Hi, I am interested in launching a membership website, and after researching various software including Membergate and Memberstar, I am interested in using aMember + Joomla + some kind of forum software to power my member website. I have a strong knowledge of XHTML and CSS. Despite that, I am very intimidated by the process of setting up a membership site and integrating various different web software apps (that I'm not familiar with) with one another. I am wondering what the best process would be for me to set all of this up? I have installed Joomla on my site, and am currently in the process of customizing it for my member site. Is the next step to purchase aMember and integrate it, or should I wait until the Joomla site is completely ready to go, and then worry about integrating aMember into the site? Thanks, Mike
First off, I would recommend vBulletin as your forum software. Secondly, you can download the trial version (http://www.amember.com/p/Main/Download) of aMember to start getting a feel for how the integration works before you actually make the purchase. You can install aMember at any time, but I would get Joomla installed and running the way you like (not live to customers) before enabling the integration.
Install aMember, install Joomla (order doesn't matter), disable user registration in Joomla, order the aMember-Joomla integration plugin for aMember, create any content you want to be accessible by members only (i.e. articles etc.) in Joomla and set the access level to "Registered" and link it from the "User Menu", create /amember/protected (for example) directory and protect it using the new-rewrite protection plugin in aMember and put there any non-article content that is not to be administered by Joomla (e.g. exe files etc.). Then search the Joomla extension database for the forum extention you are interested in. For phpBB3, use the Rokbridge plugin. There may be something for vBulletin too. If you choose Rokbridge, search the Rokbridge community forums (there is a link in the extension database) for posts made by myself there (the same username as here) for some design integration tips and install phpBB3 + the Rokbridge Joomla extension according to the instructions found at their website. I currently do not have the forum integration enabled but I had at one point so I know it can work this way. I integrated the forum software using a Joomla extension so it was Joomla->phpBB3 integration but you can integrate directly aMember->phpBB3 (or any other supported forum software). Both is possible, the difference is that if you opt for the second option, you will have to order the aMember integration plugin for it. The Joomla extensions are usually free. The userbase will be the same in both aMember and Joomla so you can do it either way. Tomas P.S. And in the aMember admin panel set the product url for each product to the main "member page" article you create in Joomla. That's how I have done it.
If I were you I would go for Phorum as its lisence is free and it allows full integration also template wise. See www.phorum.org
Well, this isn't really about which forum software you prefer as much as it is about which forum software Joomla and/or aMember integrates with best. phpBB3 has a free license and I know for sure it can be integrated with Joomla with no major problems, Fireboard should have the Joomla integration even simpler but it may lack some features (no personal experience though). And of course vBulletin is still a great option if you don't mind the $160 or how much it costs these days. Tomas
With multiple levels, the fireboard forum isnt working properly, and I cant get the people who make the JACL plugin (multi level fix) to fix it... PHPBB3 will work. David