Textpattern is a flexible, elegant and easy-to-use content management system. It is both free and open source.

1. Publish Textpattern features an intuitive interface which makes content publishing simple and easy
2. Organise Textpattern features unlimited sections and categories (article, link, file and image categories) - organise your content as you wish
3. Style Textpattern gives you total control over your templates and CSS – you decide how your site will look
4. Manage Textpattern has in-built file and image uploads, comments management, batch edit capabilities and referrer logs
5. Build Textpattern has an in-built tag syntax and reusable forms which give you total control over the presentation of your content
6. Collaborate Textpattern allows unlimited users - administrators may assign one of five privilege levels to each user
7. Extend Textpattern is lean yet feature-rich and a library of plugins enables you to extend your site

Promo items have to fit above the fold. Possible visual inspiration for images (if you can find suitable imagery): B/W with a touch of TXP oragen spots, a la Sin City; see Nemoorange's mockup:

The aim is to give three main audiences some details and links which will interest them enough to keep reading and find out more. The opening paragraph reaches all 3 audiences, the following 3 boxes target more specific audiences.

Textpattern is a highly regarded open source CMS running tens of thousands of websites. With a browser-based interface in over 30 languages, excellent support and fully featured, it is easy to see why publishers, designers and developers choose Textpattern.

• See example sites
• See demo

• Direct, easy to follow interface - “just write”
• Fast intuitive editing of articles, links, comments, page elements
• Quick conversion of plain text to valid XHTML with Textile
• Upload and organize images and files via browser

(the following now moved elsewhere)

• Unlimited categories
• Control comments completely flexibly
• Password-protect articles
• Clean URLs help SEO and visitors
• Comments system increases communication options
• Several RSS feed options
• No limit on contributors
• Give users privileges to suit their roles
• Quickly search articles by keyword
• Handy logs are always current

• Fast copy/paste of plugins to extend TXP's capabilities
• Supported by development team and community on lively forum
• Standards compliant by default
• No limit to style, layout or sections

(the following now moved elsewhere)

• Set skeleton page layouts and publish articles directly to them
• Organise and style your site content in sections
• Tag-based syntax: no programming necessary
• Import from other CMS
• Install in a few minutes
• Update about twice a year
• Most effective anti-spam comment mechanism

• Lightweight yet powerful core
• PHP & MySQL: easy to develop under
• Plugins are simple to write, document and publish with the standard template or the plugin composer
• Dev team very active on the forum

(the following now moved elsewhere)

• Dev team write plugins
• Make a name for yourself with your own plugin prefix!
• Well-crafted patch submissions are considered
• jQuery included with download
• Check out SVN development code for bleeding-edge functionality

(Cater for more testimonials added later on?)

• Someone on a newsgroup mentioned TXP. I said “WTF? Never heard of it”, I came here, installed it, worked ever since and loved every minute of it. Neko
• Textpattern's clean, organised admin is the best I've seen, and clients love that approach. Jon Hicks
• I love the simplicity, speed and extensibility; clients love the ease of use and transparency in content editing. In a phrase - it just works. Kevin Potts
• “Elegant simplicity.” It is intuitive and the learning curve is not too steep. Plus, you cannot beat the price! Nathan Smith

In no particular order.

Textpattern just works. There is little a new Textpattern user must do to download and install and start publishing. Yet we all have different backgrounds and aims, so resources exist to help you in a variety of ways; documentation for in-depth reference, the community forum if you want to participate, FAQs for quickly getting up to speed on the essentials, and a whole lot more.

Slogans, taglines, whatever… I think these apply to uniquely to Textpattern and could be used here and there on all sites:

• Just Write
• Design Freedom
• Empowered by Textpattern
• Content Publishing Contentment

• A CMS for content publishers, designers, developers and coders. See example sites

• Defaults to the tab where you Just Write
• Multiple contributors can work through article revisions on a project
• Nudge plain text into stylistically rich web content with Textile
• Give visitors an automatic digest of your work via XML feeds

• Lean, browser-based interface with many features
• Flexibility: from blog to corporate backbone and everything in between
• Tag-based syntax: no programming necessary
• Set skeleton page layouts and publish articles directly to them
• Organise and style your site content in sections
• Fast copy/paste of plugins to extend TXP's capabilities
• Supported by development team and community on lively forum
• Documentation is a wiki: don't like something? Change it!
• Interface in 40 languages and growing
• Comment preview eliminates almost all spam

(Pieces of copy that aim to give concise information right on the spot without necessarily having to dive deeper in the site to learn more.)

Textpattern has designers, developers and bloggers in mind. The out-of-box simplicity will have you publishing in no time. With back-office control of markup and styles, your site's presentation is managed with ease, and countless community plugins are available to extend Textpattern tremendously.

Textpattern's back-office is a streamlined workbench of efficiency; giving you the tools you need without getting in the way. Designers can quickly produce clean, standards-compliant websites, while clients get on with publishing content. With Textile included, authors can nudge simple text into beautifully-rendered web copy.

On its own, Textpattern is a well-hued and reliable machine, but the sky's the limit. Multitudes of plugins are available from our talented community that permit you to shape Textpattern to whatever publishing need you have. It's as easy as going to the plugins library, searching by functionality needed, pasting plugin rules into the back-office Plugin tab, and activating it with a click of a button. No PHP or jQuery knowledge required. If you can't find what you're looking for, give a shout in the community forum and one of our stars may whip up a plugin for you. If you're inclined, build your own and share it with others. It's all good. Textpattern's own developers are amiable forum participants and will steer you clear should the fog roll in.

Please try to keep comments threaded (using bullets) to the sections and points of discussion given. Much easier to keep train of thought that way. Muchos gracias!

Because of trying to keep it short maybe and because it's common practice for businesses maybe, the elevator pitch is often business-like in tone. That's OK to a certain extent but we must remember the audience is mainly web designers who usually have an artistic streak. So adding flair to it would distinguish it and make it more attractive. I don't know how to do that - it really needs someone great with language who can think of great metaphors or paint a picture with words. Perhaps we could decide essential points of the message to be put across and then get a top notch writer to transform it?

— Destry 2008/08/27 08:15 – The “pitch” should be the first (principle) paragraph on the home page. In fact it should not be more than a single paragraph. The pitch might also be lead by an eye-grabbing one-liner. The one-liner should be reflective of what's to come and in the spirit of the product. Here's one idea that aims to blend concepts of tools and popular, heralded icons: “Michaelangelo had hammer and chisel. Hemingway used Moleskine(R). Now web designers everywhere have Textpattern.” Note the tools are key as they reflect aspects inherent of the spirit of Textpattern and craftsmen…carving, writing… Further, we could say that these historical people are much revered/romanticized in the designer/writer worlds, as are the tools noted, so putting Txp right up there with them can have powerful effect in the emotional state. The one-liner can perhaps be styled in a larger, bold way for real impact. I've stuck it up there for now with a short pitch as food for thought. If I was in the market, I'd be grabbed by this since it appeals to my sensibilities of appreciating not only the right tools, but ones of exceptional quality.

— Great stuff. But craftsmen is sexist, so changed it. 'Wieldable' sounds unwieldly as will 'unencumbered' to many people, I think. That sentence needs a rethink, methinks. (A Space Pen is interesting, btw)

— Destry 2008/08/28 04:16 – You do not need to say “skilled artisan.” The adjective is redundant. By fact one is an artisan, they are assumed to have skill. Besides, we shouldn't want to give the message of having to be exceptionally skilled to use Txp.

— The artisan sentence sounded better, imo, when you mentioned the aurora pen. I think the sentence should go like:
adjective and adjective like the cool tool, Textpattern is for the artisan who appreciates quality in their trade.
Stable or mature is a great selling point which I think should be mentioned in the opening pitch, so I thought perhaps like this maybe:
Textpattern is a stable, elegant and easy-to-use content management system. It is the catalyst between imagination and reality in web publishing. Free and flexible like a cool tool, Textpattern is for the artisan appreciating quality in their trade.
But I can't think of the right cool tool and that would determine the order of the adjectives in the paragraph. Your Michelangelo sentences are great so if you could just tie it up with a great last sentence it would be brilliant.

• — Destry 2008/08/28 07:07 – As you can see I'm trying to keep comments threaded with bullets to remain in context with discussion points. I'm glad someone saw the “Aurora pen” version. :) I liked it too, but not hands down. The reason being the adjectives didn't fit like they needed to go for Txp. I had also written a version using a Katana sword (arguably the best crafted swords in the world), and metaphored txp users with ninjas but the weapon concept is wrong for Txp, and the ninja thing is overused anyway on the web. I agree the string ”…artisan who appreciates quality in their trade” rolls better, but I notice there's a problem with plurality (“artisan” versus “their”) which is easily fixed. With regard to the adjectives, I tend to favor ones not often used in CMS marketing. I know what you mean by “stable” and “mature” but we could probably find a hundred IT products that use the same words in their pitch. I'd like to settle on something a bit more unique, classic, fundamental…like Txp is (and like a precision tool, nothing extra but what it's for). I'll come up with two or three more versions, if necessary, and see what sings. Maybe a double pair of adjectives of unique and common…elemental and balanced (reflecting the clean, non-excessive build, like a japanese hammer) and stable and secure (common, factual terms). There's time to think on it.

• —zero — I put some alternative words in with search-engine-terms-we-want-to-be-associated-with. I've been trying to get better alternatives for 'stable'. Something there might trigger your wordflow. Being an ex-joiner I had a look for what are considered the best woodworking tools and found this and this amongst other things. The first one uses some good words that might be apppropriate, eg it could be: Well-balanced and easily-controlled like a Ray Iles tool, Textpattern etc. I like your mix of adjectives but think putting a real thing in there brings it more to life, even if it is something few people have heard of.

• Destry 2008/08/29 01:30 – I understand what you mean about having an object/tool in the last sentence, and that was what I was originally aiming at (e.g., the Aurora pen, which is not a “space pen,” – to whomever it was that said that – but a fine, Italian writing instrument, one of the best in the world). However, I think we are already using enough metaphors in the first impact line (Michaelangelo/hammer-chisel, Hemingway/Molesine…), and in any case there will be metaphors in other copy locations as well, so like wet said, we probably don't want to get “too clever” or a reader might find (after reading around a bit) the site overall sounding a bit too hokey. I'm rather liking the paired adjectives, as they seem to address Textpattern in a robust way that just two ajdectives alone could never do (that's why it's so hard to think of the right metaphor). I also am feeling comfortable with the ajdectives as they are: “Elemental” was selected to suggest the minimalist build of Textpattern (only what is necessary); likewise “balanced” was selected to suggest that Txp is composed of easily-grasped functional parts (not lop-sided or clunky to use). You could imagine these are the qualities that appeal to the artisan's sensibilities (like mine). The other pair addresses a different kind of sensibility and perhaps a different kind of audience member; users who want the assurance of using something reliable and safe. I don't think we go wrong with the way it is now.
• Destry 2008/08/29 01:31 – Wet, when you think a piece of text copy is ready for the press, please add ”[Final!]” in the header of the relevant section so we don't keep wasting time on it unnecessarily. Thanks! At that point we don't make changes unless it's a correction to orthography, grammar, whatever.

• zero — I changed the Extend line because I don't agree that txp is fully-featured out of the box, although it is with plugins. Also I hate the phrase 'out of the box', it's just so cliched, YUCK!

— Destry 2008/08/27 07:11 – Teasers (or lead-ins) are the brief bits of text you see on home pages that introduce a given topic and are followed by a link that goes to that page in full. You can also think of teasers like article “exerpts” in a sidebar…written to get a readers attention, to be brief, catchy and enticing. When we know what teasers we need to provide, then we can put focus into the write (pun intended) words. I personally feel the current .com home page is over-bloated with text; way too much to read. Teasers are the solution to that, and even so there's probably no need for too many outside of .Features, Community/Support, Demos and maybe one or two more to be realized.

— draft-copy-text-for-misc-sections was written in response to suggestions by many people. Notice that there were several requests for example sites, download, plugins and support to be prominent and also the other things mentioned on that page. If you make a teaser for plugins and for community and support, don't you need an intermediate page to go to? So doesn't it make more sense to use a couple of sentences description and link directly to the forums instead of teasers for these?

• — Destry 2008/08/28 03:48 – I did not see that draft-copy-text-for-misc-sections page linked from the site map tree originally started, which is why I started one (not to be rogue). Just a classic case of needing to get the content here organized, which again is why I beg for a solid site map to work from (and now we have one started). Answering your questions: No, you don't have to have a landing page (“intermediate page”) to use a teaser. Yes, a teaser can simply be a couple sentences with a link that leads directly to an external location. The inquiry needing made here however is how many little teasers do you want cluttering up the home page? Frankly I think the current home page is overfilled with such teasers as you describe and needs tamed. There's a couple ways it could be done. One is to do something clean and direct like what EE does on their main page for “support” locations (http://expressionengine.com/). Another might be to create a landing page that lists/describes all the different kinds of support/self-help locations (forum, FAQ, Tags Reference, etc.) from which a user can then choose as desired. Either way you keep the home page minimal and easy to scan. I might add that I have not followed through yet with everone's content input/ideas in this wiki or in the thread, http://forum.textpattern.com/viewtopic.php?id=27202, but once I do I will certainly consider everything as I would my own. Might be worth mentioning too, as noted in the site map overview, nothing is final until it's marked as “Final” so just because there's a subsection for a given suggested teaser (or anything else) that's no indication it's definitive. :)

The draft-copy-text-for-misc-sections balance of content is close to what people requested, I think, except for language/translation which needs more prominence. Also showcase isn't mentioned much on there but it was written with the idea of a sidebar with showcase stuff very prominent. But like you say, you'll need to read through http://forum.textpattern.com/viewtopic.php?id=27202 to try and get the true balance of what people want and what is practical.

• — Destry 2008/08/28 07:07 – We need to add another home page content classification: Factoids. This are slightly different from teasers in that they are not necessarily written to entice a reader to follow the link, but rather give a fact of information right on the spot without going further. I'll define that above and we can see about moving the concepts from draft-copy-text-for-misc-sections to above where it's easier to edit text in one place. As for where things are envisioned to appear on the page, we have to remember that Matthieu is creating the layout, and it may not be a typical 3-column layout like what exists. In fact, I hope, for the home page anyway, that it's a bit more like what EE is (though not exactly). I think a big footer (like my mockups depict for the wiki) is a safe bet, which would give weight/prominence to footer items even at that location (whatever they end up being) but that remains to be seen from Matthieu.

Destry 2008/08/29 02:29 – Added copy for Features lead-in.

• — Destry 2008/08/29 01:18 – Before the “Demos” teaser can be written, indeed before it can even be called “Demos,” we need to know if there will in fact be demos, or just plain ol' screenshots. I thought I saw a thread in the forum where someone initiated a Txp video demos project, but I'm not sure. Anyway, can you shed some light, wet, because it impacts the words, and we should probably be seeing these demos in advance (not last minute) to really make the words jive together.
• — wet — I do not know of any videos, and I wouldn't expect to have one on the site at the relaunch date.
• — Aaron Toth 2008/08/29 08:39 — There's one available that is kept up-to-date at OpenSourceCMS.

Destry 2008/08/29 02:29 – Added copy for Support lead-in, (and changed the header).

• —Zero — Repeating these frequently can make them become part of the Textpattern brand. Just insert them where and when appropriate. Just Write is already popular. Design Freedom can be a verb “to design freedom” or a noun “find design freedom”. TXP allows more freedom than other CMS. Comparing with EE, think free as in not paid for too. Empowered by Textpattern can replace Powered by Textpattern as it indicates more freedom and distinguishes it from powered by wp etc. I have another but it's not polished or catchy so if you can think of a way to say it better: Freedom Stability Productivity.

• — Bloke — Fairly simplistic to begin with. Some work, some don't. Some are a bit more factual than others with more 'markety' blurb. Hopefully anyone reading this can sharpen the copy, delete, or suggest a tone that gives people of all walks of web design a damn good reason to find out more about TXP.
• — zero — Added some reasons NOT to try too. Please think of more. Could be used like Bloke suggested on forum - 5 at a time alternating randomly on refresh.

• — zero — The testimonial of someone respected is always impressive. These are real ones as said in TXPQ interviews.

- zero Please join the hunt for perfect combination of words, wet! I know you're a word-lover too. Re the factoids, I think it's finding the balance between colourful descriptions and brevity and only repeating something if we deliberately want to repeat it for emphasis or redundancy (on the front page, that is. On other pages, eg Features, simpler language might be better maybe?)

• zero Having re-read the factoids, I think you've done a great job, much improved over my efforts. skeelz doesn't do it for me though. Is it possible to introduce one or two foreign words perhaps? Perhaps for 'skeelz' or for the tool maybe? My idea being that understanding will come from context, or the word will be googled for and be interesting, at the same time as showing txp is international. 'skeelz' might be fine, btw, I'm not the typical audience so go ahead if you think it's cool.
• — Destry 2008/08/29 00:25 – Thanks. I agree on “skeelz,” sounds sophomoric (and indeed tired on the web already). However, I think “knack” works lovely. Also, I think we can remove the word “the” from “the artisans” because there's no need for it.
• wet May I introduce my doubts that a non-native speaker, though relatively fluent in written English, would keep either 'skeelz' or 'knack' in her everyday vocabulary. We won't have the energy to support a multilingual site, so we'd have to target a reduced vocabulary (whatever this means in practice). From a gut feeling, I'd prefer to sound not “too clever” and … narcissistic.
• — Destry 2008/08/29 01:00 – Fair enough. We can say it plain: “If you're inclined, build your own and share it with others. It's all good. Textpattern's own developers are amiable forum participants and will steer you clear should the fog roll in.” Also fixed some grammar and wording in the early sentences. Rolls better now.