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Integrating WSN Links and WSN Forum

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Integrating WSN Links and WSN Forum

ecopixel
Beginner

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Jul 10, 2005
Total Topics: 1
Total Posts: 3

Posted 10/03/06 - 11:42 AM:	#1
I have been running WSN Links (without membership) and PHPBB for some time. I am working on a new version of my site that enables membership for the directory and in the hope of cutting down administration time, I am wondering if it is a good idea to go with WSN Forum. My question is for any site owners who run WSN Links and PHPBB as well as any site owners who run WSN Links and WSN Forum. In your experience, what have been the advantages / disadvantages of your choice of system? I look forward to hearing from you. Thanks Ecopixel

babrees
Expert

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Aug 19, 2005
Location: England
Total Topics: 262
Total Posts: 831

Posted 10/03/06 - 09:58 PM:	#2
I used to run phpbb a few years ago before I had even heard of wsn. It was ok but I found getting the templates to match the rest of my site a bug bear, as well as all the continuous security updates, which were so often I could hardly keep up. Using wsn links and forum it is very easy to do the templates so there is no seam in my site and the forum is exactly like the rest of the site, without having to use somebody's skin.

zippo
Forum Regular

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Jan 11, 2006
Total Topics: 48
Total Posts: 166

Posted 10/06/06 - 07:52 AM:	#3
Although I have no site that hosts both scripts at once in an integrated fashon, AFAIK it would just mean a single user account & login for both the links directory and the forum. Aside from not having direct experience with that specifically, I will mention that I feel Paul's competency in PHP and general ability to produce quality products is there. Upside as a customer is that one author can perhaps understand and maintain their own code better than many authors keeping up with coding and style of author xyz. On the downside, there is only so much a single author can do and how that is delegated usually corresponds to cash-in and personal conquests. The forum as babrees mantions is very nice in that although it provides a nice look 'out of the box' it also can be (after a learning curve) easily modified to look as you wish. My top reasons for going with both Link and Forum were: Flexability / Options Generous License Reasonable 1-time cost I've always been a stickler about flexability and options since the first thing that I've usually moved away from a product has been to break away from a rigid, predisposed aspect that will never change or is unlikely to change without world outcry. Admitedly, I never implemented a forum before WSN-Forum so I can't first hand argue one over the other. Also, since I was absolutely certain that WSN-Links was the absolute best linking script I felt somewhat compelled to also go with WSN-Forum over anything else. The obvoius best way for you to decide would really be to try the Forum script out and digest the differences between it and phpBBS and reckon with them. If that's a hard thing to do with your present hosting or somesuch, I'd be willing to setup a WSN-Links + WSN-Forum combo for you on my server for you to knock around.

ecopixel
Beginner

Usergroup: Customer
Joined: Jul 10, 2005
Total Topics: 1
Total Posts: 3

Posted 10/31/06 - 11:15 AM:	#4
Thanks for your offer, zippo. I have already set up a 'testing' environment to trial the combination. So far I agree with babrees regarding the simpler management of templates. It's a lot easier to keep the look and feel of my site consistent using both wsn scripts instead of phpbb and wsnlinks combo. I am yet to test the membership integration. Will come back here as soon as I have more comments. I will post again when I've made some progress.

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