but that just adds to many variables to go wrong imo. There is joomla but i have never got on with it, i found it extremely hard to use!

A relative new kid on the block is Expression Engine, i know ColinD is a big fan and from the very limited use i have had it does seem very good.

There is also drupal to consider, i have never used it so cant comment on it really.

Expression Engine is incredibly powerful if you wanted to give that a go, it's also relatively easy to develop plugins, modules etc for - I'm working with it in a freelance project at the moment.

We bookmark cool looking cms's a lot - have a flick through this:

hughesmedia's cms Bookmarks on Delicious

My new Octavia-vrs.com is on Drupal although I've still got work to do on it.

I wonder if the cost of hosting might be better considered rather than bogging down your DSL line. I've used Ryanhost.com - Affordable Website Hosting and Domain Registration - Home Page pretty much since I started the sites. I've come to know Jim the guy that owns the company, one thing that works for me is that he offers customer support via MSN so if I have a snag I just call him up and he's onto it straight away.

Edit - I have the Bronze Package http://ryanhost.com/cms/pages/hosting-plans/compare-saver-plans.php

The DSL line is a fast one with a very high upload rate (at a cost) and there is a server there, so it's worth me playing with the site on that until i'm happy and it gets some hits.

As soon as it starts getting any significant amount of throughput I'd be moving it to a host.

I'll have a look at the hosts mentioned but I have a local one I used to work for, so that shouldn't be a problem.

RE wordpress not being a true CMS, sure valid point, but it will do for a website and I don't want to have to do any coding on it as I do enough of that during the day. Hence the simples comment

Still I'll have a look at the ones mentioned and having a quick look drupal does look interesting.

Ta