Frequently Asked Questions

Overview

How is Sitemasher different from other website development applications?

Sitemasher doesn’t just focus on one area of the website lifecycle, such as design, content management, or maintenance. Sitemasher takes care of the entire lifecycle of a website, and delivers this function as a service. We differ from the competition by using the latest web technology to build an integrated and extensible architecture that provides an interactive, wizard-based, drag-and-drop design and development experience. In addition to the ability to create, update, and maintain the design of a website, Sitemasher provides a rich, technical framework that lets you create data-driven web applications without programming.

How is Sitemasher different from a content management solution?

Content management is an integral part of the Sitemasher system. Unlike traditional website development, in which the content management system must be designed and integrated with a website (adding to cost and support), Sitemasher’s management platform allows web designers, website owners, and web content owners to create, update, and maintain websites. Sitemasher offers all the functionality of a content management system, such as role-based access, version control, importing of documents and multimedia files, web-content publishing, and much more.

How can Sitemasher improve my website’s ROI?

Sitemasher provides a new standard in ease-of-use with sophisticated, feature-rich software. This allows you to lower your total cost of ownership, as Sitemasher provides faster business benefits and more flexibility. You can achieve business goals at a fixed monthly cost for web development, deployment, and hosting. And as Sitemasher is delivered as a service, the acquisition cost of hardware and software is eliminated.

What are the system requirements to deploy Sitemasher?

Sitemasher is a web-based software service, so there is no software to download, install, or support. You spend less on technical resources, as Sitemasher maintains the system.

What technical skills do I need to build a website with Sitemasher?

If you can use Microsoft PowerPoint, you can use Sitemasher. Sitemasher allows users with no programming skills to create, test, publish, and update dynamic, data-driven websites. Sitemasher provides the ability to generate quick marketing campaigns or to keep a robust, database-driven website up to date.

Does Sitemasher support different web browsers?

With Sitemasher, you never need to worry about the functionality of your website in different browsers, because the platform has been developed to support multiple browsers. Sitemasher’s intelligent object feature allows for the recognition of graphics that are not supported by a web browser. For example, if the browser does not recognize Flash, Sitemasher automatically serves up content created by the website content owner that is appropriate for the browser. Sitemasher currently supports Internet Explorer 7, Firefox, and Safari.

Does Sitemasher allow for the creation of mobile websites?

Yes, Sitemasher re-factors sites into a mobile format. This means that you can serve your website on the web and in mobile phones without creating a second version. And you can visually test how a site will look on a mobile device without having to test it on a physical mobile device. By creating an integrated marketing campaign between websites and mobile sites, you can also increase your market share.

How do I purchase Sitemasher?

Sitemasher is in the final stages of development and is currently available as a public pre-release. If you’re interested in trying out our platform, why not register with Sitemasher – we’re always looking for customer feedback. Additionally, you can sign up to our pilot program, which pairs designers and developers with website owners to port existing sites onto the Sitemasher platform.

What is SaaS?

Software as a Service (SaaS) – meaning delivering, accessing, and hosting software over the Internet – is increasingly popular for its ability to simplify deployment and reduce customer acquisition costs. You pay as you go via a subscription licensing model, rather than making a large, upfront investment in hardware and software. Market recognition of SaaS’s economic and time saving efficiencies is causing a dramatic shift in the e-commerce and software distribution paradigms.

What are the key benefits of Sitemasher?

When you use Sitemasher to build, manage, and optimize your website, you can take advantage of many benefits, including the following:

• The Sitemasher platform is managed at our hosting facility rather than at each customer site. This enables you to access Sitemasher remotely via the Internet from anywhere in the world.
• The Sitemasher-administered infrastructure enables a scalable, reliable architecture that allows businesses to grow on demand.
• As Sitemasher is centralized, there are no patches and upgrades for you to manage locally on your server. Updates will automatically be pushed to our servers to ensure you always have the highest level of security and the best user experience.
• Sitemasher is a lower-cost solution offering the same benefits of licensed software, because there is no software to purchase, deploy, or upgrade. You only pay to use the software.

Building

Questions from Sam (Website Designer)

Sam: I’ve heard that you guys provide a simple solution for marketing or template-based sites. I’m a designer, so I need to be able to work with a blank canvas to fulfill my vision. Surely you can’t do that with a drag-and-drop system?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is an online solution that allows you to build, manage, and optimize sophisticated, fully functional websites without the need for programming. Sitemasher is definitely not a template-based platform. As a matter of fact, we’ve ensured that you can create any design you like – from scratch – on a blank canvas.

Sam: Okay, so that’s the build part and it’s WYSIWYG, but I’ll still need a programmer to implement my design to make it go live, right?

Sitemasher: No, the environment you build in is the live environment for publishing. There is no traditional implementation where you require programming. You simply build, preview, and then publish with a click of a button.

Sam: Great! But I have to be honest with you – I’m a Dreamweaver expert and the last thing I want to do is learn a new design or build tool. Is there any way I can use my Dreamweaver mockups on your platform?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher allows you to work with whatever software you like, so you can still use Dreamweaver, FrontPage, Expression Web, or any application you’re most comfortable with. You can even import other templates into our system. As long as the mockups or templates are in standard HTML format, you can bring them into Sitemasher.

Sam: Hmmm…sounds cool, but I guess I’ll still need programmers to implement forms and databases.

Sitemasher: Actually, this is the best part about Sitemasher. As a designer, you can set up forms and databases for your website, and fully integrate them into the system without programming. This allows for much quicker implementation of sophisticated websites. If you need to update a form, simply drag a new field in, and it all gets hooked up automatically under the hood by Sitemasher.

Sam: Okay, so you’re telling me that I can build what I like, I can implement forms and databases quickly and easily, and I can go live with a simple preview and click of the Publish button? This system is starting to sound pretty powerful. What about when I hand the website over to my customer – do I have to map a CMS to it?

Sitemasher: Our build environment incorporates content management, so you can update both website design and content instantly. Changes you make to the design won’t affect the mapping of the content of your website. Everything in Sitemasher is drag-and-drop and uses a WYSIWYG interface. We also deal with many common, cross-browser compatibility issues.

Sam: Wow! That would be a big time saver for me. Now, can Sitemasher help me streamline the feedback and approval process?

Sitemasher: As Sitemasher is an online service, you can easily show a preview of your design to clients or coworkers. There’s no uploading, no broken links pointing to your hard drive, and no need to register a domain until you’re ready to publish. We have built-in functionality to let reviewers comment on individual pages from within our Dashboard.
 
Sam: So I can actually put together an entire site by myself! That’s great! What if I want secure logins, shopping carts, picture galleries, or anything similarly complex?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher will provide an array of widgets and modules that you can add to your website by simply dragging them onto the page. There are many components of websites that most people use again and again. We build highly configurable components once, so they can be reused by everyone.

Sam: There must be a downside to your system. What about extensibility or customization? You guys aren’t going to make everything available for every customer. I make very powerful sites for companies that really want to leverage their business online. I find that every website I make requires a specific tool or application, such as a hotel booking system or a point of sale system. How do you guys address this part of the equation?

Sitemasher: You’re right, Sam. Many customers may want something that we don’t supply out of the box. That’s why we have chosen to use standard ASP.NET user controls as a way to extend our product. If you or your programming partner want to make custom applications or widgets, and you’re familiar with ASP.NET, you can make them for Sitemasher.

Sam: So I do need some level of programming to make this work?

Sitemasher: Yes, but only if you want to add a customized component. With Sitemasher we believe that you should be able to cut your implementation time and costs in half. Instead of worrying about standard implementation of the website or forms and databases, you can focus on adding value through great design and custom widgets. We have found that programmers and designers spend up to 50% of their time updating websites and doing standard implementation rather than adding value. Wouldn’t you rather focus on the areas that make you money instead of updating fields and navigation?

Sam: Okay, I’m impressed. If I could halve my implementation time and costs, I could spend more time getting more customers and increasing my revenues by adding value, and not just acting as an editor to the website. But how much is it going to cost me?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is free for designers and developers. All you need is a Sitemasher account to build a website and allow others to preview it. The billing is only turned on once the site is published to a domain. At that point, your client pays a monthly fee to Sitemasher.

Sam: Okay, hold on a second…you said free? So I just send my customers an invoice for my design and customization, and hand off the website to them after I populate their content?

Sitemasher: That’s right! You set up the roles and permissions for your customers to update the website as they need. In addition, as the designated designer or developer for that website, you will get a quarterly commission check from Sitemasher based on the number of business websites you have using Sitemasher as a platform. Your customer pays Sitemasher for the platform on a monthly basis and Sitemasher sends you a percentage of that. It’s our way of making sure that the business or website owner is always serviced to a high standard.

Sam: So you’re telling me that I get the Sitemasher platform for free and for every customer I bring onto Sitemasher, I get a commission? Well, how much do I get?

Sitemasher: We want to help you service your customers to the highest levels, while also helping you work together. The commission structure is based on the number of published websites you have on Sitemasher. Your commission kicks in when you have at least three Sitemasher-published websites. At that point, you get 15% of their Sitemasher payments sent to you on a quarterly basis. Once you have over ten websites on Sitemasher, that commission goes up to 20%.

Sam: I really like this. It sounds like Sitemasher will make my job much easier and improve my profitability.

Sitemasher: We hope so! Sitemasher allows designers to do what they like best – namely, to design. You can build a fully customized website with ease using our drag-and-drop interface. If you need to make changes, you can do them from any computer that has a web browser and an Internet connection. Sitemasher also gives you enhanced collaborative tools and easily configurable widgets and modules for commonly used website features, such as YouTube videos, photo galleries, or whatever is the next big thing. As Sitemasher is an online service, we are always updating our platform to give you access to all the latest technologies.

Managing

Questions from Zoe (Website Administrator)

Zoe: I’m not very technical with web stuff, so will I be able to use Sitemasher? Also, how does Sitemasher make my job as editor and content owner easier?

Sitemasher: With Sitemasher, you can edit content directly without the help of your programming staff. We provide an interface that allows you to make changes as you see fit. It’s called a WYSIWYG interface, which means What You See Is What You Get. You can even delegate content update tasks to others on your team, while retaining approval control so that you can review everything before letting it go live. Essentially, if you can send e-mail, you can update website content with Sitemasher – it’s that easy!

Zoe: Wow, that’s neat! So I don’t need to call someone to make changes to the website for me? But how hard is it to add images or create hyperlinks?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher makes it easy for you to upload images to the media library and then simply drag them onto your website page. And you can add and update hyperlinks using our content editor with just a click of a button.

Zoe: Sounds good, but I’m not that confident about editing content directly. What if I make a mistake or break something on the website?

Sitemasher: Don’t worry – Sitemasher has powerful versioning capabilities that allow you to revert back to an earlier version of the website, either by date or by specific change. And of course, you can always undo your changes one by one, as we keep a log of all your site actions. Sitemasher also includes a powerful Dashboard where you can edit content without having to go into the website. This lets less technical website owners and editors manage content directly, without being overwhelmed by development tools.

Zoe: Let’s say I want to update job or news posts on our website. Getting new content from different departments live on our website is typically a major bottleneck for us. How does Sitemasher make this easier for me?

Sitemasher: With Sitemasher, you can use our articles function to maintain any list of data, regardless of whether it’s a list of news items, jobs, or events. You can add new items and then sort them as you wish – for example, newest first, oldest first, or by displaying just a few items at a time.

Additionally, you can use our roles system to assign editor status to a member of your Human Resources department who can then quickly add content to the job list or update job posts. And if you like, you can approve or reject the content before it is published to the live site.

Zoe: It sounds like many bottlenecks are removed by using Sitemasher. Is the program really difficult to install?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is an online service (SaaS), so you don’t have to install anything. You’ll be able to update your site content from any computer that has a web browser and an Internet connection. In fact, you can even update your site from your mobile phone.

Zoe: That’s great! How about adding new pages for, say, product promotions or special events?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher allows you to duplicate pages or create new pages based on master pages (templates) with just a click of your mouse. You can then delete the old text and add whatever new information you like. And if your website was designed using our automatic menu-generation feature, your new pages will appear wherever you place them in the sitemap.

Zoe: So basically Sitemasher will let me do a lot of the content updates that previously someone else had to do?

Sitemasher: Yes, Sitemasher’s goal is to empower our customers to do more with their websites. We want to make the entire website updating process less painful. Many companies often find themselves in a situation where they have spent a ridiculous amount of money setting up their website, only to realize a few months later that it is incredibly difficult to make any changes to it. Sitemasher is looking to start a new era in website control. There’s really no reason why you shouldn’t be able to make direct changes to your website easily and quickly. The core of your website is the content and that should always be current.

Zoe: Okay, one last question. I’ve been looking at a content management system that I was told would allow me to make changes to my website in the way you describe. Is this true?

Sitemasher: A content management system (CMS) will allow you to make basic changes to your website. However, if you make any fundamental changes, such as changing the navigation or database structure, the CMS will have to be reconfigured to work with your website.

Usually a CMS is added to a website after it has been built and is mapped to that website to allow owners to make changes. This mapping can take up to 90 days and can cost thousands of dollars. And if you decide to make a change to the way the website is built at a later date, the CMS will have to be remapped, which costs yet more time and money.

With Sitemasher, our CMS capability is integrated into the system, which completely removes the need for mapping. So if you make a fundamental change to your website, Sitemasher automatically remaps the website in real time as you make the change. Sitemasher is a platform that will allow you to build, manage, and optimize your website – all in one application!

Optimizing

Questions from Ned (Website/Business Owner)

Ned: “Sitemasher is a SaaS-based website lifecycle platform” – yah, so what? I have no idea what this means. All I know is that my current system is slow, expensive, and inflexible. Exactly how can Sitemasher help me?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is an online tool that makes building and managing websites easy for business owners. You shouldn’t have to worry about programming or implementation. Sitemasher takes away that pain and lets you update your website through your web browser. So you can update your site and collaborate with your staff or your designer from any location at any time.

• Sitemasher Studio is the software that runs your website and allows you to build, manage, and optimize it without the need for programming. By providing an integrated solution for all three areas, Sitemasher offers a better investment for your business than buying several software packages for many times the cost. If you had to buy these packages separately it could cost thousands of dollars. Sitemasher gives you the opportunity to pay on a monthly basis and continue to get updates as the industry changes. Think of this as an all-in-one solution for your website rather than looking to several people and technologies to run your website.
  
• The Sitemasher Dashboard provides an area where you can make simple changes to website content, collaborate with your team, assign roles and permissions, and also communicate with other developers.

Technology

Questions from Vinny (Website Programmer)

Vinny: Okay, so you guys say you can provide sophisticated websites without the need for programming, right? Yah, sure! I’ve heard that before and all I’ve ever seen are more template-based websites. What makes Sitemasher so different?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is not template-based whatsoever, and allows for complete customization and extensibility in a drag-and-drop environment. This functionality includes implementation of both the site mockup and the back-end database structure. If you want to create custom code or applications, you can still do so through ASP.NET user controls. We are trying to make it easier for everyone by eliminating the programming required for simple implementation, while leaving the door open to add custom applications.

Vinny: Oh great – so now you’re telling me that you’re trying to put me out of a job?! If you eliminate programming, then what do I do? Not that I believe you can eliminate programming when building a website.

Sitemasher: Sitemasher’s focus is on adding value and reducing the amount of time and money it takes to update simple areas of a website. Currently, companies with sophisticated, custom websites need programming staff (internal or external) to implement the design, database structure, and CMS. Not to mention updating the system when design changes are made and creating customized systems, such as point of sale or hotel booking systems for example.

With Sitemasher, we believe the programming team should be allowed to focus on adding value to the website or applications instead of wasting time on mundane maintenance tasks. Wouldn’t you prefer to creating new technologies for your website rather than updating data fields and managing the website?

Vinny: What technology is Sitemasher based on? I’m not sure I really want to get to know a new technology. Also, what allows you to do what you do and how do I know it’s scalable? How do I know I can trust you guys?

Sitemasher: Sitemasher is based on .NET technology and is something you’ll easily wrap your mind around. We don’t want you to have to learn a whole new set of rules and conditions. If you’ve worked with Microsoft software and ASP.NET user controls, you can easily create custom applications for Sitemasher.  And if you’re more curious about how we do what we do, then keep reading…

Sitemasher is a multi-tenant website platform, built using C# on ASP.NET. The Sitemasher system consists of front-end web servers running Windows Server 2008 Web Edition connected to database servers running SQL Server 2005.  
Traditional website platforms rely on a one-to-one relationship between the website and IIS application. This multi-instance approach dramatically increases the complexity required for medium-sized companies that want to develop scalable, fault-tolerant websites.

The front-end of the Sitemasher web platform is built using AJAX.NET, which securely communicates to an ASP.NET server front-end using a combination of ASP.NET pages and ASP.NET web services. These front-end server components communicate with a business tier, built using C#. This business tier controls the logic and management of the platform and its runtime components. The storage layer is handled via mirrored SQL Server 2005 instances, and communicated to via a combination of LINQ and more traditional ADO access.

Vinny: Now you’re speaking my language! I wouldn’t mind trying this out.