CMSGarden - The Open Source CMS Garden Festival at CeBIT 2013
In September 2012 I got a call from Stephan Luckow, who is President of the German Drupal Association called "Drupal-Initiative". He told me about his idea of presenting all interested Open Source content-managment-systems at a common stand at the CeBIT 2013 event. CeBIT is the world's largest IT trade fair and takes place in Hannover, Germany, from March 5 - 9, 2013. He asked me whether I would like to represent the Joomla! project during the planning phase and work as a "hub" to inform the national and international Joomla! community about the project called "CMSGarden" - and of course I agreed immediately.
One could ask why I agreed to help in the project. The answer is quite simple: I strongly believe that every single participating CMS can benefit a lot from it. CeBIT is the world's largest trade fair for computer and internet technologies and offers us a unique possibility to reach people who are using internet technologies in their business every day. But even more important to me is this: a common project of multiple Open Source systems helps everybody understand that we're not really competitors. Instead, we have to be aware of the fact that our real competitors are closed source systems still used in web projects all over the world. We are one "big family" and should exchange our ideas, opinions and lessons learned so that everyone can benefit.
What is planned?
A total number of ten Open Source CMS's present themselves on a common, 100 sqm stand in the "OpenSource Park" at CeBIT 2013. Each system sends "ambassadors" who represent the system and are available for questions. The stand will be manned every day of the CeBIT week, which includes the professional-visitors-only days. An important part of the concept is that we abstain from "visible sponsors", and instead focus on presenting the strengths and unique features of our CMS. Another part of the concept is the "CMS-Competition", where all ambassadors get the same website to demo live onstage. Thereby the visitors will be able to get a feel for the different concepts of each system.
Currently the following CMS's are participating in CMSGarden: composite, Contao, Drupal, Joomla, Modx, OpenCms, papaya CMS, Plone, Redaxo und Typo3. You can find further information on http://www.cms-garden.org/de
How is this financed?
Because we don't want any "visible sponsors" at the stand we have to find another way the finance our costs, which sum up to a combined group total of approximately 100.000 Euros. Our idea is to create an "infobook", with 30,000 - 50,000 copies printed and available at all areas of the stand. Everybody has the possibility to buy an ad or an entry in our service provider directory and thereby support the project and present companies and services.
If you are interested in placing an ad or directory entry, feel free to take a look at the different sponsoring opportunities: http://www.cms-garden.org/de
What's up next?
Unfortunately, we have to hurry up and get the project going as soon as possible. Contracts will be signed for the stand during the last week in December, by which time 50,000 Euros is needed. If the target isn't met the stand will have to be cancelled. In that case, all sponsors would be completely refunded.
So please help us make this project happen! Share the word, spread the idea and buy an ad to make this great idea possible.
Comments can be made on the forum at https://forum.joomla.org/viewtopic.php?f=704&t=778633
