Key features include: Easy WYSIWYG templating with FULL customization, photo gallery, article comments, content syndication through RSS, template export/import, dynamic menu builder, article management with date scheduler, unlimited category sections, search engine friendly urls, CMS module, automatic content archiving, multi-user with different access levels for user groups, customizable admin themes, support for Google AdSense and Yahoo Search ads, most popular articles, article rating, XML/PDF/TXT article version generation on the fly and many more... FREE 1 year support and upgrade included. Download new patches directly from admin panel. Get your leased or download license. FREE Trials available!
Our Experience With PHPCOW Rating: Author: Rich Caporali Posted:Wednesday, May 28 2008, 18:24:41
PHPCOW has some very good features.
1. Where other applications have poor template implementation, PHPCOW makes it extremely simple, allowing you to use either one of their pre-built templates, or use the wizzywig editor to create your own customized templates.
2. Although there are some bugs, features like RSS/ATOM feeds and block management (how your articles are displayed) make managing a site fairly simple and straightforward.
3. Although it isn't listed or linked on their site, they evidently now have a support forum called PHPCOW HELP.....which will hopefully cut down on problems with their staff.
With the good comes the bad:
1. The root of all the evils is the wizzywig editor (which even PHPCOW has said is awful). We hooked them up with Cute Editor, which is by far the best editor I've ever seen, so hopefully PHPCOW 3 will be a much better program.
2. PHPCOW is a resource heavy application. We've used a variety of servers and had problems regardless of how much we invest. We've been told by PHPCOW that our server is the problem, but they refuse to help optimize it, or to publish fixes or recommendations on their site....instead they want you to buy into their small overpriced servers. We've lost countless articles, and hundreds of hours of work because the program decided to not save work, freeze up, etc.
3. The support is very bad. I've been as vocal as anyone about this. I think part of this is a language barrier, as they are based in Spain. However, as a business, they really need to improve how they treat customers/potential customers. With a program this involved, which has so little documentation about its features.....but uses encrypted software, they need to understand people are going to need help and guidance.....but they have little time or patience for people that need help.
Looking around, I'd say that we are one of the few people around who have anything positive to say about PHPCOW......regardless of the issues, we still recommend it based on its price, features, and ease of use.
I've been banned by PHPCOW for "abusing them" in a thread at Digital Point forums. I have to say that they are mistaken......We are tough on them, yes, but far less than others are....and if banning anyone who says anything negative is how they do business, they are gonna have problems. We continue to recommend PHPCOW to people, have sent them customers, and have made recommendations and pointed out bugs to them. However, I have to say that we have been extremely patient with them for a long time through a lot of bugs, lost work, crashed server, etc. We were promised updates and patches more than 6 months ago, as well as a support forum (this is the closest I've seen)....hence, we have a reason to be a bit perturbed with their staff.
I'm honestly hoping they come to their senses on this banning us and ignoring our emails. We've invested way too much time, effort, and money into PHPCOW to be treated the way we have, and for them to deny us any patches, fixes, support tickets, or updates to a program we purchased is unacceptable....
There is an 8 page thread that gives a lot of background on PHPCOW at Digital Point Forums that I encourage anyone considering PHPCOW to read.......its not all positive, nor is it all negative.....it points out a lot of issues and concerns, as well as great features.....like any objective review should.
