[Linux-disciples] database design question

[Jamie Forrest]

> I agree with that as well. The right tool for the right job.  
> Rebuilding
> a CMS from scratch is usually a bad idea; but using one where all you
> need is, e.g., a blog is also bad. If you want a simple web-based
> database application, then RoR is probably the answer.

Well that's what I've been doing, i.e. building a web-based database  
application in RoR. (Okay, well, not building quite yet. Working on  
the architecture right now.) The user/folder/document/permission  
system I was asking about would be modeled in the RoR app. Which I  
guess is a cross between reinventing the wheel and using the right  
tool for the right job? With a little Grateful Dead mixed in?

Just to shed some more light on what I'm trying to do: I'm trying to  
build a CMS platform with a social networking component. Or you could  
also say a Social Networking platform with a CMS component. The CMS  
stuff needs to be tightly integrated with the groups & connections  
made possible by the social networking stuff. I found an open source  
one called Elgg (http://elgg.org/), but it's in PHP (yuck). And RoR is  
so easy I feel like it might not be too tough to build one from scratch.

Jamie