Must Haves For Me: Custom profiles, vB/IPB bridge, WYSIWYG... Is that PHPCOW ?

Is PHPCOW my best option ?

PHPCOW seems to be setup to be pretty noob-proof.
Everything is explained to be ready to go for anyone that knows how to use basic software and was familiar with the old crappy MS Frontpage.

Some of those templates they offer seem like direct rips from major sites like Yahoo Sports and ESPN, something that nice looking for someone with my limited skill seems like a dream.

The Subdreamer templates dont have that look and that wide style that most news sites (and that im looking for)... have.

And Drupal and Joomla seem like they would require SOME idea of PHP, etc...
I can barely get away with basic HTML, but CSS is even outta my league... PHP, forget it!

I also cant find information on the PHPCow site, or a Forum for that matter, that would tell me how their user profile system works, and how well it integrates with either of the two leading forum services.


1: I want to have my users be able to log on to the main site or the forums area, and be able to move back and forth while still being logged on.

2: I want the ability to have customized user profiles for my users.

3: It needs to be something that I (with my very limited knowledge), can get up and running properly.


Ive gotten lots of information by searching these forums and talking with some of you the past few days, and slowly im narrowing my needs down from my wants.
These are the 3 deal breakers for me right now... if i can find a solution for these 3 things, then i can be on my merry way to making a site.

Thanks everyone for your continued help.

 

Have you checked xooArticles Software? it's very new though already has many functionality built in. Still no IPB bridge, but vBulletin users bridge is ready
You can customize it as you wish + free support and installation
All things you mentioned in your post are present

 

Thats the thing... i cant customize it as i wish, i dont know how to write PHP scrips to add things that i would like.
Can this be used as a fully functional CMS front end for a site that will be mostly about news?

 

then xooarticles support team will help you if you have any problems with customizing. yes, xooarticles has a great admin panel where you can create additional pages, create polls, manage news, etc. It's a full featured CMS with article directory or article script functionality.. It's publishing oriented

 

I hope its not like PHPCow... i couldnt make heads or tails out of that.