New to Mambo & SMF...

[slowmail]

Hello,

I'm interested in setting up a site for a small community, and mambo came well recommended. On it, we'd like a forum, a chat board and a photo gallery.

Am taking it one step at a time, so right now we're looking at Mambo and a forum.  Looking around, I am to understand Mambo works well with SMF, and have been experimenting with it for a bit. However, there are some questions that I have I was hoping someone could help me out with. My apologies if these have been answered elsewhere, but a quick search didn't really give me the answers I was looking for...

a) Given a choice, would you recommend installing Mambo and SMF in the same database, or in different db's? (or does it really not matter at all?)

b) Given a choice, would you recommend I use Bridge Registration, or SMF Registration? and why?

c) Whats the difference between running a wrapped, and unwrapped board? Is it just about appearances and how the site is presented to the user, and I am free to change between them anytime I like (with minor tweaks to the templates if necessarry), or is there more to it than that?

d) Would it be correct to say that I should I disable logins/registrations on both Mambo and SMF, and just use the bridge instead?

Disable Mambo logins: mambo admin->modules->site modules->Login Form(mod_login)->unpublish
Disable SMF registrations: SMF Admin->Edit Features->Basic Forum Features->Registration Disabled
Enable Bridge logins: mambo admin->modules->site modules->Login Form(mod_smf_login)->publish
(Probably also tweak the 'logout' button in the user menu on Mambo)

d.1 Once I've bridged Mambo and SMF, should I do anything to stop users from directly accessing the forums? Or is it fine that they do?

e) Because I'm starting out with a 100% fresh install (with just an Admin account on both Mambo and SMF) would it be correct to say I do not need to install the MOS to SMF user migration script, or is it recommended that I still do?

f) With the bridge in place and working well, would it be correct that if a user was to modify his profile (eg: his email address) in SMF, it will not update the change(s) over in Mambo? Or is there some 'hook' somewhere I missed that would integrate the 2 together?

g) Under SMF-Configuration (mambo->components), there is a checkbox for 'Also register into Community Builder'; What is Community Builder, and would you recommend I install it?

h) Are there any components or modules you'd highly recommend installing on a new site?

Am currently quite overwhelmed by this entire experience, thank you for taking the time with my questions.

[slowmail]

i) I've also noticed if I try to 'Uninstall' Mambo Integration 1.0 from SMF's Package Manager, I will get a 'failure' for 1. Execute Modification ./Sources/Subs.php; and will will also show 'failure' in subsequent attempts to install it. Is this fine? (it shows 'success' the first time it's installed, but I'm just poking around right now thats all...)

[Kindred]

a) If you are goignt o have a high volume board, 2 dbs...   else 1...   it doesn't really matter.. but 1 is easier to manage.

b) SMF reg is "prettier"...

c) warpped/unwrapped is just a graphic-presentation choice...

d) no
unpublish mambo login module - yes
SMF registrations MUST be allowed... I suggest "immediate".
publish the bridge login module - yes
get rid of logout button in the mambo menu, completely.

d.1) yes...   see the othe rposts in this vein in this board.

e) correct. you do not need the migration unless you have pre-existing mambo users.

f) no hook...   IMO, get rid of the option to edit the mambo profile.   Link to and use the SMF profile.
display name and passwords will be updated by the bridge, if changed in SMF.

g) CB is a mambo component.  Honestly, I don't like it...  I'd rather use and modify my SMF profile...

h) who's online2 is the only module I really recommend (and not because I did it)...  mambo's who's online is flaky, at best.

i) you should NOT try to install the mod multiple times...  don't know why you would get an error on uninstall.