The New Squarespace Is a UX Dream That Eliminates the Back End Entirely

Oh look, it's front-end editing, an idea that has been available in many CMSes since approximately forever. I guess if your main source of info on CMS history is Squarespace press releases, it's pretty exciting, though.

Like many approaches to CMS design, this one oscillates in and out of fashion every few years as people get frustrated with alternatives, try this, and then get frustrated with it in turn. Personally I don't like it, because in my experience it leads non-technical users to be afraid that just browsing their site will modify or "break" something, whereas a clearly delineated back-end/admin area avoids that by making it beyond obvious when you're in "edit mode" and when you aren't. But that's just my personal opinion, there are people whose opinions I respect who disagree. Like I said above, whether or not it's "in" at any moment is more a matter of fashion than anything else.

The really sad part here is the decline of Wired as a brand. I remember when I would pick up a copy of the print mag and see actual, honest-to-God new ideas in it. These days it's less new ideas and more "It's New To Us!™"