Very first thing to consider is what server environment it will be running in, that narrows down the selection to a few hundred. Then if for example you'd be running it in a PHP/MySQL set up you might like to spend a few hours having a play around here...
http://www.opensourcecms.com
They have demo versions to play with, reviews, forums, etc. Even if you don't go with any of them it'll give you a very good idea of what you can do, need, want...etc.
With regards to web standards one of the things to look for is a flexible "template" or at least a clear enough separation between the HTML from the logic of the app.
Nick
Hi
I am interested to pick up CMS. Where do I start from? What are the basics I
should know before dabbling into it?
Any recommendations for both freeware and shareware CMS?
With Regards Jaime Wong
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