Requesting help with getting a new functional site

[LPChip]

For some time now, am trying to get a new site for modplug up and running, but as you may have noticed, I kinda failed. I simply don't have the time and motivation to work on this, let alone by myself.

So I thought to switch to a SMF forum, skin it, and use plugins and the API to get something to work like that. Unfortunately I didn't got enough progress with that either. I have wild ideas about what I want, but I lack the time and motivation to actually get it done.

So I'm looking for people who can develop in PHP, can design HTML/php/CSS and possibly know a system that will make things easy to go from.

At this point, I don't really mind what system we'll use, as long as it can be extended to have song uploading capabilities, and a proper bugtracker.

If you have questions feel free to ask them here.

Who is interested?

Oh, and I am looking for people who have the time and motivation and skills. If you are unsure if you can do it, I might be able to include you in a team, but I need someone with the time and skills to be able to give it shape. I can lead the project if desired, but I don't mind giving that out of hands too.

[Saga Musix]

I want to add that we already had some plans about the bug tracker... It would be super cool to have a Mantis bug tracker (PHP) coupled with a SMF forum, i.e. having a shared user database would be really great. I'm not aware of any pre-made bridges, so if you like experimenting, you would already do us a big favour if you can connect Mantis with SMF!

Apart from that, I guess that the site does not really have to be anything special (software-wise), we could possibly use existing systems for every part of the site, apart from the download section, maybe (which should also make use of the forum user database). A possible combination:

• Drupal or a similar simple CMS for frontend (not much content, maybe a welcome site and a few sites about the modplug products)
  
• A MediaWiki for the wiki part (I guess this does not need to be integrated with the forum user database - cubaxd and me have a bit of experience with MediaWiki, so we could possibly help out with setting up stuff)
  
• A SMF forum
  
• A Mantis bugtracker
  
• Download section (possibly self-written).
  

Sounds much, but the biggest parts are really only making a proper new design (valid (X)HTML please ) for the site and coupling all the components. That can be done by a few people.

Every little bit you can do helps. That's why we would like to have answers from anyone who can do at least one of the mentioned things.

[LPChip]

If we're going to put things into a system, like a CMS there are a few things I looked out that I want to share.


Some CMS systems, like drupal come with an integrated forumsystem like phpBB. If we don't need/want to mod the forum much, it would be an idea to go for such system.

If we do want to alter the forumsystem in some ways, then SMF is superior.

SMF has a lot of plugins by itself that can probably do most of what we're looking.

There are even packages available to turn SMF into a CMS, Wiki and even download section.

I even thought about creating a style where I can program into it: if a forum has a certain name, the forum is not shown in the index. That way you can actually create a system to make a post in a forum using a template which can have upload capabilities.

Many functions like CustomBBCode can give you support to add advanced looking posts with ease.

So I too think SMF is the way to go, but most likely it will be best as foundation.

If you have good ideas of combinations of systems, please post them here The more the merrier I think, so we can balance out all issues.

[Relabsoluness]

OT: Is the new site planned to be located in modplug.com?

[Saga Musix]

I'd personally go for openmpt.com (and ditch that ugly wiki there, as discussed before) - modplug.com can still redirect to openmpt.com then.

[machinesmith]

I have HTML/CSS down, PHP I can code (but mind you Im no LPChip like Guru) and if you guys are willing to help with a little hand holding, Im more than willing to help.

I also have found that I start from backends outwards...so translated that would be "from ugly to pretty" (skins and such on the backburner) but then again this is upto however you guys want it.

I'll level with you, right now I have Time and motivation (yeah so "About the skill...") if you're okay with that then Where do I sign up?

[LPChip]

The idea is, that we can get the site made as we want to REPLACE the current modplug.com. MisterX told me he really don't have any time to maintain a site like that any more, and the only thing he request is a small text somewhere on the bottom in the form of ads.

I will host it on my server so I can actually do something when a malfunction occurs.

2machinesmith: I don't know if you're good enough, but I guess there's one question that could answer it:

If I tell you this: build a webpage that uses the SMF API (see smf site for how it works) to get some info like: who is logged in etc...

If you can do that, I think the biggest skills are there. I don't mind answer questions like: I don't know how I should do this, and that I help you getting into the right direction.

Also, what timezone are you on machinesmith? It wouldn't really work if we're not in the same timezone and thus can't communicate much.

[Saga Musix]

He's in a completely different time zone, but I think he can confirm you that he's chatted with me often enough to tell that time zones are really not a problem. Even US and Australia based people should be able to work on this if realtime communication is really so important.

[LPChip]

Well, I'm only online in the evening, which is morning/day time for US citizens.

[uncloned]

for what it is worth..

if you screen the people who are allowed to upload - instead of each song - you could probably get by with having uploads direct into the forum.

I am sure someone will blow the whistle if something bad is uploaded.

[Saga Musix]

I guess that might be possible. Actually, is there a reason why download section and the forum's music corner are separated? It could indeed be merged.

[LPChip]

I think having them seperated looks more professional. But other than that.. not really. This forum has it integrated even. But I do like to have a seperated song submission system, simply so there can be various checks and fields to be entered before the submission is sent in. I still see with the bug support forums here that people sometimes not fill in all fields, which requires me to edit the posts and fill in the info, or ask about them even...

A form that takes care of the submissions can easily inform the user for missing fields and supply info with what they could enter. Next to that, we could create a database with these songs and their topic id's, so we can easily filter/search on the entries.

2 uncloned: I do like the idea, and I've thought of that too.

Basically what I have in mind is this: if we do an approval system, when a person makes 5 submissions that don't need things to be changed, they gain the right to bypass the check system. Of course, this means that if an entry gets submitted that doesn't have the fields filled in correctly, and they get changed by a moderator later, he/she loses the right and has to get 5 submissions right again.

[machinesmith]

Im reading up on the API and SMF itself, as it stands I understand what you want and I see how it can been done...but seeing, knowing and doing are all separate things! What deadlines are there?

[Saga Musix]

Given that we're without a modplug central since more than 4 years now, I wouldn't mind if it was another decade until the new site is up and running.
Nah, kidding. I personally am against tight deadlines, but it would be really nice to have the new site up this year.

[LPChip]

I think its possible to create a first draft (workable forum) and build on from there.

That's what I was trying to do, but time and motivation didn't let me do it properly

So I guess having a forum online and moving to that would be the first step. Building on it from there probably is possible, and I can create an acceptation environment if necessary. (a second forum that you can build on, and once accepted, being merged with the public one)