create a family review/swap/recycle free membership database-cms site? does it exist?

Sorry for not knowing programming or the correct terminology. I don't know how I found this forum exactly, but you seem like the kind of mega talented intellects & creative brains that would know if anyone would ...

a couple of places i have asked this question said joomla or drupal whatever -- but they must not have read the part about i am not a programmer, really do not know the least thing about it (i know how to do rudimentary html and have worked on database apps in a computer, not installing or creating online, in the past -- again rudimentary knowledge) and need totally simple, easy to understand and actual user friendly interface (like the mac programs i use!).

Is this kind of project even feasible? Does it even remotely exist (for free or almost free?)

It's a ready to use easy GUI online database for registering new members, requires (free) membership & password access to post a review or rating or opinion or an offer/request to swap/recycle + a discussion forum + view articles/resources/information + may as well throw a blog or two in there. Would that be a CMS with a database & forum (to be administered primarily online by via a browser interface by mac using non-programmer!!!)

No one seems to know how we can actually accomplish what we need -- but I know it's do-able, I've seen similar, though not exact replica sites.

• We want to create and include a 'rate and review' database component for parents, teachers, child care providers, ECE professionals, etc to assign ratings (stars?), add their opinions reviews, recommendations, thumbs up thumbs down, and why something is or isn't developmentally appropriate, what age something is appropriate for, whether culturally appropriate, etc.
​

• Also, a related linked? but separate component: a 'junk-swap' or 'recycle stuff' database/registry component so that families whose children have outgrown their stuff (toys, books, clothes, cribs, etc) can give them away to families that need and could use them, or child care providers, churches, schools, etc.

• Plus they should be able to upload photos of the swap/recycle items or the reviewed item. (but what if people don't know how to optimize/reduce an image, is there a 'module' or something to automatically do that?)

The swappers/recyclers would all work out the logistical details among themselves, but we want to provide the registry? members database? and forms so they can describe all the details, colors, sizes, etc and anyone who wants to make contact (must register first) can do so.

We plan to start with our focus locally but actually want anyone to be able to use this site, set up clubs, get togethers, etc on a both a global/local basis -=- so it needs to be easily sortable and searchable by zip, town, state as well as type of 'stuff' (i.e. sites, books, films, toys, etc.).

• Anyone can view/access the info, but to contribute/review/rate/respond or to swap/recycle all 'members' would need to register first in order to freely participate (we have to have some way to monitor child-friendly, family-appropriate content, review every thing before it gets made public, you know?)

• Some kind of Automatic optin/out Mailing list responder & newsletters/alerts; easy to manage member / email lists. People can subscribe without being registered members/posters.

• These things [reviews and recyle/swap stuff] need to be not only searchable, refine-able/filterable? but click-sortable in lists by the logical labels/fields/categories including by zip code, state, size, alpha-list, item-type, etc -- and all the databases and site searchable by any keyword or whatever.

• People have to be able to automatically retrieve their passwords from the system if forgotten. I'd like to have one of those forums too as a dialog section that's more free-form but easily accessed from the main site (what forums will work with this scenario-if one exists )?

• Also, can each contributor have their own 'info' page or page that shows their site or bio, hobbies, etc plus show all their member postings/ratings, giveaway/recyclables, etc?

​

As I'm sure you know child development folks such as home-based child care providers, or small centers and parents of young children truly have little or no time to learn some sort of complex program and I am no exception. We just need to put it up, maybe make a few forms and use it. We also don't have lots of money (we don't have any actually) -- I am doing this research part as a volunteer/community-building/labor of love and mainly because I know more about computers than any of us, which is not saying very much at all.


And of course, any (easy to implement) cms features would be a big bonus since all this would be integrated into an (improved, hopefully) overall informational educational resource site -- so it would ideally be able to sort/update/post/ search the articles/resources too -- is that possible?

I am not a programmer. I am a mac user. I am used to fairly easy to implement, start using, learn while doing, learn increasing complexity along the learning curve of with repeated familiarity/use, etc....it's about doing, not reading. Using not programming. For an end user/volunteer administrator who wants to easily, quickly DO, not learn a new language in a new alien galaxy far far away.

Is there anything (assuming modules? that can be combined?) from the vast knowledge and experience of you guys and gals that will do what I have described above (and more that I'm sure I haven't thought of)?

I'm so very open to suggestions and ideas on what we need to do. as mentioned I've used, modified, set up simple databases on a computer, not online, but let me reiterate -- in no way am I a programmer. It's a totally volunteer thing -- and that would still end up being mostly me alone as the administrator/editor despite the best intentions of others.

What do you think? Can anyone help at all by pointing in the right direction? I sure hope so...where should I be looking? (I've done a gazillion searches, looked at all those cms open source and other wise, altho free is obviously the preference, very cheap is possible if it's the right system ...)

let's just say, it is overwhelming and not very end-user friendly out there for nonprogrammers, seems even moreso if one uses macs.

Sorry if this is inelegantly described using the wrong or incomplete terminology -- it's based on what I've read here and so many other places -- so my attempt to 'grasp' what it all means may be very limited.

Thanks in advance just for wading through this tome.

suggestions welcome if at all possible, even pointers in the right direction and if we find your suggestions helpful, we'll be happy to include you/your site (family friendly of course) in our acknowledgements once we have re configured / set up our hoped/wished for project and integrated it into a new improved site.

sign me, wishin' and hopin' ... and fingers crossed for some good news maybe?

 

Hi there,

All of what you wish to accomplish seems quite doable by a non-programmer. There will have to be some type of investment, either in time taken to install and configure the system, or in cash for someone to do it for you. There are hosted solutions available such as http://bryght.com/ for Drupal. Once the site is set up it should be easy enough for your users to understand.

 

re: http://bryght.com/ for Drupal from anti Thank you -- I will look into this.

Meanwhile I came across two articles written by a professional developer in more typical developer/programmer 'language' or terminology but that also I could understand and this guy really seems to 'get it' regarding what we're trying to do and why and thus these articles are very reaffirming and tell me I'm/we're not thinking unreasonably:

http://www.schipul.com/en/art/?53
The Concept of Distributed Authoring for Membership Associations – Getting Your Association to “Virtualization”

some quotes i liked:

“People are interested in finding fellowship online - not just purchasing goods. They want to experience valuable conversation and information [through their association software]."

"[W]e have all of this cool technology to deliver our content increasingly in the format that our audience wants and exactly when they want it. But what about the content? .....Content is any material that is of value to the membership of your association."

"Content also includes the photo gallery from your holiday party that combines pictures from 10 different cameras all uploaded to the same site. It is the mission statement for your study groups, technical interest groups, committees and special interest groups..."

"Unstructured content, or content that is not updated on a regular basis, also is an important factor in the virtualization of associations. This content still requires the distributed authoring functionality, but has a few more controls in place. Examples include:

• Administrator-only content
• Leadership-only content
• Membership-only content
• User-only content
• Owner content

​

and article #2 not as good, but good
http://www.schipul.com/en/art/?44
Engaging Your Membership: What Are You Doing and What Should You Be Doing?

So that's why I'm asking: does this online membership management database software/program exist in reality, or just in theory?

thanks brilliant thinkers & problem solvers for all your insights!

Anne