Hi Guys;

apologies for the noob questions, and I'm not totally sure this is the correct forum/ website to ask.....

I run a fairly hefty online site that runs php nuke (albeit modded and security patched to the hilt)

I have no experience using Joomla, and I was undecided on my new project to use either Drupal or Joomla. Seeing this modification/ application (combined with some other mods) swung me towards Joomla. (Good luck with the release, btw!)

How difficult will it be for myself to pick up installing CB along with Joomla, on a pain factor rating of 1 to 10? I can read php, and write a little (not much)- enough to get me by usually. I'm not even sure CB will cover everything I need, but from other sites, it looks set to be a start. (The destined site is a not for profit car club based here in the UK)- I need to be able to do postal mailing lists, etc.

Any help/ pointers are appreciated- we wanted something that can offer more than nuke can, and be more secure and flexible with added "back end" procedures....

We need, basically the following- any links/ pointers/ suggestions are really appreciated!

Forums
Newsletters (by mail and email)
Private messages
Documentation control
Downloads/ uploads
E Commerce/ small shop
News/ Galleries/Forums tightly integrated (like the discuss this article in the forums, etc)
We expect the user base, initially, to be around 300 or so. We will need to be able to limit content to certain approved members, but I also need the ability to see, at a glance, who is currently a fully paid up member, and who isn't (so as to send renewal notices, etc.)

I was looking into infocentral, and another listed on sourceforge (clubmember I think) but neither offered anyway near the amount of features I needed. Great for back end, nothing to add value to the members visiting the website.

Is this making sense? (I have a habit of rambling, sorry!!)

If it gives you an idea, the portal that's been up and running is www.audifans.net - the new site needs to offer a whole lot more.....

Cheers!!

thanks!

I found some other stuff after posting- things I'm looking at include the potential Civic CRM- which is where I heard about this project...

I also found www.mamboportaldemo.com which has helped a fair bit with regards various mods (it's going to be fun going through to see which will work with the newer Joomla!

Thnaks for any and all input- appreciate you guys have a full plate right now

audioc wrote:

How difficult will it be for myself to pick up installing CB along with Joomla, on a pain factor rating of 1 to 10? I can read php, and write a little (not much)- enough to get me by usually.

Just about the same as me then!
I'm a phpBB user, having heavily modded it (www.teessideonline.net), and am in the same boat as yourself. I am currently in the process of converting to Joomla!, which I expect to be a long process.

Once you get your head round things, it gets easier and easier very quickly and you find you can make little tweaks in no time.

Get it set up locally (I used Apache2Triad to setup a test server, works great) and have a play around and you'll soon get used to it.

And Good Luck!!
Paul
www.teessideonline.net

Oh yeah, i've recently set up my first Joomla site too at www.thefunnymagnet.co.uk. Only been using it a couple of months, so you can see how quickly you can get used to it :)

Teessider wrote:

Get it set up locally (I used Apache2Triad to setup a test server, works great) and have a play around and you'll soon get used to it.

Thanks.

I've got a local server, BUT I can try it on a live server with no pain- just not publish the url so several of us can get to grips with it......

I'm going to wait a week or so, until all the different bits and pieces are available/ ready, then I'll try to get my head around it