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I just started learning EE.  There definitely is a learning curve like any other CMS.  I started with the simple example provided on the EE website.  Unfortunately, it was the best resource to start learning.  Conceptually it is very simple.  I would have save LOTS of time with a basic explanation of the logical entities within EE.  I could have used the following information to explain channels, channel groups, categories, statuses, and channel fields.  Look at them like tables.  1. Channel is the primary table.  2. The second most important table is the ‘channel group’ one.  You can think of this as a link table.  It holds key information on categories, statuses, channel fields etc…  3.  Categories, statuses, and channel fields are theoretically all lookup tables for the ‘channel group’ link table.  As a programmer and DBA this type of explanation would have helped things click faster.

Hey David -

Hopefully you finally got to the lightbulb moment?  😉

The challenge I’ve had with writing instructional materials for EE is finding a common-ground starting point. You come at it from a DBA mindset, others come to EE as designers or front-end coders with no prior CMS or database knowledge, so starting with ‘tables’ would lose them immediately.

I usually explain EE as a salad bar…;)