Can one make a website that gives full editorial control to someone, allowing them to upload content and make any kind of changes, but you still have a master key just in case you need to override that control?

 

And if so, how possible is it to allow full control to either just one part of the website -- for example to the menu system, or images, or css scripts, etc -- or to just a certain number of functions -- such as permissions/access to one, two, or more server-side scripts (but not all of them), or even to particular functions of the server itself...like a person being able to update/edit/delete scripts yet has no control over their archiving into back-ups?*

 

*(for example if a script is deleted/erased it automatically gets backed up first, nothing the person can do about it)

Of course. One normally does such things via access permission systems - like say administrators, moderators etc.

 

This would allow you to exactly control what a person can and cannot do without giving them absolute control so some features will always be limited to certain users only. That, for example, if the way that both forums and Wiki's work.

You're describing the basic functionality of a Content Management System (CMS).

 

See:

 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_content_management_systems

MediaWiki, for example, is the software used by Wikipedia, and it has provisions for "Sysop" users ("system operator") who have the power to lock pages from editing, ban users, and generally keep things under control. On this forum, users can create content and upload files, moderators can remove or edit it if necessary, and administrators can stop the moderators if there's a serious problem.

Thanks guys.

 

...to one, two, or more server-side scripts (but not all of them), or even to particular functions of the server itself

Just to ensure that we're all on the same page...you knew I meant giving control not just of the website, but of the server that it's residing on? (partial control though, like being able to navigate the server itself and make permitted changes -- in specified/limited ways only)

Thanks guys.

 

 

Just to ensure that we're all on the same page...you knew I meant giving control not just of the website, but of the server that it's residing on? (partial control though, like being able to navigate the server itself and make permitted changes -- in specified/limited ways only)

 

A CMS will yet you do this (depending on which one)

What's CMS stand for?

In this context you want a content management system.

Content management system.

That can be done by any web developer that encodes a site because the owner can write password protected pages and do that way or if you are hosting your own site you passord protect certain servers that hold files for that part of the site.