Hi Jay and Tobias, many thanks for your input. As I didnt know anything about Discourse 48 hrs ago I think I ought to start from the very beginning with a hosted installation. Your document Jay looks like just what I need to see the capabilities I’m looking for in a single installation.
I’m very interested in what you are both saying to me about multisite setups and ultimately I think that model will better suit the complexity of what I’m after. I dont have a bunch of cash sadly, far from it but I wouldnt want to be going down that route anyway. The point of what I’m trying to do is to give away the applications foc to support groups and encourage them to be as hands on with it as they happy to. If it works then the potential for very specific and targeted ads is big. I’ver already approched a number of the main players and they are keen to know more.
I’m going to need to be very hands on regarding the overall architecture and it’s flexibility. It could end up with 1000s of groups nationwide and I dont see why it couldn’t be rolled out in countries across the world starting with the USA. I dont have the bunch of expertise either but I will commit to gaining that. This project is now three years in the making, I had no idea where I was going softwarewise until yesterday. Finding the perfect solution and committing to it has taken me by total surprise.
My background is in computing, I have an upper second class degree in Computing (Networks + Communications) for a long time ago. 24 years back is when Linux / Unix System Admin was one of the modules I studied. I was very much into the ethos of the open source community back then, along with the idea of the more democratised world it could bring. Didnt quite work out like that, maybe now is the time.
So, I would be thrilled to accept your kind offer to help me Jay! I guess a refresher on Linux admin and a dive into scripting languages is going to be needed? Any pointers on resources for this would be gladly received as well as info on running ads in Discourse. I want to find out how I might be able to begin to see how AI might be implemented to so a starting point there would be great if possible.