what to use for a user rank based web application?

[eluser]Unknown[/eluser]
Hi there,

I'm working on a web app that is for a fitness community.
The goal is to allow users to post their favorite work out tunes and other users to rank them. sort of like digg and other web 2.0 voting based sites, but of course not as complicated.
I did some research and seems like CMS wouldn't be a bad choice? (i.e. joomla or drupal)
I also read some articles on flex today...
but a lot of mixed review on all of them!

what would you suggest? would it be easier to go with a CMS or write it in php, mysql (or whatever else db) from scratch?

ps. I'd rather use a template that comes with one of these tools rather than spend time on design

Thanks for your time,

parachuter2b

[eluser]brianw1975[/eluser]
Hey,

First, welcome to the CI world.

Second, if you don't want to spend time on creating a whole design then just go with one of Drupal, Joomla, etc because if you don't have the time for doing the design then you sure don't have the time for the design AND doing all of the programming.

[eluser]skunkbad[/eluser]
[quote author="parachuter2b" date="1251687516"]Hi there,

I'm working on a web app that is for a fitness community.
The goal is to allow users to post their favorite work out tunes and other users to rank them. sort of like digg and other web 2.0 voting based sites, but of course not as complicated.
I did some research and seems like CMS wouldn't be a bad choice? (i.e. joomla or drupal)
I also read some articles on flex today...
but a lot of mixed review on all of them!

what would you suggest? would it be easier to go with a CMS or write it in php, mysql (or whatever else db) from scratch?

ps. I'd rather use a template that comes with one of these tools rather than spend time on design

Thanks for your time,

parachuter2b[/quote]

I think the problem you will face will be that there is no easy solution. If you had known a programming language, or if you were familiar with how to use joomla or drupal, then you probably would have just started in on the development. Since you don't have the knowledge to get started, you will have some learning to do, and it wouldn't matter what direction you decided to go. I don't think you're going to find a solution that just jumps into your lap.

While not really related to your post, this reminds me of the "dreamers" that I talk to all the time. They want a website that is going to be the next ebay, but they think I'm going t build it for them for $100.00. People don't realize that there is work to programming and making websites. If they want a cheap solution, they are going to get what they pay for. In your case, and in most cases, the time spent making the site will be proportional to it's real value.

[eluser]Unknown[/eluser]
[quote author="skunkbad" date="1251700486"][quote author="parachuter2b" date="1251687516"]

I think the problem you will face will be that there is no easy solution. If you had known a programming language, or if you were familiar with how to use joomla or drupal, then you probably would have just started in on the development. Since you don't have the knowledge to get started, you will have some learning to do, and it wouldn't matter what direction you decided to go. I don't think you're going to find a solution that just jumps into your lap.

While not really related to your post, this reminds me of the "dreamers" that I talk to all the time. They want a website that is going to be the next ebay, but they think I'm going t build it for them for $100.00. People don't realize that there is work to programming and making websites. If they want a cheap solution, they are going to get what they pay for. In your case, and in most cases, the time spent making the site will be proportional to it's real value.[/quote]

Thanks for the reply, but when did I say that I don't know how to code or don't have the programming skills?
I'm in fact working as a programmer and have experience with web development as well (mainly struts)...just haven't worked with CMSs and PHP before. one reason I picked this project was to learn about those tools.
Just wanted to get you guys' input on the problem, so I'd make a smart decision. In other words, not spend a lot of time writing these features in PHP for instance from scratch only to find out those functionalities were readily available in a drupal plugin!

[eluser]skunkbad[/eluser]
[quote author="parachuter2b" date="1251702749"][quote author="skunkbad" date="1251700486"][quote author="parachuter2b" date="1251687516"]

I think the problem you will face will be that there is no easy solution. If you had known a programming language, or if you were familiar with how to use joomla or drupal, then you probably would have just started in on the development. Since you don't have the knowledge to get started, you will have some learning to do, and it wouldn't matter what direction you decided to go. I don't think you're going to find a solution that just jumps into your lap.

While not really related to your post, this reminds me of the "dreamers" that I talk to all the time. They want a website that is going to be the next ebay, but they think I'm going t build it for them for $100.00. People don't realize that there is work to programming and making websites. If they want a cheap solution, they are going to get what they pay for. In your case, and in most cases, the time spent making the site will be proportional to it's real value.[/quote]

Thanks for the reply, but when did I say that I don't know how to code or don't have the programming skills?
I'm in fact working as a programmer and have experience with web development as well (mainly struts)...just haven't worked with CMSs and PHP before. one reason I picked this project was to learn about those tools.
Just wanted to get you guys' input on the problem, so I'd make a smart decision. In other words, not spend a lot of time writing these features in PHP for instance from scratch only to find out those functionalities were readily available in a drupal plugin![/quote]

parachuter2b,

Sorry about the assumption. I try to always do things from scratch, which is easiest for me. I think you ought to go with whatever is your strength. If it is ASP, or whatever you are best at, just use that programming language. As for the design, you could use a free template, or buy something if you don't want to make it yourself.

[eluser]bsauls[/eluser]
[quote author="parachuter2b" date="1251687516"]Hi there,

I'm working on a web app that is for a fitness community.
The goal is to allow users to post their favorite work out tunes and other users to rank them. sort of like digg and other web 2.0 voting based sites, but of course not as complicated.
I did some research and seems like CMS wouldn't be a bad choice? (i.e. joomla or drupal)
I also read some articles on flex today...
but a lot of mixed review on all of them!

what would you suggest? would it be easier to go with a CMS or write it in php, mysql (or whatever else db) from scratch?

ps. I'd rather use a template that comes with one of these tools rather than spend time on design

Thanks for your time,

parachuter2b[/quote]

parachuter:

You are probably well on your way with this one way or another, but I have been looking at a similar issue, and my decision might help. I have a non-profit client that is looking for a CMS for their site, they are considering Drupal and Joomla!, and they want me to integrate a fund raising management system they have used for over 10 years (migrate db to MySQL) into the CMS. I have a lot of codeigniter experience, and many time saving code creation scripts. Do I integrate Codeigniter or use the Drupal or Joomla! framework? I've decided to go with the CMS framework, for long term maintenance reasons and the fact that they are both truly great and well written frameworks.

My suggestion is to download each of them and go through the tutorials, and you will realize that the overall answer is easy. You would be a fool to try to replicate, much less improve on these frameworks, and you will ultimately have a lot of joy working with them.

I stumbled on your question because my client recently switched from going ahead with Joomla! to considering Drupal, but my decision remains to go with either of these frameworks that they choose.

Bruce Sauls, Raleigh, NC