DotNetNuke, what do people think

randombar

Hi Lads,

I have this new job redeveloping a website that is currently built in dotnetnuke, redevelop the existing site and add some pretty decent complexity to it, group purchasing and what not. Firstly I don't know asp.net and secondly I don't know dotnetnuke, the boss says he'll give me a chance to learn both but from what I've seen so far it will take a while to first learn DNN, and then learn how to build modules in DNN. What I'd love to do is build the site from scratch in php and codeigniter but he wants to stick with this for some reason. I think it's madness to stick with a CMS for this, what do ye think?

What are peoples opinions on DNN and does anyone know any courses I could go to, to pick it up??

Thanks
Gary

toHex

GaryCocs wrote: »

Hi Lads,

I have this new job redeveloping a website that is currently built in dotnetnuke, redevelop the existing site and add some pretty decent complexity to it, group purchasing and what not. Firstly I don't know asp.net and secondly I don't know dotnetnuke, the boss says he'll give me a chance to learn both but from what I've seen so far it will take a while to first learn DNN, and then learn how to build modules in DNN. What I'd love to do is build the site from scratch in php and codeigniter but he wants to stick with this for some reason. I think it's madness to stick with a CMS for this, what do ye think?

What are peoples opinions on DNN and does anyone know any courses I could go to, to pick it up??

Thanks
Gary

use it a lot and really like it. you really need open web studio module (formerly listx) to do anything serious with it.

Lucifer 2

I'm using DotNetNuke to build a website currently. It's somewhat of a love / hate affair. But if you don't already know ASP.NET I wouldn't go near it. The documentation is almost non-existent, and the people in the DNN forums are of questionable intelligence. I've near heard of that Listx product, but don't mind the poster, you don't need it to do serious module development. In fact after looking at their website if think you'd be better off without it. I found the video on the home page so vague as to what the product actually does, it was quite hilarious. But I digress.

My recommendation is go with a product that more closely matches what you are trying to achieve and you will be more comfortable working with. DNN is a mess and you will spend a lot of time trying to figure out what the hell is going on when stuff doesn't work properly. I am speaking from experience, and I've been developing with ASP.NET for about 6 years.

Good luck!

toHex

Sorry, my previous one-liner was probably a bit vague, so let me clarify. The OP mentioned they did not know asp.net - hence the OWS recommendation. OWS is a DNN module itself that allows communication with custom (user) defined tables in the backend db (or any db for that matter) for data retrieval/management/display etc. It has its own token-based parsing language that is relatively easy to pick up. It also has built-in Ajax functionality so all your forms can postback without page reloads etc.

I agree with the last poster that it is hard to understand initially. It took me a day alone to figure out how everything pieced together but after about 2 weeks using the technology I found I was able to do everything I needed and actually haven't needed to purchase a DNN module or build my own modules since. I also use jquery a lot for presentation and intergration here is simple.

OP, if you are tied to this technology another thing I would recommend is get your boss to buy a sub to dnncreative.com. Its a video training site for DNN/modules and costs about $80 p.a. I found it very useful starting out. Also, make sure you are using DNN v4.9.4+. I can't vouch for the stability of v5 at this stage and my (DNN dedicated) ISP is not advocating an upgrade at this point.

Lucifer, I don't get your comment about the people on the DNN forum being of questionable intelligence. No doubt you have some basis for this but it hasnt been my experience - although I have to say I haven't been on that forum much. I would imagine that the same thing could be said about just about any forum on the planet - and its a completely subjective point anyway.

Just to clarify, I would like to say that I have no affiliation with any of companies/products mentioned in this thread. I'm an independent IT consultant.

IslandFella

DNN is currently on 5.2.2. Its a fairly robust CMS. You dont need to know .net. Use RAD from DotNetMushroom to develop modules and extend DNN. There is a fully functioning trial version that just puts an add at the top of your module. Its good to learn on and if you dont mind advertising where yRAD came from you could even use as is.

Use www.DNNCreative.com for video tutorials. Its fee paying - $79 annual membership, but worth it even just for the year. If you have the patience for reading books, go ahead. Personally I find books limiting. The video tutorials are up to date, to the point, and built on since 2002. Its your one stop shop.

I hope this helps.

muckwarrior

It's about 3 years since I used it but back then it was HORRIBLE! Developing bespoke functionality was ridiculously convoluted, it loved to fυck with your markup and the WYSIWYG was awful. The only thing it had going for it was it was free.

Maybe it has improved though.

IslandFella

It has vastly improved since then. WYSIWYG is fine. Go on in an manipulate the skin or css if you want to mess about. You can use DNN for a small, static site or a full blown fee paying multi site portal.