# Content Management System Description
Built in 1996 and still running on bagus.org, this JSP-based content management system represents an early, innovative approach to web content organization that predates modern MVC frameworks. The system operates on MySQL and uses a non-MVC architecture where JSP pages directly include configuration and display components, creating a straightforward but powerful content management workflow.
At its core, the system enables the creation and management of multiple independent content areas, each capable of organizing information across three interdependent navigation dimensions. These dimensions are represented by x, y, and z parameters that work together to create flexible, multi-faceted content hierarchies. Each content area can define its own navigation structure, allowing different sections of a website to have completely different organizational schemes while sharing the same underlying system.
The three-level navigation system is the system's most distinctive feature. Rather than forcing content into a single hierarchical structure, it allows content to be simultaneously organized along three different axes. A real-world example is the krewe de groove content area, which uses one navigation dimension to organize content from five different eras of the band, another navigation dimension for all the venues where the band has played, and a third dimension for band business matters. These dimensions can be combined in various waysâ??content can appear at the intersection of all three dimensions (xyz), any two dimensions (xy, xz, yz), or along a single dimension (x, y, or z). This creates a rich, multi-dimensional content space where the same piece of content can be accessed through different navigation paths.
The system's architecture centers around several key database tables. The "matrix" table stores page configurations, defining how content should be displayed, sorted, and organized for each unique combination of topic code and navigation parameters. The "pulldowns" table manages the navigation items themselves, storing the names, codes, and relationships for each navigation dimension. Content is stored in "contentbase" and "meta" tables, with the meta table handling the complex relationships between content items and their positions within the three-dimensional navigation space.
Content management is handled through an administrative interface that allows editors to create and organize content, configure navigation structures, and set display parameters. A key functionality is the ability to move and reorganize content between navigation areas and site areas, allowing content to be restructured as organizational needs evolve. The system supports granular permission controls, allowing different editors to manage different content areas or specific navigation dimensions within an area. Content can be assigned to specific combinations of x, y, and z values, and the system automatically generates appropriate navigation menus based on where content actually exists.
The display system is highly configurable, with each content area able to be uniquely designed while sharing the same underlying system. Each page can define its own sorting methods, display formats, column layouts, and publication rules. The system implements cascading interfaces where design elements, styles, and configurations can be set at higher levels and inherited by lower-level pages, but can also be overridden at any level to create area-specific customizations. This allows for both consistency across related content areas and complete design freedom for individual sections. Content can be sorted by date, rank, or custom criteria, and the system supports features like timed publishing, content reviews, and multi-column layouts. The flexibility of the three-dimensional navigation system means that content can be organized in ways that make sense for the specific subject matter, as demonstrated by the krewe de groove area where band history is organized across eras, venues, and business matters simultaneously.
Despite its age, the system continues to serve its purpose effectively, demonstrating that well-designed data structures and organizational principles can create lasting, adaptable content management solutions. The three-dimensional navigation approach, while perhaps unconventional by modern standards, provides a level of organizational flexibility that many contemporary CMS systems struggle to match.
