I'm looking for a CMS system so that I can primarily create a photo gallery and a journal style blog, but still have more of the look and feel of a website. I've narrowed it down to XOOPS and Joomla and honestly am torn as to which would be better for me.

Now, I am not into bashing other products as each have their strengths and weaknesses, but I would like some honest comparisons between the two products. Which is easier to use for someone who has some html experience, but no php/mysql knowledge (though I have to do queries against Sybase databases in my job).

I have looked at some of the forums and docs from both products, and I am somewhat leaning toward Xoops. I guess I just need someone to give me that final shove!

Thanks,
Wendell

Well module wise, I'm sure we can help you in regards to finding suitable Gallery and Blog modules to use... and if you need any assistance, you can find it via the forums - or via either the FAQ or Blog sites - which cover a wide range of topics.

I'd always recommend if you can, to have an experiment locally - using a system like XAMP (http://www.apachefriends.org - I think) - which will allow you to set up XOOPS (or that "other" system ) quickly on your local machine...

Anyway, if you get stuck.. please feel free to ask here.

This is a pretty good recent post that feaures some comparisons that REALLY matter.

https://xoops.org/modules/newbb/viewtopic.php?viewmode=flat&topic_id=50352&forum=27

I've tried both XOOPS and Joomla. I wasn't really all that fair with Joomla as it just didn't have the features I needed for my community websites. I'll say XOOPS is great for this purpose. I also cut my teeth on XOOPS so I sorta know what I'm doing and really didn't want to learn a whole new piece of software.

My vote goes to XOOPS but there is a steep learning curve for modifying things and getting the look and feel you want. I found Joomla a little easier to mess with the code. I know hardly any php coding but both are rather forgiving if you are careful when making changes in php.

I suggest you research both XOOPS and Joomla through their BB Support. Then when you think you know just enough to be dangerous, keep on reading the Bulletin Boards for a few more days. Then make a decision...Again I vote XOOPS!

When I came on board I knew little PHP, gave up Nuke as too hard and Joomla got a quick glance...so I can't really 'compare'. However, it didn't take me long after installing, reading and asking for help to feel very confident about what the developers offer non coders here and when I have had to plunge into the code they have been kind and gentle with their guiding hand...so I have stayed with XOOPS because it is intuitive and I like the community. This is a very dynamic place to be and that keeps things interesting!
You could also check out the way some xoopsers support others at their sites - check the 'find XOOPS docs here' thread to find lots of resources on XOOPS that people have put togther to support the community. This is pretty much my XOOPS favourites list.

Cheers

Here's my honest opinion.

Xoops:

Support used to be great, things then went a little down hill, however they are picking back up on the forums, this is not knocking anyones ability.

Modules - Limited in some regards, although if you want content modules, then SmartFactory is excellent with outstanding support. XoopsForge is also excellent, they produce the forums newbb.

If your looking for a blog solution there are some out their although many nor supported, or kinda don't appear fully integrated as an XOOPS module

Photo galleries - limited to about 3 choices, XCGal which can be complicated to use but very powerful, and myalbum now developed by Peak, but doesn't have too many advanced features.

Members and users of XOOPS tend to be very negative towards commercial solutions, modules and themes, when in fact this can bring something excellent to the table in regards of choice.

I feel the XOOPS system is very easy to manage and very powerful, with an insight into future versions, I think it will give XOOPS the edge back it used to have.

Xoops I feel has a far Superior groups/permissions system at present.

Xoops needs more module and theme developers, both free and commercial to give more choice.

Joomla

Advantage of simple urls which some believe is better for SEO, easy to install, but I find the way the admin works was quite complicated at first, with componants and modules, and the way the menus work, but once you get to grips with it, the system is very dynamic.

Modules - There are many more modules/componants that you get on xoops, also with commercial contributors that charge for addons, this gives you much more choice for the way you want your site to work.

The Joomla permissions/groups system is lacking and one of the main weaknesses in my opinion.

There are more options for subscription and commercial type componants which allow you to make money from your website

All In all I've been personally looking at converting all my sites to Joomla, especially with recent events on xoops, which now seem to be getting better. I'm holding on to see what XOOPS 2.3 brings before I jump ship.

At the moment my bets still remain on XOOPS being the future CMS to use.

I hope this has been of some use.

Hallo!

Quote:

Tom did point out one of the best opinion.

However, there is anathor option. You can find a software that simply registers and maintain user database and offer login to tow or more stand-alone softwares.

For instance you may choose Wordpress standalone (there is a XOOPS module), if you do not want to be dependent on the module developers, and anathor Galery standalone software and then install a third software that ties the two!

There are softwares awailable for this purpose:

AgileBill: http://agileco.com/
aMember: http://www.amember.com/

Both the software have plugins and will help in synchronising the databases. In the above, AgileBill is much more advanced and ofcourse costs more.

By this system, you simply are out of the stupid dependency and internal fights or delays of any kind of a core in view of XOOPS of Joomla and straight forward depend to directly with specialized softwares for that particular purpose.

To have a similar system into XOOPS would bring XOOPS to a more advanced software status and my messages in this regards to feature request at Sourceforge has been carefully disregarded, most likely due to lack of developers or interest to consider it as an important feature!

Well, I am playing with Joomla right now for a project where the people are interested in it. I have setup and run lots of XOOPS sites. I do have to say that Joomla has some great features, but has a steep learning curve and is really not for the less experienced amongst us. I am finding some of the concepts and metaphors in the administration section very tough to grasp. I will grasp them, but...

On the other hand, some parts, like the file manager add-on and the ability to add modules, components, themes and mambots from an admin menu is very handy.

All in all it is a mixture of some very nice features with little of the straightforward user interface XOOPS has in its admin section.

And yes, Joomla has some very, very nice free themes.

Hi!

Quote:

I installed XOOPS for a Group and invested about a 100 hours for working and reworking the theme. Someone simply copied the menu and other content of the site I was developing for them and installed Joomla with it. This parallel installation of Joomla impressed that group and I lot my investment.

To be very honest, except Groups permission feature, XOOPS has nothing extra-ordinary to offer to users on the admin side.

As on todays's date, Joomla has much more advantage against xoops, if one does NOT group permissions complexisity as Joomla does have basic groupings - not considering - the coding inside of it! I say this only in view of the total overview of it.

I myself am using XOOPS though, because I feel XOOPS has a chance in the future, if no further disadvantage in the development occurs like in the past.

After trying literaty "all" Open source CMS availables on the internet. i stayed with XOOPS.

i agree that XOOPS need more development and modules for the future but for my point of view is one of the strongest CMS available for Free.