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DNN Blog
Jul
4
Posted by:
Shaun Walker
7/4/2006
As an Open Source project, one of the things we tend to ignore are the marketing activities which consume 50%+ of the time spent at traditional software product companies. This is largely because Open Source tends to focus more on solutions than hype, but it does lead to problems - especially when you are pitching your platform to the "decision maker" crowd ( who are more interested in objective collateral than source code ). I thought I would take a few minutes to provide a simple feature matrix comparison of DotNetNuke versus ASP.NET 2.0 versus SharePoint Server 2003 ( SPS 2003 ) versus Microsoft Office Sharepoint Services 2007 ( MOSS 2007 ). Why include information on so many products you ask ( and some which are not yet even released ) ? Well the reason is because we constantly get asked questions like "Why should I use DotNetNuke when we could use Microsoft 'X' ?" ( replace 'X' with whatever product the Microsoft Marketing machine is pushing at that moment ). Obviously once you become familiar with DotNetNuke, and realize that a Web Application Framework has a very diverse set of strengths which you can leverage in your organization, your question will come full circle and more closely resemble "Why would I NOT use DotNetNuke when it delivers so much value at such a minimal cost?". Anyways, lets get on to the feature matrix:
Features Matrix Showdown
| Feature |
DotNetNuke® |
ASP.NET 2.0 |
SPS 2003 and WSS 2.0 |
MOSS 2007 and WSS 3.0 |
DotNetNuke® Benefits |
| Usability |
| Portal Framework |
 (Extensible) |
 (Web Part Framework) |
 (Proprietary) |
 (Web Part Framework) |
unlimited pages per site, unlimited modules per page, ability to display module on multiple pages |
| Browser-Based Administration |
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| Intuitive Control Panel |
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|
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| Inline Editing, Drag and Drop |
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| Site Search |
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|
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does not depend on third party components or services such as Index Server, etc... |
| Content Import/Export |
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| Templates |
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site and page templates ( with content ) supported |
| MS Office Integration |
|
|
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| Bundled Functionality |
| Announcements |
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| Blog |
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| Contacts |
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| Documents |
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| Events |
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| FAQs |
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| Feedback |
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| Discussion Forums |
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| Photo Gallery |
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| Html/Text Content |
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| IFrame |
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| Links |
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| Media |
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| News Feeds |
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| Custom Reports |
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| Directory |
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| Store |
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| Survey |
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| Custom Forms/Tables |
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| |
| Banner Advertising |
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| Newsletters |
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| Event Logging |
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| File Manager |
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| Recycle Bin |
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| Membership & Roles |
| Plugin Membership Provider |
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|
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support for all Microsoft Membership Provider attributes |
| Active Directory Authentication |
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| Internet/Extranet Authentication |
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| Public, Private, Verified Registration Options |
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| Plugin Roles Provider |
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additional support for Effective Date, Expiry Date, Avatars, Subscriptions, etc... |
| Security Role Trimming |
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role trimming control visibility at the Page, Module, and Folder level and also includes extensibility options for adding additional Permission types |
| User Profile |
| Plugin Profile Provider |
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| Extensible User Profile System |
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Profile items can be managed at run-time using an intuitive administrative interface. User interface controls generated automatically for collection of profile data. |
| Application Extensibility |
| Integrated Component Architecture |
 (Modules) |
 (Web Parts) |
 (Web Parts) |
 (Web Parts) |
|
| Rapid Development Model |
 (User Controls) |
 (User Controls) |
 (Server Controls) |
 (User Controls) |
|
| Developer Tool Support |
 (All VS2005 SKUs) |
 (All VS2005 SKUs) |
 (VS2003 Pro) |
 (VS2005 Pro) |
supports FREE Visual Web Developer Express 2005 and SQL 2005 Express |
| Code Generation Templates |
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|
|
|
uses integrated Visual Studio item templates |
| Automated Packaging |
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|
|
|
integrated with standard application |
| Efficient Distribution |
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|
|
single ZIP file |
| Run-time Installation |
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|
integrated with standard application |
| Designer Extensibility |
| Templating Architecture |
 (Skins) |
 (Master Pages) |
 (Themes) |
 (Master Pages) |
pre-compiled for maximum performance and flexibility |
| Design Tool Support |

|
 (VS2005) |
|
 (VS2005) |
Supports ALL design tools ( PC and MAC ) |
| Automated Packaging |
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|
|
|
integrated with standard application |
| Efficient Distribution |
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|
single ZIP file |
| Run-time Installation |
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integrated with standard application |
| Site Extensibility |
| Site Virtualization |
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|
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supports multiple virtual sites from a single application/database based on URL |
| Friendly URLs |
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|
|
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flexible RegExp URL Rewriting engine |
| Localization |
| Resource File Framework |
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|
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| Run-time integrated editor |
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| Scalable |
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Does not use satellite assemblies ( satellite assemblies can cause memory consumption issues in hosted environments ) |
| Automated Packaging |
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integrated with standard application |
| Efficient Distribution |
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|
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|
single ZIP file |
| Run-time Installation |
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integrated with standard application |
| Security |
| Medium Trust Compliant |
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| Document Management |
| Secure Document Storage |
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|
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supports storage on file system and in database |
| Infrastructure |
| XCOPY Deployment |
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| No IIS Customization |
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| Web Farm Support |
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| Multiple Database Support |
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| Shared Hosting Optimization |
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| Community |
| Professional Plugin Ecosystem |
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| Professional Designer Ecosystem |
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| Support Forums |
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| Licensing |
| License |
Open Source |
|
$$$ |
$$$ |
licensed under an enterprise-friendly BSD/MIT open source license |
| Source Code |
 |
|
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|
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| Pricing |
| Price |
FREE |
FREE |
$40,000 |
(Not Released) |
|
Please note that this blog was influenced by other recent blogs by Bil Simser and Richard Dudley ( whom I wish to thank for sharing their objective opinions ).
9 comment(s) so far...
Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
One thing that is not immediately clear from the matrix is the ease with which you can redistribute and install DotNetNuke extensions: whether it is a module, a skin or a language pack. To really see the power in the DNN implementation take a look at some of the trials that a Sharepoint developer goes through: http://weblogs.asp.net/bsimser/archive/2006/07/04/Automating-your-Web-Part-builds-_2800_and-distribution_2900_-with-WPPackager-and-NAnt.aspx. The unstated part of Bill Simser's posting is that the minute you have to start modifying policy files or running MSIs, you have lost everyone who is running in a shared hosting environment.
By jbrinkman on
7/5/2006
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
As an Open Source product DNN underscores an observation from mainframe days - given the opportunity, customers will often write the best or most appropriate software for any platform. Then as now business developers don't require the equivalent of a combine harvester when all they are wanting to do is clean carpets. The extensible framework of DNN offers the most pragmatic business solution I've seen since Microsoft dropped the essential business friendliness of visual basic. As Antoine de Saint-Exupery eloquently put it, "Perfection is achieved, not when there is nothing more to add, but when there is nothing left to take away."
By magnetron on
7/14/2007
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
I guess that we can include in DNN advantages - both Windows XP and Windows server 2003 installations, but Sharepoint 2007 can be installed only to Windows Server 2003. Hardware requirements is not so great. Due to Sharepoint 2007 - it also has page templates now ( but not with content). Office 2007 great support ( lists, Excel and Infopath support) is also advantage. But hardware requirements are more than for DNN.
By AlexNightingale on
7/25/2007
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
Hi Shaun,
You forgot the Built-In Scheduler.
By adnanshussain on
7/14/2007
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
Hi Shawn, Shaun your matrix has a very BIG error or the licensing/cost has changed since you created this matrix. I was told by Microsoft yesterday that the licensing for WSS follows the server’s licensing, which means the only thing you have to purchase to expose the server and hence WSS to internet and an unlimited number of users is to purchase the “external connector” which costs about $2,000 NOT $40,000. The $40K your quoting refers to MOSS.
I have a client, one that I am sure the DNN community would find beneficial to its install base, that had originally planned to use DNN for a new project, but now is considering SharePoint, in part because it is not as expensive as originally thought. Can you please communicate how you came to the conclusion that WSS is $40K when actually it is free with W2003S and only an additional $2K to expose to the web?
Thanks
By jahall4 on
12/6/2008
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
I've seen some good reviews on other sites that date back to 2006. This one is pretty fair based on that time frame as well. Any updates coming now that we are into the clear [or not so clear] share point plan and cambrian plans?
Thanks much
By tcgx_wsmith on
12/6/2008
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
Is there a chance please that this matrix could be updated to compare the latest versions?
By Jeff Parker on
12/6/2008
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
Hi Shaun,
I will appreciate if you can update this metrics and re-post this blog entry. I know that DNN has gone through so many updates since 2006 to the current version and hopefully the 5.0 version that will be comming up soon. I will really appreciate if a new comparison is available from you that will help me make the future decisons and also to showcase the advance features of DNN in comparison to sharepoint.
Also please post a link to the new post in this post as this post comes up in the google search.
Thanks.
By wasay on
12/6/2008
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Re: Feature Matrix Showdown
I think the following Blog has a good description of why the current version of SharePoint still does not meet the needs of the SMB market from a licensing perspective:
www.cmswire.com/cms/web-cms/sharepoint-web-content-management-licensing-was-botched-002284.php
The "Internet Connector" license price is out of reach for most small business owners.
By Shaun Walker on
12/6/2008
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