Hello xoopsers! I just ran out from frustration of evaluating all kinds of different cms's trying to find the one that best fits my needs. It sometimes seems like you found the perfect one and then the one missing feature that just comes as the important one spoils the picture. That is how it is with xoops. I liked it on sight, but what i didn't liked is that it uses it's own, less mature than phpbb newbb board. Why, i asked myself isn't there something like XOOPS that natively uses phpbb? :) Another thing i was worried about (and still am) is the fact that XOOPS doesn't generates friendly urls by default. It is a major flaw since search engine optimization is something that is a very important issue to me.

BUT, comparing to others like postnuke, phpnuke, xaraya and whole bunch of others i somehow allways returned to that simpaticaly named xoops.
Now, i need you xoopsers to realisticaly convience me that the mentioned issues can be solved flawlessly and that i will be happy with xoops! I am aware about bbpixel and that search engine friendly urls hack and that is the last thing that made me sign up with this forum and seriously consider XOOPS to go with.
My questions are? Can you asure me that these outside hacks/addons (for phpbb and SE friendly urls) will work good and really good?
What do you think about drupal that i consider the concurent cms to XOOPS (for me)?
Do you think i am on the right place to fullfill the following requirements?

FORUMS (preferably integratde PHPBB or at least some alike, with the same or similar features)
'HOT TOPICS' FROM FORUMS, BLOGS, ARTICLES (CHOSEN TITLES)
ARTICLES (with rating ability, commenting system, signature and ability to turn off/on those options for each article posted)
MULTIPLE BLOGS (with rating and maybe commenting system)
NEWS (with commenting)
RSS CAPABILITY (get's fed from multiple sources, total control)
FAQ
POLLS
PETITIONING CAPABILITY ( if possible)
LINKS (prefferably with rating ability)
DOWNLOADS (prefferably with rating too)
SEARCH ENGINE (and search box ;))
SEARCH ENGINE FRIENDLY URL's
EASY TEMPLATING AND SKINNING SYSTEM (wysiwyg if possible :))
STABLE, FAST, RELIABLE
GOOD OVERALL REPUTATION
GREAT COMMUNITY, SUPPORT AND DOCUMENTATION

Thank you very much for reading and help. I somehow believe that your answers will be positive, but i am a safe player.
Now Enlighten me!
Thank you again!
Daniel

Since you have done your homework, there is not much to "Enlighten" you.

Every system has the its strengths and weaknesses. They were/are created to fit into particular needs. There is no such a thing as a perfect system, so don't try too hard and get really disappointed.

You will have to decide which parts are the most important to your needs and go from there. Some of the desired things you would have to go without.

Hehe! You just gave me one more reason to go with xoops! I got the answer on my thread in like a half of an hour. I can't get the answer to my posts that fast even in the popular sitepoint webmasters forums. :)

I agree with you that there are obviously no perfect cms's and that i can only choose the one that fits my requirements the best of all others.

I think that it is transparent that i believe XOOPS is my best bet. I posted this just to get some kind of confirmation and 'testimonies' from others in need for a similar features as i am. ;)
I won't try soo hard that i get disappointed (and i'm not really fit to start writing my own cms) :) And i may go without these petitions while for other requirements i mentioned i think that it would work out fine. That's what i need you to say, if you have a good experience in the same matters, to say it. :)

Thank you!
Daniel

The people round here are very nice and helpful.

As for the modules you where looking for - most (if not) all of them exist... As to which is the best, I think everyone will have their own favourites.

I currently use the phpbb hack - and find it generally very good. I like phpbb - and am an admin on another site which uses it - so have a little practise with it :)

I would recommend however, sticking with the standard newbb - as it is getting improved - and new versions are apparently adding many features which are currently missing.

Thank you David! I can see how great the community around here is and i am sure that i could get to love XOOPS very easily. I am glad to know that there exist the modules for features i need. I am already aware that there definitely are the most important ones and if there are all, i can't be happier!

For phpbb hack, is it possible to use it for a while and then painlessly convert to newbb on the fly, and of course without loosing current members registrations? I mean, when newbb get's more advanced, i could just switch to it.
Or maybe, i will stick to newbb hoping that it will get fully advanced in time my community portal get's fully alive. That way, my portal can grow not only by it's members, but by it's technical functionality thanks to the XOOPS engine and newbb forums improvements. Would newbb evolve fast enough? Would it be fully advanced (comparable to phpbb) in say 2 or 3 months?

Thank you very much!
Daniel

If I were you, I would stick with newbb. Converting is not an easy task. As with any open-source projects, XOOPS advances according the availability and schedule of its developers. There is no timeline of a fully advanced version. You could check its progress at dev.xoops.org.

One thing to keep in mind while you are debating - users stay around not because of the technicality, but because of the contents. A technically superior board surely will help, but it alone is just not enough to keep users.

You got the point there tl! Technicalities are surely not the most important thing for a community to grow and prosper, it is always a nice add-on and could boost the whole feeling of completeness many including me are wishing to achieve with their portals, but then, newbb is not THAT uncomplete and un-advanced, i feel quite comfortable using it right now writing these posts and it looks very interesting. For instance, i like being able to see the last post i am replying at above the text typing area..it makes it easy to reply properly. :)

I may stick to newbb.. that may in longterm pay-off if not even in short term :)
I'll dig it up a bit at dev.xoops.org though.

Thanks!
Daniel

I personally Like the newbb better than phpbb, Before I ran Xoops, I had a phpbb. now that I have newbb, I have fallen in love with, so many options and features to it!



eq

Well! I am all for XOOPS now. I got it installed on the site i am developing (www.libervis.com) and am tweaking it, playing with it just to get a hang of it. I read the whole visual introduction of XOOPS and many of other documentation and i see i can satisfie all my major needs with it.

However, one thing got me to worry about. What is going to happen with wf sections and downloads module previously developed by catzwolf as i understand, which seems to have abandoned it's development. And i must say that just after realizing how great XOOPS community is to have that picture spoiled by that arguing between herko and Cori (admin of another site). Yes, herko apologized, but there still seem to be some that would actuly take sides on the issue. I'd just like to know things like that won't happen. Actualy.. i am gonna make this a challenge and stick to XOOPS community. Don't expect me to take sides, i want and need peace ;)

Now.. all my concerns are about the further development of those abandoned modules?

Daniel