SMF and opensourcecms.com

[bloc]

Took a peek today and noticed that SMF version 1.0RC2 has been added to opensourcecms.com. The place where you can test out various CMS/forum/portals etc. They always been fairly restrictive - not taking in all systems they can find, but being rather selective.

And now SMF has been added. A good sign.

[Oldiesmann]

It's about time

I suggested that they add SMF a long time ago and they just told me that it was on the list of things to add. I'm glad they finally got around to adding it.

By the way - it should be .com and not .org

opensourcecms.org is the website for Alkacon Software's OpenCms project.

[bloc]

Corrected it.

I always like that place - been many times at it and tested out new systems. Not so keen on the new design they got, I liked the old one better, but for content its top notch.

[Oldiesmann]

I liked their old custom site. Then they had some other custom portal/CMS up briefly before switching to Mambo, which is what they're using now. I'm not thrilled with it either (especially their use of the stupid "simpleboard" thing), but it works.

[Trekkie101]

Simpleboard looks like a piece of crap, please tell me what features it has, apart from post NONE.   

[Oldiesmann]

Well, let's see... Cheap bbcode, "karma" (same thing as it is here - we should sue... ), ability to be notified when someone responds... Other than that, I don't know why anyone wants to use it.

[Trekkie101]

Ill need to check that out, never noticed anything more than the smilies and post button.

[idigital]

Ok, just for the record, I really don't like the current SimpleBoard much either, but here we go:

The reason people use SB, is because it is only one of two BB systems that are actually made for Mambo. It's a Mambo forum, so Mambo people use it. It is quite basic, and a bit ugly as well, but it is fully integrated and there is no need for bridging between different databases /users etc.

That really is it's only advantage, and the only reason people use it. The other much less popular integrated Mambo forum, LoudMouth, is at about the same level.

Someone did make a hacked version of phpBB for Mambo, but it's also not completely integrated into Mambo, and not only that it is an older version of phpBB and due to the way it has been altered is not even compatible with phpBB mods and templates. Now that's wacky.

Also, I think that the current phpBB for Mambo is probably wide open to the recent security holes, and not easily as updated against them either. So that could be the end of that.

I have it on good authority that an upcoming version of SB, the develepers have been held back waiting for stability in the Mambo core, will be much more advanced and will no longer be called "Simple"Board

Anyway, I agree it's stinky, and I chose SMF after much searching. Even though it needs to be bridged, I think it's well worth it.

I love SMF, it's flexibility in templating and its great features, and I tell any Mambo user I talk to that it's the best Mambo forum solution available

Cheers,

Damian

[Trekkie101]

Mambo might be a big way to spread SMF, many people are looking for a safe but good forum system and SMF is that, maybe after mambo all cms/portal developers will start making SMF there primary forum system, it would be great to see SMF as the most known and best forum system, and i can say ive used it sinse beta 4, 

[Oldiesmann]

It would be nice if the Mambo devs did more to promote the SMF / Mambo integration, but right now they're too busy trying to figure out how to integrate vBulletin with Mambo (of course so they can integrate Mambers.com with the rest of their site)...

[idigital]

Gawd, I wish you'd do a wee bit more research before making such broad generalised statements here 

Firstly, the Mambo core developers have stated quite bluntly several times that Mambo will remain a CONTENT Management System, not a COMMUNITY Management System. So, no forums in the core or officially supported by the core.

There is no official push to integrate VBulletin into Mambo, it is used on the official mamboserver forums as a matter of convenience. I agree it was a bad choice, but there ya go.

Mambers is NOT an official site, it is a popular community forum. So of course there are no plans to integrate Mambers.com into the official site. 

The Mambo core is not in the business of promoting other s/w, whether it be 3rd party Mambo developments or external forum s/w, they can hardly be blamed for this.

Mambo seems to be very popular over here at SimpleMachines though, and it would be nice to see you guys doing more to promote SMF/Mambo integration. Ok, that comment is slightly tongue in cheek. Still, at least a sub forum here for Mambo would make sense, given all the Mambo posts here.

I'm sure that if requested, SMF could get a link back from the official forums to a support forum here. Several external projects do get links from the main official forum frontpage if they are seen as essential to Mambo users.

So, let's not be making any more uninformed statements about Mambo here, who knows if any of the core devs might pop over and have a read

Cheers,

Damian

[[Unknown]]

If anyone wants to recommend something to me that will improve integration, I'm all ears.  I've already communicated with the Mambo team as to one thing that would improve almost all forum (and many component) integration, but I have heard nothing more of it.

As for the separate child board... why?  Almost all the posts in the Portal Development board are Mambo, indeed, and there aren't even many in there.  It doesn't make sense to split up a board that's basically the smallest we have... into two even smaller ones.

-[Unknown]

[idigital]

Fair enough. I've been recommending SMF to Mambo users, partially by telling them Mambo is the defacto CMS of choice over here

Good point about the Portal forum, I guess it is mostly Mambo stuff, heheh.

When you communicated with the Mambo team, did you let them know you were the lead developer of SMF? I know that at least one member of the core team, Stingrey, registered here some time ago and loves the SMF system.

Also the project head, Robert Castley, has stepped down and been replaced by Andrew Eddie as Project Director. He's quite a nice guy and  possibly more open to ideas than Robert was. I have one big *no comment* about Robert's handling of Mambo. Ah, politics.

Anyway, Mambo is beginning to level out into a very steady and stable dev community, and I am sure they would be open to any ideas you have and even possibly to linking SMF up in some way to their forum site. Orstio's bridge is rapidly becoming a popular solution for Mambo forums, and anything that can be done to improve this is good for Mambo and SMF.

Cheers,

Damian

[idigital]

Just did a search on the Mambo forums, and I'd hardly say your suggestion went unanswered:

http://forum.mamboserver.com/showthread.php?t=16466

Stingrey, a core developer, does say he'll keep it in mind whilst working on 4.5.2. There has been a lot of development on that front, they've been quite busy, but I'm sure Rey is a man of his word.

Although, a decision was recently made to not add any new features to Mambo, so that 3rd party developers can be assured that Mambo will have a stable plataeu to work from at least until mid next year. Your suggestion isn't exactly a new feature, so hopefully it can still be incorporated.

Here's the announcement regarding the decision of future development of Mambo:

http://www.mamboserver.com/The_News/Frontpage/Mambo_moves_into_a_period_of_Stability_and_Maturity/

Hope that clears things up.

Cheers,

Damian

p.s. In the meantime, don't be a stranger on the official forums, your input would be most appreciated I'm sure. I'll see if some more discussion can be made about this over there as well.

[[Unknown]]

I know that at least one member of the core team, Stingrey, registered here some time ago and loves the SMF system.

That would be the only person who even responded to my suggestion.  I didn't say it went unanswered, but Stringrey emailed me about bringing it up with the team and I was never contacted again.

I understand the point about stability, and I'm not saying anything wrong against Mambo for anything... I just said I haven't heard anything more of it.

-[Unknown]

[Oldiesmann]

Sorry for all the assumptions...

I was thinking that Mamboportal.com was the official Mambo site. They link to Mambers.com (I guess it's their forum), so I thought that was the official Mambo board.

[idigital]

Heh, um, Mamboportal is a community site run by the same guy as Mambers, actually.

Mamboserver.com is the official site, Mamboforge.net is the official project development site for Mambo and 3rd party devs, and forum.mamboserver.com is the official forum.

So now ya know

Cheers,

Damian