[Zope] Does Zope stack up as a portal?

[Paul Browning]

--On 16 December 2002 09:31 -0500 Kyler Laird 
<kyler-dated-1040578352.848fde@lairds.org> wrote:

> On Sun, Dec 15, 2002 at 09:33:18PM -0000, Paul Browning wrote:
>
>
>> I think you can get a powerful framework like Zope +/- CMF to do
>> reproduce uPortal. But you'd have to write the code first.
>
> One of the things I love about Zope is that it allows me to make tools
> for people to reuse as content *providers*.  Universities are strange
> places and I often feel like even within the Zope world, there's
> little understanding of an environment where there are (tens of)
> thousands of potential independent authors.

It's called herding cats ;-)

> But Zope can be made to
> work in this situation.

I agree - it's very flexible.

> Any idea if uPortal lends itself to many
> authors creating content and tools for each other?

Not at present - uPortal is not a CMS. Though CMS
"channels" are on the roadmap. In fact last week
Columbia annouced V1.0 of their uPortal offering
<http://list.unm.edu/cgi-bin/wa?A2=ind0212&L=jasig-portal&F=&S=&P=10666>

This makes me worry though - even in the Java world
it seems like wheel re-invention when there's already
Jahia, JCorporate, Wyona, Cocoon and doubtless others.

> Or does creating
> useful tools require the equivalent of creating External Methods or
> Products in Zope?

Effectively, yes.

>
> BTW, my tendancy right now is to investigate Fle3 and Plone (possibly
> with NeoPortal additions).  I'm also finally jumping in to using
> AbracadabraObjects and PropertyFolders (now that I hacked them to work
> on my installation).  I'm getting more comfortable with being able to
> assert that I can make a reasonable environment for everyone to use -
> not just as consumers, but also as providers.

Sounds like you're having lots of fun. Please keep the
list informed of your progress.

Paul

--
 The Library, Tyndall Avenue, Univ. of Bristol, Bristol, BS8 1TJ, UK
   E-mail: paul.browning@bristol.ac.uk  URL: http://www.bris.ac.uk/