[TYPO3] Typo3 vs other CMSs

[Christoph Herrmann]

Hi all,

I would like some opinions/feedback on the advantages Typo3 has over 
other CMSs.

I have now spent 3  entire days with Typo3, 14 hours each.  The first 
install was impossible until I found a hosting package which installed 
through fantastico,  it took me an entire day to do one page template,  
I do not have access to the  header information of my html, it took me 8 
hours to try to get RealURL to work, or not to work, it just took me 5 
hours to upgrade to 4.0 and that broke everything, I had to learn 
typoscript, to be honest I still don't have the faintest idea of what 
I'm doing half the time, and all I try to do is replicate simple things 
I do within minutes in WordPress, Movable Type, PostNuke, which, 
granted, are a lot less powerful.

In comparison: I started 1 hour ago to look into Joomla. Installed in 5 
minutes. Read and understood template creation tutorials and have 
already the first very basic template up and running. The interface is 
much clearer, I have control over all aspects of my page/template, I did 
not have to learn a new coding language. I do not have to study code for 
hours to add a news elemtn, I just click an icon, I do not have to study 
for hours to add a blog element, I just click an icon etc etc.

1 hour against 42 hours and I'm pretty much at the same stage!!!

So, to go through all this pain typo3 must have some serious advantages 
over other CMSs. And I want the time I spent to be of use and continue 
using Typo3 (and not just that I'm a more knowledgeable person now :)). 
So: When and why should I use Typo3 and not any of the other CMSs? What 
makes it more powerful? Why does everyone stick around when there are 
seeminhly easier options available? Which clients should I develop a 
Typo3 based website for and which should I use other systems for?

Thanks for any help! I'm evaluating all of this right now so I can 
propose different solutions to my clients and explain why one is more 
appropriate than the other.

Cheers

Chris

-- 
Christoph Herrmann

Lemon Digital Design
Internet Professionals

Mail: cherrmann at lemon-digital.com
Tel.: +34.954.906.902
Mobile: +34.661.805.195
Web: www.lemon-digital.com