Imagine a utopian world where client and/or department Web sites are easily deployed and the responsibility for content creation and modification is turned over to the administrators (non-programmers) of the site. Imagine site administrators creating new content pages consisting of pre-built content types like announcements, contacts, discussions, events, FAQs, news feeds, feedback forms, and even custom-developed content types all through the use of their browser, with no programming required. Continue imagining them creating new menu options and even adding new users and administering the security rights of users. Sound good? Now imagine all this available for free as an open-source VB.NET/ASP.NET project. Sounding even better? Welcome to the DotNetNuke content management portal!

DotNetNuke, affectionately known as DNN, is an open source (VB.NET), ASP.NET-based, content management system used to create easy-to-use, updatable, customizable, and secure content management portals for Internet and intranet use. Each site can support multiple portals so there are host-level options and portal-level options. A DNN Administrator user has total control of the portal-level options including membership, security, and content.

If you develop web applications you owe it to yourself to check out DNN! The TakeNote site was developed using DNN. Other than a couple of custom modules I coded (training registration and courseware ordering) the site consists of nothing but DNN core components, though others are available for download from a number of sources.

Very cool tool indeed...