I'm looking for a CMS (maybe Xoops; looked at a few at opensourcecms.com) to manage a web site for a small-business networking group. As well as the usual static content, I'm looking for a few application-type capabilities in particular, and I hope someone here can say "Yes, XOOPS can do that! And you should look at these modules:..."

1. Each member can edit not only their own contact details, but a blurb ("infomercial") that will be displayed along with their photograph, describing their business. The main content on the front page would consist of the list of members with these public details.

2. Members can submit "qualified referrals" for each other, see (and maybe edit) the ones they have sent/received. A referral form would have basic contact info for a sales lead plus some notes, and an "outcome", i.e. sold, pending, dead, etc. Receiving members can follow up, i.e. set the outcome of a referral.

3. Members can see summary information about referrals sent/received for each other member, but not their detailed content.

4. Elected officers (a group of the members) can edit any site content, and edit/delete any referrals.

5. Officers (or maybe all members) can send a mass email to all members. (I've seen modules like this for other CMSs.) The membership is manageably small.

One thing that I want the system to understand is the "category" of each member. There can be only one member in each category (this is how these groups work); only officers should be able to create/delete categories (filled and vacant), and create/delete member records (who must be voted in, but that can take place offline). This could be as simple as another field in the Member form, not editable by the member; or the category could be another object, associated with the member somehow.

I am quite capable of HTML and Perl and PHP and MySQL (and UNIX and Linux), but I won't be the one to own this for the life of the group, so a CMS is indicated that doesn't require all my skills to run. Figuring out XOOPS once, I can do, and someone else can just use it.

Does this all sound Xoops-able? Or should I be looking at another system entirely? Drupal seemed too complex. I'm familiar with DBManSQL from Gossamer Threads, but that wouldn't have the bonus of throwing in e.g. a calendar module to manage the weekly speaker's list, a newsletter, etc.

Thanks!

i'd say it does seem so...I believe there is a module called user page which will do 1. Each member can edit not only their own contact details, but a blurb ("infomercial")

A custom block will do 'The main content on the front page would consist of the list of members with these public details.' if the module does not.

A module like smart section will enable you to do this: 2. Members can submit "qualified referrals" for each other, see (and maybe edit) the ones they have sent/received. Alternatively there is a module for making 'forms' - can;t think of the name off the top of my head though...

3. Members can see summary information about referrals sent/received for each other member, but not their detailed content. - this will depend on the module you go with and how you set the permissions.

Group design and permissions will also cover
'4. Elected officers (a group of the members) can edit any site content, and edit/delete any referrals.'
only officers should be able to create/delete categories (filled and vacant), and create/delete member records (who must be voted in, but that can take place offline).

To create one 'catergory' per member though you may need to give them individual user groups and permissions- this is the one area I am not quite sure of...

A Mail module will probaly cover this provided the officers have permission to use it in group permissions:
5. Officers (or maybe all members) can send a mass email to all members. (I've seen modules like this for other CMSs.) The membership is manageably small.


for this: but I won't be the one to own this for the life of the group,

you would train those who have webmaster permission on where to get help like getting them to be familiar with this:

New users should always checkout the following:
1. Documentation - linked on the left. Specifically the administration manual
2. The FAQ section - linked on the left - specifically the sections on gloassry, beginners first steps, modules, blocks and themes. There are links to visual tutorials here.
3. The search function on the top right.
Please check also the read B4U post link below if you have problems.

For Visual tutorials please go here


I think your biggest challeneg will be the hunting down of modules that do just what you want them to do. If you want to play try doing a local install with something like wamp5 to see if it will work.

Hope this helps