Forum OpenACS Q&A: Wanted: suggestions for combining packages

1: Wanted: suggestions for combining packages

Posted by Brad Punt on 08/15/02 11:50 PM

I am using OpenACS 4.latest

I have been slogging through the documentation and searching
openacs.org to try and get an idea what packages i should use for my
site.

My goal is to develop a site for the community i live in that allows
residents to provide information and interact on any and all things
related to the community. Essentially, a peer-to-peer community
information site using text, pictures, video and audio.

I would also like to provide:
~ personalized portals
~ world news / RSS feeds from outside the community
~ advertising opportunities
~ chat / classifieds / auctions / surveys / contests / etc (the usual
site-sticky stuff)
~ subsites for private groups / companies

My dilemma is deciding what set of content management packages will
meet these requirements. Candidates include:

~ CMS
~ RSS
~ File Manager
~ Portal
~ General Comments
~ News
~ dotLRN (soon)

There appears to be considerable overlap in these packages. I have
been trying to determine what the status of each is in terms of on-
going development, ie. are any going to be abandoned or subsumed into
others? Unfortunately, i have been unable to find anything which
gives the current status and future plans for each of the packages.

The CMS pkg appears to include many of the functions found in File
Manager, General Comments, and News. What am i losing if i use it
instead of the others?

I came across a thread warning people to stay away from the Portal
pkg and use dotLRN as the portal application when it is available.
dotLRN appears to meet my requirements but it makes use of the
General Comments and File Manager packages among others.

Maybe i'm creating the appearance of a dilemma where there is none
and it will all work together without conflict or overlap. Maybe the
permissions on the News pkg won't interfere with the CRM or File
Manager permissions.

Any insight and suggestions from this group would be appreciated.
Alternatively, if these issues have been addressed previously,
pointers to that info would also be appreciated.

2: Response to Wanted: suggestions for combining packages (response to 1)

Posted by Jun Yamog on 08/16/02 10:18 AM

Hi Brad,

The reseason why CMS and News functions overlap its because both make use of the core Content Repository system. They are basically application running on top of a core system. So is File Storage.

I would advise you to stay away from File Manager and look at File Storage. File Manager is basically manipulating the files on the ACS file system itself. So I think you may really need file storage and not file manager.

All of this packages will not step with one another. OpenACS is really about packages that works with one another. For example dotLRN file storage actually makes use of OpenACS file storage.

I am sorry that I can't comment much of what you will need since I think you are in the best position for that. I hope this info helps.

3: Response to Wanted: suggestions for combining packages (response to 1)

Posted by Arjun Sanyal on 08/16/02 04:31 PM

At present, the requirement for "personalized portals", means dotLRN. the (old)portal package should not be used. The new-portal package is not dependent to dotlrn, and can be used (with some kludges) to present portals to user. In fact those boxes on the new dotlrn.openforce.net are in a portal! but, it's not personalized or very easy to do, it will be easier to use the new-portal package outside of dotlrn soon. dotlrn is the part that provides personalization, aggregation, etc.

To summarize this rambling: check out dotlrn.

4: Response to Wanted: suggestions for combining packages (response to 1)

Posted by Brad Punt on 08/20/02 04:12 AM

Thanks to both of you for taking the time to comment.

I spent some more time today trying to pull together the combination of packages I think I need to deliver on my plans.

I had come to the conclusion that News plus General Comments would be a good start for a community-driven site until I discovered they do not display images uploaded by site visitors/contributors. In fact, it appears none of the packages do this except Photo Album and Wimpy Point. If anyone has modified the News and General Comments packages to display images or if I have simply overlooked a configuration issue, I would appreciate hearing from you.

My next approach was to comb through the Content Mgmt System. It appears it will allow me to modify the News package, and any other package, to meet my needs. Obviously, I will have to bang my head on this package for a few days to try and understand it better. But, at this point I would like to know if the CMS has a future in OpenACS (the forum isn't very active) and I'm wondering if it is a suitable system when the general public are your content contributors rather than a behind-the-scenes publishing/design group.

Thanks again

5: Response to Wanted: suggestions for combining packages (response to 1)

Posted by Brad Punt on 08/20/02 07:17 PM

For those of you with similar questions, I found some answers here.