We are developing a site for a sports publications online version. We have a basic phpnuke up there now. We were new to open source and it was the first we found. Now it seems it is not a good solution.

We need basic guest, registered user access and in the future only paid user access. We need a simple way for a network of writers to post their stories and for us to approve and publish them. PHPnuke seems very rigid in design and boring looking.

We have looked at XOOPS (of course), mambo, cofax, ezpublish, postnuke, and a few others I can't think of.

Any suggestions...? Advice...

thanks in advance...

Marshall Gilliam

You don't mention anything, XOOPS cannot do. Mind you, I am rather sure that all the others can do that as well. Well. Except for the paid user access. XOOPS has a strong permission system, but until someone develops it, no easy/automated way of assigning users permissions based on time/payment.

Basically, you should pick the system that does, what you want, in a way you can understand.

Any one of the systems may have a lot of features, but if you cannot figure out how to use it, you are better off with something else.
However, if you plan to expand later on with more and more content and new features (message board/forum, image gallery etc.) my personal opinion is that XOOPS is a stronger foundation than the others (but I would say that, wouldn't I? )

The biggest difference I have found between all other systems is the support people behind them. For us, it's the actual users who offer support in any way that they can, without feeling intimidated or harrased. My personal opinion is that XOOPS has a much stronger foundation of community then others, (but I would say that, wouldn't I? )