Taking An Upgrade Plunge - Please Verify.

[BCCZeus]

Hey there,

My site has been running very smooth using Mambo 4.5.3.2 and SMF 1.1RC2 with an earlier discussbot for quite a while.  I am planning on doing a major site redesign before January, but in the meantime, I've started to have a bunch of "bots" or "spammers" register on my site and I want to use a feature like CAPTCHA.

I've read through the forum here, and I'd like to make sure that I can upgrade to SMF1.1RC3, and will the included registration code work if I use Orstio's bridge?  Will I have to install CAPTCHA as well, and is there a version of the discussbot that will work with SMF1.1 RC3 and Mambo 4.5.3.2?

My site is a production site, so I don't want to be shut down for a day to try and figure out what went wrong.

I'd appreciate any suggestions on what to do to stop unwanted registration (I have the registration email activated already), and possibly upgrade my forum and discussbot.  As I said earlier, before January, I will be retemplating and upgrading to Joomla.  Thanks SOOO much for your input!

[Orstio]

You should upgrade to an absolute minimum of Mambo 4.5.4.  There are known security issues with previous versions.

I've read through the forum here, and I'd like to make sure that I can upgrade to SMF1.1RC3, and will the included registration code work if I use Orstio's bridge?  Will I have to install CAPTCHA as well, and is there a version of the discussbot that will work with SMF1.1 RC3 and Mambo 4.5.3.2?

Use bridge 1.1.6, and SMF registration.  SMF registration in 1.1 RC3 has CAPTCHA.

As I said earlier, before January, I will be retemplating and upgrading to Joomla.

I wouldn't refer to switching to Joomla as an "upgrade".  It's more of a side-step.  Any particular reason you want to switch to Joomla instead of upgrading to Mambo 4.6?

[BCCZeus]

Thanks for the fast reply.  I haven't been following the CMS updates for a while and last I heard Mambo developement was pretty much stopped.  I assumed Joomla was the easiest route to go to continue with a developing CMS.

Does the bridge and SMF1.1RC3 integrate well with Mambo 4.6.1? (Latest Release).  If it does, I assume I should do the following in order: upgrade Mambo, uninstall current bridge, registration modules.  Upgrade forum, install 1.1.6 bridge and overwrite discussbot with 4.2 beta?

Thanks for you help and the Mambo info Orstio!  You were a god when I needed your help in the past and I appreciate you quick answer!

[Orstio]

Bridge 1.1.6 is for Mambo 4.5.x and Joomla 1.0.x.  The bridge for Mambo 4.6 is still in beta.  You can find it on the bridge downloads page with the other bridges.

I'm using it on my own site, and it seems to be working well. 

If it does, I assume I should do the following in order: upgrade Mambo, uninstall current bridge, registration modules.  Upgrade forum, install 1.1.6 bridge and overwrite discussbot with 4.2 beta?

The change from Mambo 4.5.x to Mambo 4.6.x is pretty drastic.  You'll first need to uninstall the bridge, and remove the Mambo template changes you made for the bridge with Mambo 4.5.x.  Then upgrade Mambo, and then install the beta bridge for Mambo 4.6.  I can provide you with a Mambo 4.6-compatible version of the discussbot. 

The biggest noticable change in Mambo 4.6 is the alternative auth methods.  This means that you can choose to use the Mambo default login module, and it will also log you into SMF.  That, and the fact that there are no more template changes required for Mambo, not even the little piece of code at the end of the template for multiple databases that is still required in Joomla.

[BCCZeus]

Thanks again.  For now I will stick with 4.5.4 and SMF 1.1RC3, Bridge 1.1.6 and the latest discussbot.  Once again, I appreciate you man.

I'll post up on how it all goes.