Need a big community website, I supply content, have existing but revamping substantially (way overdue, it's basically a new project). This is primarily setting it up and building a control panel (for dummies!)
Will want to keep it clean and simple, but with robust architecture to accommodate growth. Prefer to use xoops technology (apache); have a hosting source (HostMySite).
I don't mind if you tinker with a template, but I also have a front page and inside page design I would like to integrate. I am not that technical so the control panel will need to be the key access point for myself and my assistant and possibly volunteers (until such time as I can hire folks who really know what they're doing...) many of the features I am seeking are in XOOPS existing modules, which could be modified easily.
The project to include movement of current site members--about 3400--and this is critical: Maintaining their access un and pw info. We have lost folks before in "big changes." This is not yet a commercial site, but I am headed in that direction.
Key elements:
1. forums/message boards (we have 18 now, 15 or so active on a daily basis)
2. chat room features (several of these will be needed, by topical area)
3. article submission & RSS feed options...translation option is good, too. Book reviews, etc.
4. blog (for me primarily, they do not post in response, that's what the forums are for) translation option helpful
5. calendar where people around world can submit events with our approval. Free. This needs to sort by country, region, ZIP, keywords, etc., can be limited in size (1000 characters max etc.) Nice if it has a "this is a free service but we appreciate your donation" with $5, $10, $25, $50 etc., keep me anonymous/tell them I gave money built in; also a currency converter. This is very important to me.
6. please donate here in other portions of site too.
7. commercialization possibilities down the line--sponsorships, links, etc. and possibly a Resources section
8. members can modify this--make it their homepage option, add yoru local weather, astrology forecast, etc. members have profiles too they can modify.
9. contact forms not emails with security features (type this acces code) etc.
10. "survey" technology to put on front page--42% of those responding to our question of the day...with graphical aspect (creates pie chart with key, or something)
11. if possible incorporate a design I already had made but never have implemented
12. email integration option, by topic--e.g., I am interested in receiving info about...a, b, c, d, e--and articles etc. would then 'merge' into a newsletter that is sent on a schedule
13. podcasts/webcasts: i would be interviewing authors, experts, etc. later, we would like to integrate video, for sponors, maybe our own little 'show'
14. shopping area--books, cafepress, possibly services (pay here for a consultation, we would take a percentage of the fee), etc.
15. members can 'rank' things, articles they like, etc.--unsure on this. maybe can be seen only by admin? so we know what topics are of interest?
16. option to enlarge type etc. with a simple click from their end--this site skews to 30+ and has many much older than that who would appreciate large type option.
17. no flash or 'stuff' in top 3rd of pages that would impede search engines from finding us; we of course want to keep our high rankings
NOTE: this is not a dating or adult content site
Thanks for taking time to consider this project. I don't have any idea on budget but of course less is more right now. Please let me know if you have questions.
Lauren