To CMS or To Code. That is the question.

SourChipmunk · 17 Mar 2009 at 17:18

I had a search for anything similar, but all the posts I could find dated back to 2007 so I'm sure there may be some new advise since then. Basically...

I have an existing site that is fairly popular but doesn't get a lot of movement (a lot of hits, not many content submissions). It's the 2nd hit in Google if you search for Motorcycle Touring, which I guess is a small indication of the popularity.

Anyway, I have been getting complaints from users about having a different log in for the forums (Ikonboard), for the store (Zencart), for the photo gallery (Gallery2), and for the newsletter subscription (Google). So I have a couple choices here:

1) Switch my site over to a CMS (I currently have Joomla installed and have been goofing around somewhat with it), find some kind kind of forum add-on (thinking of Kunena), photo gallery, and store add-on. Or,

2) Find some way of coding in a bridge that will provide single sign-on functionality from my current homepage.

With option 1, I would like to know if someone has a current site using these types of features and how it looks right now. With option 2, I surely don't have the experience/knowledge to do such a task and frankly not sure if it is even possible. So I will probably work with option 1. Fun fun.

Does anyone else have a Joomla CMS running with a functional forum, photo gallery, or store that I can take a peak at?

_lecro_ · 17 Mar 2009 at 18:26

Havnt much experience with joomla but nuke platinum has all the features your looking for already included.

Heres a site i set up a while back http://www.bad-lroc.co.uk they havnt got the shop activated atm though.

SourChipmunk · 17 Mar 2009 at 19:14

Cheers _lecro_. I assume that's open source as well? Your site looks good, though I see you haven't strayed from the default skin much. How is ease of installation and administration?

I was actually a fan of PostNuke ages ago, never used it though. Never really had the need until now.

_lecro_ · 17 Mar 2009 at 21:17

Yea Raist its open source, wouldnt use anything else lol
Its not my site BTW i just set it up for a customer,
there are about 5 themes that come with the package but that one is significantly different from all of them,wasnt my choice but just one they liked.

Platinum and Evo are miles better than postnuke both from ease of use and security points.
Admin is straight forward drag and drop mostly

SourChipmunk · 18 Mar 2009 at 11:43

I registered on their site and checked out the features, I didn't see anything regarding ecommerce-type stuff. I may have just overlooked it. Also, checking the site usability itself it seemed a little sluggish. It may have just been a skin fault, though. I think I'll give it a try. Thanks lecro!

_lecro_ · 18 Mar 2009 at 12:29

No bud you didnt overlook it, as i said in my first post the shop isnt activated atm
but there is a shopping cart included called Emporium and plenty of other shop modules that can be added

Dont now about sluggish, i consistently get sub 1 sec page generations

get the latest ver. here http://www.futurenuke.com

Good luck with it

philjohn · 18 Mar 2009 at 13:44

Ugh, stay away from the nukes, they have a long history of security vulnerabilities...I just don't think the code it's based on is that solid.

Your best option would be to do a single sign-on, multiple benefits: users don't need to relearn their way around the site, you don't have to migrate information across, what you have currently works, you just need a single sign on solution.

SourChipmunk · 18 Mar 2009 at 14:14

_lecro_ said:
No bud you didnt overlook it, as i said in my first post the shop isnt activated atm.

Ahh, sorry. I thought you meant it wasn't activated on your site.

philjohn said:
Ugh, stay away from the nukes, they have a long history of security vulnerabilities...I just don't think the code it's based on is that solid.

Your best option would be to do a single sign-on, multiple benefits: users don't need to relearn their way around the site, you don't have to migrate information across, what you have currently works, you just need a single sign on solution.

Ahh, users are complaining that the current site is difficult to navigate, so it's in need of a overhaul anyway. Or at least a new method of organising the information. I'm not too concerned about them having to re-learn everything because they're mostly old folks and are clueless anyway. What I need is a modern interface that will attract younger folks.

Thanks for your suggestions!

_lecro_ · 18 Mar 2009 at 16:30

philjohn said:
Ugh, stay away from the nukes, they have a long history of security vulnerabilities...I just don't think the code it's based on is that solid.

A few years ago i would have agreed with you but Platinum and Evolution are more secure than most cms's now.
Ive got over 15 sites using either of the above and non to my knowledge have ever been hacked.More than can be said for some of the html sites i manage :rolleyes:

Raist said:
What I need is a modern interface that will attract younger folks.

Well theres hundreds of themes available that should manage that

fez · 19 Mar 2009 at 10:53

Yeah go for a cms like joomla so that you can sort out your issues asap and then you are free to build the cms you really want at a later date without any rush.