Zimplit CMS 3.0 Eases Reseller Implementation Woes

By Leigh Gable Oct 7, 2009 Comments

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For its 3.0 release, Krabi & Mask — the folks behind Zimplit CMS (news, site), have refined the fully rebrandable, commercial version of their CMS to target web hosting resellers looking to add a simple web site creation tool.

Zimplit 3.0 install includes demos, documentation and a selection of templates — all rebrandable. Zimplit's site-edit toolbar can be customized as well to suit the color scheme and editing needs of the reseller and their target market.

Targeting the Resellers

The company claims that the install takes just 15 minutes for end users, and that the commercial install is only slightly more complicated. It will work with most hosting panels such as Plesk, cPanel and even home-grown panel solutions.

According to the developers, the 3.0 release simplifies installation for the commercial version and updates the configuration system so that a reseller can easily add/remove languages, change logos (as before) and add design templates for the end users.

"Make It Zimple"

On the client end, there is no question that Zimplit trades functionality for simplicity, but for the reseller market the "Make it Zimple" philosophy has its advantages. For what it trades in CMS functionality, Zimplit gains in ease of installation and use.

Clients with minimal web content management needs only need to pick a template and upload a resulting ZIP file. Updating their site is then as easy as logging in and using the intuitive editing toolbar, familiar to the most casual Adobe Photoshop or MS Word user.

Zimplit's own demo site and tutorials are attractively designed, with pleasing colors and a playful tone that fits well with a target audience of kindergartens, smaller businesses and casual end-users in need of some reassurance as they embark into uncharted territory. This is an encouraging sign for the customized, re-branded demos and materials that Zimplit promises. Hopefully, they will be of a similar quality.

Trading Scalability for Simplicity

Of course, as a Micro CMS, Zimplit doesn't scale well with increasing CMS demands. According to recent forum posts, there is no support for multi-language installations, and dynamic template selection is still being implemented. And, as previously mentioned in one of our first looks at the community version of Zimplit CMS, while the exclusion of a database simplifies installation for clients, storing site data exclusively in HTML may be taking the quest for ease of use too far.

As long as the focus remains on the Micro CMS market however, Zimplit has an undeniably attractive product for resellers looking to expand their offerings. And the developers at Krabi & Mask seem committed to improving their product. The forums are active with responses to enquiries, and an update of the UI hot on the heels of the 3.0 release is set for the end of October.