Posted by Bricks and Clic... on February 1, 2007 at 9:09pm
4.7 because it has more available modules
16% (8 votes)
5.1 because it's newer & hotter but with fewer modules available
84% (41 votes)
Total votes: 49
Which version of Drupal would you use to start a social networking site?
Group organizers
Hot content this week
-
1 day 8 hours ago
-
3 days 23 hours ago
Comments
Plan thoroughly
A well thought out social network will take significant time to research and plan, unless, of course, cloning an existing one is your goal. After two weeks to a month of planning a fresh innovative social network many more 4.7 modules will migrate to 5.x.
Research the 4.7 modules to see what you would LIKE to have and make provisions in the design for them in the case that they migrate to 5.x during your early development phase.
sage advice
i haven't given one a shot yet, but for my sandbox I'm thinking of going with 5.1 and adding modules as they become available. starting with 4.7 to get all possible functionality is another route, but how will upgrading all those modules be later on?
http://www.inkwire.net
Arp Laszlo
@arphaus
www.echoleaf.com / design / theming / front end development
sage advice, good question
Arphaus,
I was in the process of editing my original comment to correct it and embellish. I post the edit anew to avoid confusion.
A well thought out social network will take significant time to research and plan, unless, of course, cloning an existing one is your goal. After two weeks to several months of planning a fresh innovative social network many more 4.7 modules will migrate to 5.x.
Research the 4.7 modules to see what you would LIKE to have and make provisions in the design for them in the case that they migrate to 5.x during your early development phases.
This process definitely adds more complexity to your design phase as you have to create alternative design concepts to embody and prepare for features that haven't arrived yet.
Your primary design path will be based on what IS and what becomes available to 5.x early on in your design phase (let's say, within the first 3rd).
For each 4.7 module group that you are itching to have in your design, create alternative design pathways to accommodate them if they were to come along at any convenient stage of development. Only solidly "design in" what has become available to you toward the end of your FIRST design phase.
I'm currently managing this with a spreadsheet and alternate paths in an MS Project project. I'm not completely done with my design phase, but for now it gives me a way to track an "absolute" design pathway vs hypothetical pathways.
Other opinions and methods on this appreciated.
Your posting the poll and posing the question reveals, arphaus, that you are thinking critically and well on your way to a great design.
Per your "4.7" build scenario, I'm quite the Drupal newbie. But as I understand things, physically upgrading from 4.7 to 5.x is fairly streamlined now. Logically migrating a 4.7 based system is a mystery for an inexperienced newbie as the logical transfer is in the hands of the module developers.
Therefore, I have opted to bypass 4.7 and give daily sacrifices to the Drupal gods working on choice modules that they may look down upon my pitiful 5.x design, find it worthy, show mercy, and expedite their module migration. I look forward to becoming a Drupal god myself someday. Oh the power to create and share I shall wield!!
thanks for the compliment
thanks for the compliment :-). i started this process just as the first 5.0 RC was released, and that kept me on the sidelines as i waited to see how 5.0 turned out. i'm dipping my toes in the water, so to speak, so one advantage of 5.1, aside from the more user-friendly administration & organization, is having fewer options.Instead of taking every single module that may be useful in 4.7, i can start with what's available with 5.1 and really learn what drupal can do rather than going module crazy. my first drupal site is in the works atm - not a social network, but a regular site for a business. but i've got social networking ideas up the wazoo that will hopefully see the light of day within the next year.
Arp Laszlo
@arphaus
www.echoleaf.com / design / theming / front end development
I taken a similar approach...
... albeit a bit of chaotic one. :P
Well, I am in the process of creating a Social Networking site... I actually have already created it and launched it. The community would be invited in another day or two.
I did proceed with Drupal 5.1 in spite of knowing that much of the modules that would be necessary are in the DEV phase for D5.
But, the community that is coming through is rather less bothered about the features. For now, I just have a forum setup for them to get going and also have a workflow set up for the articles (story). Other than that, I just have the GuestBook module going. The rest of the features, are in DEV and I will be releasing them phase wise.
I do not have a spread sheet for that yet - but hey! Thanks for that tip on how I organize the approach.
5.1 all the way
I've been working with Drupal for about 8 months now, and I have to say the 5.x version is head and shoulders above 4.7 as far as performance. I would not even consider going 4.7 at this point. Most modules you need are available for 5.x and if they are not, then they are probably modules you will want to write yourself.
Steve
Slantview Media http://www.slantviewmedia.com/ | Blog http://www.slantview.com/
5.x all the way
For a new site I wouldn't consider starting with 4.7, it just makes no sense to do so. Granted it may take you a while to get all the necessary modules, but it isn't actually that hard to port modules yourself - and you benefit from all the future releases.
Put it this way, you're going to have to move to the 5.x series at some point - it makes sense to use it right from the outset.