Some sites use OpenID to remove the need for a login ID for every site on the web. I'm a bit unsure of this approach, mainly because so many people use weak passwords (i.e. easy to guess) - and linking one ID to so many sites would be a big problem if someone gained access to that login ID.

But that's not really the point of this post. I've noticed a few sites that try to add functionality by installing third-party products - which means you then have an extra login ID to manage, just for that site! As if we didn't have enough already.

When I started rebuilding CMF Ads, my goal was to build an easy to use ad network without requiring multiple login IDs. As the network is primarily used by bloggers, many of whom have multiple blogs, the system had to support multiple blogs right from the start. To do this, each blog needs to be linked to a single user ID. So, user number 1 owns blog number 1, 2 and 3. User number 2 owns blog number 4 and 5. This seemed like the best possible approach.

Before I built the new site, CMF Ads consisted of a group blog, a link directory, a forum, and an ad server. The ads had to be placed manually by an admin. Each system required a separate login ID. While it appeared to work fine, it clearly wasn't the most user-friendly approach. You don't have to be a coder to install a few different systems that have no integration whatsoever. Unfortunately, that doesn't make a good site.

What I did was to take the most solid of the applications, and indeed the most central of them - which was the forum software - vbulletin. I initially attempted to work with vbAdvanced Links Directory, which integrated well with vbulletin, but just wasn't going to meet our needs. At one point we had a few options in one control panel, and a few more options in the Links Directory. This didn't make sense.

So, I took the vbulletin login ID and used this to provide access to a custom-made control panel. I spent roughly 2 weeks building the basic site, and spent 2 weeks in beta testing. The end result was a strong community with vbulletin at its core, along with a directory of blogs, built-in advertising, credit purchasing, comprehensive ad statistics, a widget to display the ads, transactions, and a wealth of information in the Admin Panel.

While I've heard people saying that social networks are the future, most of them fall short when it comes to the community aspect. They try to build their own forums, and they just don't come anywhere close to vbulletin. In fact, despite the fact I'm a fan of free, open source software, nothing comes close to vbulletin. It's complex at first, but it's simply the best forum software on the planet. So why not use it as the hub for a larger site?

Since building CMF Ads, I've approached another site that I think could benefit from a fully-integrated solution much like CMF Ads. It's a slightly different kind of site, so would not be a direct competitor (it's not an ad network). Both sites have something in common: vbulletin is at their core. I think this is a much better way to build a social network - use vbulletin. It's a proven system that's been around for a long time and members love it.

If you'd like to request a custom-made control panel for your vbulletin community, please contact me and I'll be happy to discuss it with you.

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