[Zope] User Profiles?

Jeff K. Hoffman jkhoffman@usa.net
Fri, 12 Mar 1999 23:18:55 -0500 (EST)


I am working on a web site for a local outdoors group. They have about
1,000 members and are growing fast, but their web site needs help. I had
lunch with their leader today, and strongly advocated the use of Zope to
redo their entire web site. He loved my ideas, and gave me the go ahead on
the site.

Now, my first question (I'm sure I'll have many) to the group is: How do I
create user profiles? Each user of the system needs to have specific
information associated with them including: full name, address, telephone
numbers, a picture (gif or jpeg, easily uploadable by the user), their
interests, a history of the events they've sponsored and/or attended, a
buddy list (basically just a collection of other member ids), and so on.

I have downloaded the UserDb product, and figure I might be able to extend
it to support the extra columns I require. However, a big part of me wants
to keep as much of this in Zope as I can. I like the idea of the
objectstore, and don't necessarily like having to fudge SQL tables every
time I add or remove an attribute from the profiles (not that I will be
doing that, necessarily).

What do those with a higher Zope Zen Rating than I suggest in this
situation? I'm also going to be making an Events Calendar, which is
connected up with all the User information (who's running the event, who's
signed up to attend, etc.). Is all of this something that Tabula would be
good for? If so, who do I have to sleep with to get it? :^) 

I am willing to write up a case study, testimonial, contribute any code I
write back to the community, etc., whatever is requested. I just want to
do a good job for these guys, making myself and Zope look good in the
process.

HELP! *grin*

Jeff K. Hoffman