Kevin Airgid is an internationally recognized designer, author and speaker. He runs a small interactive studio that develops creative projects for clients such as: Amnesty, ESPN, Ford, MTV and Pepsi.
List of Flash CMS Systems (or lack there of)
More and more I have clients who want to update elements in Flash…. and more and more I find it hard to find Flash CMS (content managment systems) that aren’t either too expensive, or just plain hard to use. This article really isn’t a review of Flash CMS systems… (since I’ve never used any of these products) … It is more of a run down about my casual observations using demos.
With out further a do… here is my list (please email me if you know of more to add to this list). First I want to clarify what I mean by expensive… “expensive” means any CMS system over $5,000 bucks USD.
- Google Search for the term “Flash CMS”
- Atomz – This seems to be a custom solution… and I’m sure it’s super expensive.
- b82CMS – Seems well priced, but the interface leaves something to be desired…
- Flash Blocks – Price is good… interface ..hmm “ok”… worth a look. Here is a post from someone who is using FlashBlocks… not so positive for us non-actionscript kiddies.
- Digital Publishing Tool – Price? – Interface?? no demo online… but the site is well done. Hopefull the CMS is the same?
- ComaTool – Has a great feature set.. price? , usability?
- There are some rumors that Macromedia Contribute will soon be able to edit Flash!!
Note: I’ve done a review of FlashLoaded CMS here.
June 16-2009 Update:
Who knew this simple blog post would become so popular. It is now the 3rd link in Google when you search for the term “Flash CMS”. This is extra attention has made Flash CMS vendors wanting to post stuff here like mad. I’ve turned off “comments” on this post because I just don’t have the time to process all the requests. If you would like to sponsor this post or this site contact me.
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32 Responses
I have been looking for AGS for a proper flash CMS to work with!
All of these mentioned I have looked at, but absolutely NOTHING open source? I really hope that with all of the amazing new devewlopments made with flash 8 that this can be remedied. I’m all for it!
FlashBlog
FlashBlog is an open source CMS that uses a flash front end with a PHP/MySQL backend application. It’s a fairly new open source application, but seems stable.
I am working in a israeli comapny (Invoke), we have a nice CMS system called iChange and it works fine with flash via XML on MS SQL
our prices for the system starts at 2000$ a site.
Example of sites using our system:
http://www.ella-gonen.com
and
http://www.netto-solutions.com
(all of the sites media and content are manged by the system)
please feal free to visit our site for more info at:
http://www.invokeweb.com
or drop me a mail:
hello,
I discover a thing (yes it’s a thing) on http://www.fierri.com website – It’s between a flash cms and an online flash.. Really curious but the most advanced application for flash content management i see since three years..
We are working on a Flash CMS that should be released to the public within the next few months. It will be very affordable and subscription-based. Perhaps $10 per website. Designers can host any number of websites and give all of their clients access.
Check out http://getladybug.com/ and be sure to let us know if there’s any features you would like to see!
Regards, Raymond Brigleb, Needmore Designs
QCT has released an innovative full featured Flash CMS
Flash CMS is an easy to use content management system used by award winning marketing agencies. Check out LeoBurnett.com web site – one of the largest advertising agencies in the word to see what QCT Flash CMS is capable of and then visit http://www.qctltd.com for more case studies.
Flash CMS is built from the ground up to manage multi-channel content, including Flash, HTML, wireless, kiosks, DVD/CDs, desktop applications, print media and others.
QCT Flash CMS is the only CMS system that allows users on the fly to create FLVs, convert one type of media to another (ex. JPG -> SWF) and publish content to desktop applications and DVDs. With granual role/permission model, versioning and multi-lenguage support, QCT FLash CMS allows content managers to easly and effectively manage assets, develop workflows and publish content on the fly.
Together with QCT TRACK and CRM, it is a truly end-to-end marketing relationship system.
OPEN SOURCE FLASH CMS http://www.FlashXTR.tk
Check that out, the best free flash content management ever built.
i found this, not sure its good though
http://scripts.filehungry.com/product/flash/software/full-featured_flash_cms
Flashblocks ML (Flashblocks 2) has been out for about 6 months. It is, what I believe to be, a very impressive Flash CMS.
http://flashblocks.com
Hi Folks, please try out my free open source flash CMS DyncellFlash
http://www.flashcms.eu
I’m hoping to find more contributors, but for now it’s a full working simple flash cms.
My believe is that big sites aren’t made in flash, so this is a very basic approach to a flash cms.
This is without doubt the best Flash CMS I’ve come across (and a great designer too) – http://www.sbirchmore.com/demo
The awesome FWA just had a very interesting link to http://www.sbirchmore.com/demo (I think a few other people have spotted it as well by the looks at it)… I contacted the designer and it’s only £150 so definately worth considering over the other options listed above.
Hi, there’s also that one: http://www.picsengine.com . It’s a free one although I don’t know if its Licence is precisely defined. However the project seems serious and interesting.
Yours
Hello- VibrantFoto.com has developed a Flash website and a CMS written in PHP and MySQL: http://www.vibrantfoto.com. The website is designed for people interested in displaying their portfolio. With it, you get all of the source files so you can customize it anyway you would like.
I’m sure you guys must have checked this out…if not. http://www.10cms.com has a very cool system its built on flash component architecture and you sort of build the CMS into your site as you build.
I am looking for a really simple solution that enables client to edit their text.
I was really pleased to find http://www.saffronflashcms.com, that was until I bought it and tried it out.
The instructions are limited, when I emailed support, sales and info the emails bounced back and insult to injury the help forum is… well full of porn.
Really poor and disappointing support from a product that could have so much promise.
Don’t touch it with a barge poll.
This is more of a content editor for Flash (Images, Text, News) aimed at designers !!
Rather than over complicating the XML and trying to generate pages on the fly I just simply hard link to specific URL’s for the images and text (the admin renames any images once uploaded). Coding the actionscript is as simple as it gets really – if you know how to load an external JPEG and how to embed a font then you can use this 
As a designer you can have full control over every aspect – image size / image cropping / font face / text size / text colour / bold / underline / italic etc can all be customised by the designer for individual items in the admin so your clients don’t end up destroying the design like a child with a pack of crayons !
There is one more solution. Flashmint.com has a new product line – Flash CMS v.2 templates. They are fully editable and customizable.
Just saw this at the Flash in the Can festival and i was impressed.
They had some nice clients and cool development tools, definitively worth checking out
PG
Hi,
just thought I should point out SILEX, a good flash CMS that among other features handles SEO pretty nicely.
http://silex-ria.org/silex/
Ariel
Maki Cms, build up Flash website using a simple content manager, realize graphics website among many template proposed. Add new pages, insert a picture or create a photogallery take a few minutes.
A new and innovative Flash Cms
http://www.Flashalo.com (complete site and english version coming soon!)
Job with Flashalo Cms (Start project):
> http://portal.sportestremi.org/
> http://www.autoritaportuale.ancona.it/
> http://www.diandall.net
> http://www.colmexroma.org/
Hola!
Hi i’m developing a new rocking cms for flash. Its 100% flash compatible and very easy to use and setup.
Check out: http://www.secretary.dk
There’s a video where you can see it work.
Since today a new CMS for Flash, based on TYPO3 is available: Tomaso
Its features make it the most advanced cms for flash available at the moment.
More infos on: http://www.tomaso-cms.com
I’ve been working with the flash ria system called “flaria”.
Please check it out:
I’ve made also a simple texteditor panel:
http://www.simplecm.fi/en/index.php?Flash_CMS
… also working with the new solutions … 
Since today Tomaso is 100% Open Source. We hope for new developments and wish the community a lot of fun with the cms.
Sure wish it was in english!
You should check out my project. We are 9 strong so far. A great team of developers, designers and SEO types. Actively looking for a few more. http://code.google.com/p/flashxmlcms/
I have a very thorough Flash CMS here:
http://flashden.net/item/asset-manager-cms-and-file-editor/35949
And it’s definitely not expensive.
I am also looking for some flash content management systems, I found flash blocks being one of the best, because they offer a demo, but still doesn’t convince me to use it which I think they lack more modules to it. If only somebody made a free gpl flash cms would awesome and would like to join in, I am pretty sure I could be a use in giving great ideas, like doing some nice interfaces and flash extensions