MeFi clone, on the cheap?
May 3, 2011 9:32 AM Subscribe
What's the most efficient/easiest way to hack a Wordpress install/theme into a MeFi clone?
Wanting to set up a community site for a niche topic, and want it to be as MeFi-like as possible. I've looked at the open-source MeFi clone scripts, but all appear to be abandoned. Expression Engine is too expensive for me (I think that's what PoliticalFilter runs on).
I've got a fair amount of experience with Wordpress, so I'd really like to use that. But it strikes me as kludgy to make people login through the WP dashboard to make posts. Has anyone had success thwacking WP hard enough and in the right places to make it act/look/feel more like MeFi, not only to the browser but to the poster/commenter?
Alternately, is there a better batch of code/tools for quickly making a MeFi-like community site? I would guess a bulletin board could do the trick, but I don't want this site looking "bulletin board-ish", if you know what I mean. Really, really want the MeFi look/feel/interface.
Wanting to set up a community site for a niche topic, and want it to be as MeFi-like as possible. I've looked at the open-source MeFi clone scripts, but all appear to be abandoned. Expression Engine is too expensive for me (I think that's what PoliticalFilter runs on).
I've got a fair amount of experience with Wordpress, so I'd really like to use that. But it strikes me as kludgy to make people login through the WP dashboard to make posts. Has anyone had success thwacking WP hard enough and in the right places to make it act/look/feel more like MeFi, not only to the browser but to the poster/commenter?
Alternately, is there a better batch of code/tools for quickly making a MeFi-like community site? I would guess a bulletin board could do the trick, but I don't want this site looking "bulletin board-ish", if you know what I mean. Really, really want the MeFi look/feel/interface.
While I think Matt would rather not get into making mefi code available (and for pretty good reasons), there are some clones out there worth exploring. They're not built for WordPress unfortunately, but it may be possible to embed one as a "page" within WP.
BuddyPress is pretty decent too, with lots of supporting plugins that integrate well with it.
posted by samsara at 10:07 AM on May 3, 2011
BuddyPress is pretty decent too, with lots of supporting plugins that integrate well with it.
posted by samsara at 10:07 AM on May 3, 2011
Also here's a previous similar thread on setting up a mefi look-a-like site (still, kinda old like most of the info I'm finding). The comment about MetaChat looks promising however. Very mefi-like in appearance, though uses b2evolution for its backend.
posted by samsara at 10:16 AM on May 3, 2011
posted by samsara at 10:16 AM on May 3, 2011
Response by poster: briank, should I? Is there a skin that's relatively close to the mefi UI? (I ask because I know nothing about Drupal, would be back to square one as far as customizing it goes)
posted by jbickers at 12:28 PM on May 3, 2011
posted by jbickers at 12:28 PM on May 3, 2011
Drupal does a lot of things well, but can be really kludgy to set up.
posted by Victorvacendak at 1:40 PM on May 3, 2011
posted by Victorvacendak at 1:40 PM on May 3, 2011
A couple of years ago I made something similar using the Customize Your Community and TDO Mini Forms plugins. The first plugin is outdated but Theme My Login seems to do the same.
It's probably not an out-of-the-box solution though, I remember I had to edit both plugins to make the site do what I wanted.
posted by Memo at 2:27 PM on May 3, 2011
It's probably not an out-of-the-box solution though, I remember I had to edit both plugins to make the site do what I wanted.
posted by Memo at 2:27 PM on May 3, 2011
Bar some Buddypress situation, P2 is the only WP theme that I can think of off the top of my head that alters it in a way that actively invites people to participate.
posted by Magnakai at 4:38 PM on May 3, 2011
posted by Magnakai at 4:38 PM on May 3, 2011
Response by poster: So, OK, I'm going the Buddypress option ... is anyone here familiar with it under the hood? Specifically, in trying to get it to ape the MeFi experience, would I use posts in WP, or group comments in BP as the primary staging ground for the conversations?
posted by jbickers at 9:38 AM on May 4, 2011
posted by jbickers at 9:38 AM on May 4, 2011
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posted by Victorvacendak at 9:49 AM on May 3, 2011