* CMS + vBulletin : 13 best possible solutions...

Hi All,
I am planning to build my community around vBulletin since vBulletin 3.7 (to be released shortly) is seriously moving towards Social Networking features. Also because of the fact that vBulletin is proven to handle very high traffic.

However I don't want my website to be totally a forum. I would like to have a blog/CMS/portal that can integrate with vBulletin.


By integration, I mean :-
1) Single login for users. The users should be able to register only once but can login either in the application (CMS) or forum (vBulletin).
2) I should be able to display the latest forum threads of vBulletin on the home page of CMS/blog.


Now my question :-
What are the various good CMS applications that offer integration with vBulletin ?

Note : I don't mind paying for CMS as well along with vBulletin

Please reply with whatever you know. Even if it can be integrated by using a 'bridge', it's fine.
Also try to mention pros & cons of that particular CMS / bridge.
If you built any sample sites, that should be great.

Please keep in mind that I am aiming to build a community of around 2,00,000 people where thousands of users online at any time.

Feel free to comment / suggest on below options or any new ones.

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I will start with few I know :-

:: Drupal + vBulletin : Can be integrated using the bridge at http://www.vbdrupal.org

My Comments : I am most favourable for this solution, as I feel Drupal is the best CMS and vBulletin is the best forum software. But not sure how reliable is this vbDrupal bridge. Also Drupal is known to give few problems for high traffic websites (especially when so many users logged in at the same time). But still vbDrupal looks a good one, as the developers are constantly updating it for latest version.

Look at http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=153543 for this vbDrupal solution.



:: Vivvo CMS + vBulletin : Vivvo.net offers vBulletin integration with Vivvo CMS.

My Comments : Looks good at outset though slightly costly. Will be considering it because VIVVO particularly says their application can handle high traffic. However it's not a complete integration with vBulletin. Just a basic integration.



:: Joomla + vBulletin : http://bbpixel.com offers this integration for a fee.

My Comments : I am okay with this solution if Joomla can handle high traffic. But it seems Joomla is resource intensive and gives performance problems for high traffic (I will be happy if I am wrong.)



:: vBuleltin + vBulletin Blog :

My Comments : Both from Jelsoft. So should integrate well. However I don't like vBulletin blog. I will consider only if there is no other option.



:: vbAdvanced : http://www.vbadvanced.com offers solutions for vBulletin integration

My Comments : It offers vBadvanced CMPS, vBadvanced Dynamics, vBadvanced Links Directory for little price. Don't know it's capabilities. It's good that they already upgraded their products to integrate with vBulletin 3.7.



:: SubDreamer CMS + vBulletin : SubDreamer is paid but not costly. It is known that SubDreamer offers the most seamless integration with vBulletin.

My Comments : I have read too many negative comments about SubDreamer. And mostly it seems to suit only personal / medium sized websites that don't plan to extend toomuch in future.



:: WordPress + vBulletin : Look at the bridge for this @ http://www.vbulletin.org/forum/showthread.php?t=134521

My Comments : Not well supported and not fully convinced about this integration, as there are many limitations.



:: PHPCOW + vBulletin : http://www.phpcow.com offers integration with vBulletin

My Comments : Not sure how good is PhpCow for large websites. Also I did NOT like the given templates.



:: vbPortal : http://www.vbportal.com offers a portal that integrates with vBulletin

My Comments : I don't think it's extensive enough portal. And even the portal pages look more like forum.



:: Miraserver + vBulletin : http://www.miraserver.com/contentmanagement.htm

My Comments : Not sure how reliable it is, as not many people discussing it. It's $ 159 and anyway Miraserver is going Open Source soon.



:: PHPFOX + vBulletin : http://www.phpfox.com has a plugin for integration with vBulletin

My Comments : PhpFox dropped official support and development for this specific vBulletin plug-in. So PhpFox ruled out from my options.



:: MAMBO + vBulletin :

My Comments : Not interested in this solution, as I don't think MAMBO is heading in right direction.



:: Typo3 + vBulletin : Look at http://typo3lab.ru/en/typo3-services/integration-vbulletin-to-typo3.html

My Comments : Costs $ 650. Not much interested in this, as I don't want to use (or unfamiliar with) Typo3

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Feel free to comment / suggest on above options or any new ones.

My knowledge is limited and so please excuse me for any ignorance in making above comments.

 

No suggestions / feedback / opinions ???

 

would you consider Wordpress MU? I think the vbulletin bridge works with it.

 

Can you please provide me the link for vB bridge ?

 

really a good idea to let wpmw works with vb.

 

Wordpress MU | Wordpress vB bridge - I looked into vB bridge and wasn't so sure about implementing it. You're really hoping that guy will be around forever to keep creating updates. Wordpress seems to change drastically from one version to the next in some cases.

 

I tried evo articles from evo-dev.com

It went from $249 to free, however, the download link is broken and you will have to google "evoart2.1.3" to find the download. Easy intregration, and setup. The only reason why I picked this cms to bridge is because of the ease of use for what I need. Check out the evo-article in action links from their website. The one draw back is the themes...there is not a wide spread availibility of themes or support out there for this CMS.

 

Interesting

 

Great list!
Miraserver looks to be officially dead looking at the homepage.

 

There is the other option.

You use Drupal and whatever forum to begin with.

When your community has grown to where you are getting revenue.

You then re-invest money to build your own scalable and fast cms, blogs and forums.

Thats what I intend to do, as all opensource cms, blog, forums are hackable to some extent and very very slow.

I've noticed that silverstripe is quite fast. Unfortunately, its very new. Maybe in a few years when features/modules have improved, then it will be a contender.

 

Wouldn't a custom site done by one person be infinitely more exploitable than a large community script though?
I suppose popularity brings over the hackers and having a custom job just wouldn't warrant the effort.

 

i would suggest using a forum and cms as stand alone and integrate them via their css

 

I think most people don't like registering twice in the same website
I feel it's better if at least the 'membership' part is integrated.
CSS integration is secondary when compared to functionality.

 

One more solution that integrates with vBulletin.
http://www.mkportal.it/mkportal/modules/docs/index.php?show=features

 

I like vivvo personally.

 

does anyone got already vivvo with vb integration? wishing to check it our before I jump to buy it.

 

Just be aware that it does not seem to be a complete integration and also it seems they haven't integrated yet with vBuleltin latest version.

Check all details with them before purchasing.

 

i would prefer the following

1. Wp and Vbulletin ( i have done it same header and look , expect the same login)
2. Joomla and vbulletin ( will end up being expensive but will be easier , VB+joomla+intigration mod+man hr =$$$$$

 

really a good idea but for me it's really hard to maintain a forum. good luck

 

you may try www.rapidvector.com which is having their own forum Modules. i am using it write now for one of my site and its good in use.