EE and codeigniter, and blog etc.

[eluser]searain[/eluser]
I like CI, clean and simple. I will spend some time to quickly catch up with CI and then I will rewrite my own old code base on CI framework.

Now I have some questions about EE and CodeIgniter.

I may have a project that will require forum, wiki, blog, social network community and online courses such as moodle.

I think EE can cover the forum and wiki part well. But the blog, so the social network community part is tricky with EE and its license. I am not sure about using EE for online course or online education either.

My questions are

1) CI is framework, EE is CMS. As a web developer, we can and we could have a lot to do to develop codes/systems on CI. But EE is CMS, how much we need to do or we could do as a web developer on EE? (not as web designer to change the css and theme etc. but as a developer to modify, add on or plug in)

EE is a licensed software, how about free EE plugin or EE addons out there that I can use? What the EE license have to do with 3rd party plug in and add ons?

2) EE is good with forum and wiki. But its blog and its license of blog is confusing. Say I will have members to use EE for wiki and forum. But even EE has a weak blog system built in, I cannot offer these members who use EE's wiki and fourm, the blog system for each member?

3) How about if I use EE's wiki and forum, and then find some add on or plug in from 3rd party for blog? because the new EE will be on CI, can I use the EE and plus some 3rd party blog system for CI and merge them together, will that be OK with EE's license? What is your solution as CI web developer for blog hosting?

4) Licensed EE is good for wiki and forum, how about social media network (this will also come with the question about its blog license because most social medial network will offer the members blog space)? So EE is not good for social media network if its blog license forbid that each member has a blog on EE.

5) will EE be good to use as platform of online courses or online education like moodle?

6) Except forum and wiki, what else EE is good at so I should chose EE first for these fields/services?

7) After I master the basic of CI, and if I get EE2.0 which is based on CI, I should have no problems to do the developing works on the EE2.0 using the CI knowledge I have?

Any advices are appreciated. Thanks!

[eluser]Colin Williams[/eluser]
EE's license is dirt cheap. If you are starting a legit enterprise, the cost of the license is probably going to be your smallest expense. Now, it may not have everything you need, and so CI could be a better path to take. But, I would assume the cost (measured in time) it will take to recreate EE-like features far, far, far exceeds the licensing cost.

I would contact EllisLab directly about licensing issues.

[eluser]searain[/eluser]
Yeah. The license is cheap. Even I only use it for wiki and forum.

But I need the blog too. I will check with the EE office when I get to that stage.

Thanks. I come from phpbuilder forum, a friend there told me CI forum is really a friendly place and I can get helps very fast which is true.

Still, if anyone have the answers or opinions about my questions above to give, I will appreciate it.

[eluser]Aken[/eluser]
A blog with EE is very easy, that should be one of your least concerns with what EE can handle.

[eluser]searain[/eluser]
I am looking for a social media network system (Such as elgg, dolphin) that will allow each member has a blog. I read the EE license it seems not allow blog hosting like that. I will check with EE office for that.

[eluser]Aken[/eluser]
Gotcha. Sorry, I skimmed.