when to put tp on and when not to

[Smoky]

ok guys my question for the night is: when do you decide when to put tinyportal on a site and when do you decised not to? i am stuck like chuck right now on making a decission and would really like to know this one.. and all because i really do like tp.. and this isn't for my site, twistedgraffix, but for my new one.. help a girl out!! 

[Ianedres]

That question, asked here, is like asking a fox to guard the hen house... 

[Ken.]

That question, asked here, is like asking a fox to guard the hen house... 

That certainly is a salient point if there ever was one. 

TP should be installed immediately after finishing your SMF install because even if you don’t want to use the TP front page, going instead to the forum for your front or first page you gain so much more in features and usability by having TP as part of your website tool kit.

[Smoky]

i had to look up that word Ken:

salient \SAY-lee-unt; SAYL-yunt\, adjective:
1. Shooting out or up; projecting.
2. Forcing itself on the attention; prominent; conspicuous; noticeable.
3. Leaping; springing; jumping.

noun:
1. An outwardly projecting part of a fortification, trench system, or line of defense.
2. A projecting angle or part.

my question is, if since i do know what tp does, and i have managed both the smf/tp and the smf sites.. im just curious, as to when and when not to. not about the functionality or anything else, and if you look, the setup on the tp mod does change a bunch of the files from smf.. and if you think about it, it is still smf, but its changed due to the mod.. so if it makes those changes, my question is when do you not use it.. I would love to hear this (cuz i feel like im going in circles trying to explain what im thinking on this right now..) and im wanting what is best for this other site..

if this helps better. lol.. perhaps if i explain my intentions on the site?? it is going to be a full blown graphic warez site, with private membership available per donation. i can not say anymore than that right now, as i am not too sure of my contributors yet. but i can promise with donation comes privileges to choice downloads. as far as other mods go, im not sure on them yet either..

[Dragooon]

Some common reasons not to use it
-- Your server cant handle it(well that server would be a blasted one)
-- Someone has gun on your neck and says dont use TP
-- You don't get the features you need with TP
-- You are looking for a blog and installs TP thinking it is a blog(same with arcade,gallery,shop,link manager)
-- You don't use SMF

[Skhilled]

LOL...I say install it and lock it down if not needed then you can still use articles/blocks and point links to them if you'd like.

[Ken.]

I too looked the word up just to be sure that its meaning was as I remembered and it is: 
"important; striking, remarkable"

You can actually have it both ways, to some degree at least.

On the one hand most everyone who has some knowledge of the ins and outs of installing mods to SMF will say that you should install the biggest mod first and most/many would agree that TP is the one mod that best fits that description. 

But, if one is willing to do the manual install for TP then you can easily install it at any point in the process. So you could leave it off for now if you are having doubts but install it a few weeks or months later should you decide that you want it after all.

Doing the install later might cause your members to make minor adjustments in their viewing or use habits but those adjustments should be very small indeed. And if you did it this way the changes could be presented an improved features and options for them.

As for the changes that are made to the SMF files, personally I don't view that as a problem because even if my forums did not use TP they would still use some of the other mods that are available on the SMF mod site, like SMF Gallery, Ultimate Profile, etc.

[Crip]

That question, asked here, is like asking a fox to guard the hen house... 

Lol.. im with Ianeders on this …

[Ianedres]

I fail to see where your question bears that much thought; the installation does modify some files, but the footprint of the files and the database are well worth the expansion when you consider the many features and ease of adding content to your site.

When I think of what I would have to do to integrate the many aspects of my own site, I don't think I could do that within SMF (which, in itself, is a great package- let's not forget that!) while maintaining security, uniform appearance and interface, and navigational control.

Perhaps the greatest feature of TP is that it can exist with SMF yet not overtake control and appearance of your site- the flexibility is available to you at anytime, but not mandatory that you must use it immediately.

[Nokonium]

Use TP when:

• You want to supplement your board with extra information - Articles & Blocks
• You want more than just boards to be available to different membergroups - Articles & Blocks
• You want to make downloads available to some/all membergroups - Download Manager
• You want to use a large header and need to transfer other things usually in the top section to a side panel - TinyPortal
• You want the future flexibility that a portal gives you over a board and you want the best - TinyPortal
• You dream about Bloc