Web Site Building advice - Same User name used for different sections of the site

[deshende]

Hi all,

I'm in the beginning stages of putting a new web site together and wondered if any of you could help me avoid a problem that I had trouble with in my last site.

The main page of the site is going to have some sort of content posted (such as a picture or web comic) and I'd like for people to be able to comment on that content.

But I'd also like for them to use the same user name they're using for that to be able to interact on other sections of the site (forum posting for example).


In my last site I was using different applications for forums, content posting, etc and I couldn't figure out how to merge all of the user data together. So it was ugly having multiple logins for different sections of the site.

Anyone have tips or suggestions for decent modules with this functionality built in?

[Zhais]

If you go the custom route, this is incredibly easy. Just one database with all the common user information stored in it instead of fragmenting it.

If you're piecing it together only by other pre-built stuff, dunno what to tell ya

[Icari]

you could try simple machines forum, which has some portal mods you can add to the base install and therefore have a full forum and website with the same login for all.

[Maguspk]

Use http://www.guildwork.com/

[Icari]

they never said the site had anything to do with games which is what guildwork is focused on.

[deshende]

The reason I'm not building everything from scratch is that I'm not confident in my ability to ward off hackers/spammers so I was hoping prebuilt stuff would have a little bit of security at least.
Thanks for the links so far, I'll check them out.

[The Stig]

What you need is a CMS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...gement_systems

There's a lot of options there but most describe what you need.

Popular free ones include Simple Machine Forums and Wordpress as mentioned. There's lots more. You seem to have your own hosting already so I suspect installing one is not an issue. If you want to try them out but not make it "live" download Xampp Lite to turn your own PC into a web server temporarily and install it on that.

[deshende]

What you need is a CMS

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of...gement_systems

There's a lot of options there but most describe what you need.

Popular free ones include Simple Machine Forums and Wordpress as mentioned. There's lots more. You seem to have your own hosting already so I suspect installing one is not an issue. If you want to try them out but not make it "live" download Xampp Lite to turn your own PC into a web server temporarily and install it on that.

A lot of them there. Any suggestions or ones to stay away from while I wade through the field?

[Icari]

any of http://custom.simplemachines.org/mod...search;type=17, but i have used http://custom.simplemachines.org/mods/index.php?mod=97 with no problems.

[The Stig]

A lot of them there. Any suggestions or ones to stay away from while I wade through the field?

I guess if i had to hand pick some:

Wordpress (no forum though but there are add ons for that that will enable the link, I've not toyed with it myself but I think phpBB supports the link)
And as other suggest up there. Simple Machines Forum is very easy and good to use, large community

Joomla
Mambo

These 2 I would classify as slightly more advanced but powerful when used properly. From my short time of using it, due to my lack of knowledge on code, I struggled to get it to look the way I wanted it to, and the options available in the Admin Panel are deep (as in, lots!)

Also:

PHP-Nuke
PHP-Fusion

Back in the more "old days" (2004~) I've seen these 2 get used a lot, but not so much now, or I'm boring and don't visit as many sites as often. But also back then I never had the resources or was educated on the resources to play with them, so til now I've still not experienced it.

[deshende]

I found a forum plugin for Wordpress that uses the wordpress login credentials so I think I'll play around with that. Thanks!

[The Stig]

Awesome, which forum is it for if you can show. I know phpBB has one but I personally dislike that forum compared to Simple Machines Forum.

[deshende]

Mingle Forum plugin:

http://cartpauj.com/projects/mingle-forum-plugin/

I've not got to the point of trying it yet so don't know how good it is, but the description meets my immediate wants so I'll give it a try.

[Icari]

you might want to check that forum software for known ways to hack and any security issues that may exist in it. also verify that it is currently still being supported and being developed.