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This topic has been modified:  I figured the other posting was two long, so I will break it up into different thread.

I would like to know what the main differences in features between CB and CB Enhanced?  And if CB is compatible with certain other components, does that mean CB Enhanced is also compatible with those same components?

No one knows about CB enhanced?

Never heard of it. Let's have a look at it. Do you have a link?

CB Enhanced http://www.mambome.com has become a fork of CB http://www.mambojoe.com.  The next version is due out any day now and so is the new version of the original CB.

Both have different features and integrations, but any component/module that works with CB will work with CB Enhanced.  The next versions will have plugin functionality that will make it easier to add custom tabs to the profiles.  As I understand it each one is taking a slightly different approach to accomplishing this.  I use a slightly older and hacked up version of CB ENhanced on my site http://www.yourtribe.com  Login with username: test and password: tester if you want to poke around.

CB has a very active development team who is working closely with some other component developers to ensure future compatability.  CB Enhanced has one very talented programmer, mrjeff sharing his code and hacks.  CB Enhanced came about during a month long lack of communication from the CB team a while back due to some real life things getting in the way.

The CB Enhanced has been developed by MamboMe.  The link to some of the features are at http://www.mambome.com/content/view/33/2/  The most up to date version is at http://mambome.com/content/view/64/2/  You have to register to download it.  MamboJoes is aware of it too and have mentioned it in their forums.  They seem to support it, I think. 

The feature list isn't very long, and I think more could be said about it.  I don't really know what the main differences are between the too.  If anyone has used the enhanced version, maybe they can tell us.  Thanks for the reply. 

Thanks scubaguy.  So what do you believe would have to be the preferences of the developer to choose one or the other?

I like your site scubaguy.  I am trying to do something kind of like that, only for outdoor recreational purposes.  There is a lot on your site that I want to do on mine.  I may PM you from time to time, if that is alright with you, for some advice.  EXTCalendar for one.

I like the results of your CB Enhanced.  Does anyone have site with just CB installed, maybe some heavy mods, so I can see the difference?

Hi.

As scubaguy said CB-RC1 from mambojoe.com was the mother of all derivates of CB. By a time of no active development of CB some people hacked their own versions resulting in diffrent approaches. On mambojoe.com is an interessting thread in the forum about that.

But what CB to use ... i would guess look at them as they have developed. Start with CB RC1 read the pdf documentation and look behind the scene / backend. After that take a look at CBE-BETA1 on mambome.com and compare what you find with what you need. The base structure opf the DB is compatible. So you can upgrade tables of CB-RC1 to use with CBE-BETA1, but backup all first.

Modules for CBE can be used with CB and visaversa, but there are some "enhanced tabs" for CBE which could not be used with CB, cause of the different methods to integrate tabs. For me the way MrJeff ( mambome.com ) is dealing with them was more useable. But i will look at both CB-RC2 and CBE-Beta2 ( or called whatever ) if they come out. There might be some kind of splitting in the methods even if both use a plugin framework, but i guess changing one custom feature for use with the other CB should not be a big deal.

Greets,
Phil.

Thanks for the thorough explaination.  I think most of my questions have been answered and now it is up to me.  I appreciate all the feedback.

Hi,

I have been following this thread and want to make a statement and post some facts.
I'll try to do it as politically correct as possible (since I am on the CB Team).

The CB component and module suite has been around at least since 2004-04-16 (registration on mamboforge.net). It was started by Mambojoe and later on joined by Trail. Today, the CB Team has 6 members (Mambojoe, Trail, PeterMixt, Mitch, Nant and Beat). Currently, through collaboration between the CB team and other component developers, the project has integrated its system with the Simpleboard forum, the Open and Pro PMS and the Yanc component. The team has also stared collaboration with other component developers regarding integration projects.
The project has issued a position statement over at http://www.mambojoe.com (please read! - this should really help).
The project is currently on the mamboforge.net system (waiting for a new home).
The project is also supported by the http://www.mambojoe.com site with over 5000 registered members.
There project has produced very good documentation (currently over 66 pages).
The project is currently preparing to release RC2 (release candidate 2) or version 1.0. There are 20 testers pounding away to make RC2 as stable as possible.
The new release has many new features (you can check out the Sneak Preview articles and the Blogs over at http://www.mambojoe.com). One of these new features is the plugin framework. This is allows 3rd party developers to create new features and integrations for CB that will be as future-proof as possible (not hacks - they will use an API). Currently, the CB team is in discussions with 3 other component developers that want to use this plugin framework to integrate their components with CB.

Regarding CBE - I will not comment on what it is and does.
But I must point out the following:
charlwillia6 stated: MamboJoes is aware of it too and have mentioned it in their forums.  They seem to support it, I think. 
The truth is that: There is no healthy collaboration between the 2 components in terms of development.
The CB Team does not support CBE.
Scubaguy stated: Both have different features and integrations, but any component/module that works with CB will work with CB Enhanced.
This is not verified and certainly will be false in the near future. I believe that the next version of CBE will not be based on RC2 - thus the 2 are no longer compatible. Scubaguy, please verify this!
Phil_K stated: As scubaguy said CB-RC1 from mambojoe.com was the mother of all derivates of CB.
Again this is not correct. My understanding is that the CBE is based on CB beta4 (which is prior to RC1).


I hope this helps you and the various links help researching.

Hi Nant,

Thanks for the clarification.  I appologize if my quick( and lazy) post caused any confusion.  It is true, the next version of CBE will be a true fork in the CB code.  I haven't seen the code yet, but from what mrjeff has stated quite a bit has been re-written.

I use CBE because it has features that I require for my site.  Once the new version of CB and CBE are out with the plugin architechture I will have to give them both a test run and see which one fits my needs.  Most modules/hacks/add-ons will probably not work for both out of the box, but as Phil_k said I'm sure it will just take a little modifying them work with the other.

If I were new to Mambo or a non-developer then I would definitely go with the CB version as the MamboJoe team does a great job at both support and documentation.  Also the upcoming integration of Yanc is something that will most likely tip me back into the CB camp for my site.

Hi.

@Nant
Thanks for the correction, as it was just my false memory of a thread i read some time ago at mambojoe.

For the other points let us see what time brings. Maybe there is reunification of the CB forks some day. Personly i would prefer it.

Greets
Phil.

Thank you very much nant.  I appreciate all the great feedback I received from this post.  I apologize for suggesting that you supported the other project, I was assuming too much from some friendly posts at MamboJoe (which were old anyway).  This definitely gives me something to think about.  Again, this is a great community.

Scubaguy, Phil_K and charlwillia6,

either way CB or CBE is a much needed extension to mambo and I personally think that its a must for any site.

Regards,

Hi Nant,

Are you at liberty to share with us which component developers have expressed interest in integrating with CB?

Sure. Why not. Please note that all discussions are preliminary and there are no promises.

1. Pony Gallery
2. Gallery 2
3. phpBB
4. Civic CRM
5. vBulliten bridge
6. uddeIM

wow - we are up to 6!

Hmmm...I don't see SMF bridge on this list. Has Orstio or anyone else on the SMF bridge project expressed interest in working with you? I know some work has been done with respect to compatibility issues but it would be nice to have full integration. Others have indicated an interest in this as well.

Thanks for the update.

I would be one of those that is interested.

Is Missus already "CB compatible"!? Or are there plans to integrate that PM system?

Thanks

I didn't know that component existed.  Looks great.  Good questions, I would like to know too?

I just wanted to add that uddeIM is compatible with both CB and CBE and running under both systems on live sites.

Great Ben, I'll check it out.  Looks like they have a brand new release.

What about account expiration? I want to post the link of the component but mamboforge is down at the moment. Anyway, I think scubaguy got it to work as a hack with both CB and CBE. Havent tried it yet but I would surely use it if the two CB will integrate it.

Here is Scubaguys posting at the Mambo Joe Forum regarding the account exp integration.  However, I emailed the developer of Account Exp Control Component, and they said that the Paid Subscriptions through paypal that they offer now is only for new members and will not work for existing members or registered free members already in the database.  Basically, if the member does not pay for a membership when they first sign up, you will have to do it all manually with something else. You can find more information here regarding the Account Exp Component

I did find a work around for Account Exp only working for new members.  If you set all your old members to expire at some date in the future, any time after that date they will be prompted to start a PayPal subscription when they try to login.  Once they do there memebrship will then be controlled by Account Exp.

That sounds like a good idea, I did notice that on your site.  But I want the option of also having free memberships with less priviledges than the paid.  So if one day my customer wakes up and wants a paid membership for the benefits, he can just do it, and I don't want to have to do it manually.  Any suggestions?

actually that is exactly what I did have on my site until a few days ago.  Using the set up I have all you would need to do is modify the Account Exp code to also display a "Click Here to Join for Free Button" on top of the list of payment options that would set the users experation to Excluded.

How would you handle members that have a free membership and want to upgrade?  That is what I was refering to and the developer of Acct Exp says the mod won't do that.  Did you have a work around?

that is exactly what I was just talking about.  Set all your current free members to expire tomorrow in Account Expiration.  Then the next time they log in they will be asked to start a subscription.

But I don't want to force them to upgrade.  i want there to be a free membership option.  Long-term free members just won't have as much priviledges as the paid members.  But say, in two months they decide to upgrade, I want them to push a button, pay, and be automatically upgraded.  I think Mambo-Charge Plus does this.  I know Account Exp doesn't allow users to upgrade unless you expire their account.  But then I wouldn't be able to have free memberships that don't expire then.