content management

Content management generally refers to software packages which automate various aspects of publishing and document storage, such as: creation; editing; version control; publishing; status reporting; workflow and approval processes.

In net-speak, this is generally "content management system", typically either an overly expensive purchased chunk of software (and consulting/customization) (e.g. Vignette) or a hacked together mess that will probably break when you want to change the way you "manage content" for your site...

Additionally to the above by deus_x, Content Management Systems (CMS) stand on similar ground as classic editing systems for pre-press-processes of newspapers and other print publications.

Todays CMS interface with processes like e-commerce systems (shops), syndication systems (content brokerage), advertisment systems (banner, ad-server) and other applicaions.

For electronic information and communication infrastructurs like the internet or mobile system the content delivery (CDS) is one the most importent applications interfacing with CMS. Besides working on the same objects, these systems have nothing in common. Nevertheless CMS-Manufacturers provide CMS and CDS (content delivery systems) mostly closely coupled in one product.

Commercial trends seem to go away for large monolithic "all-in-one" solutions. This brings a big foucs on interfaces and scopes of systems.

In the german market, in which the internet content is mostly provided by the classic print publishing houses, there is still need for integrated print/online editing systems. This seems to be a easier than it really is, because of the big difference in output quality.