I use Postnuke as an intranet-based portal system, as the entrance for my users to their different areas as well as a newsletter-type focal page for the company. I have had some ideas thrown at me I'd like to share:
1.-User database: This should be way more configurable, I'd put several fields whose name could be configured by the sysadmin, for an intranet ICQ and AIM numbers may not be very informative, but things like picture, phone extension, address and area would be way more usable. I'd put the main fields there and leave the others as optional, with user-based modules (like members list) to be customizable to call on this data.
2.-Database access: Some companies cannot use MySQL or do not know how to use it, yet use other database. Adding an abstract DB layer (like ADODB) would ease their use of this tool A LOT. It would also enable Oracle admins to use Oracle as they see fit.
3.-Customizable blocks: Users should be able to customize their page, so as to show only the blocks they want and to have blocks of their own. As a user I would like to have a block where I could put stuff I wanted. Adding an "Add this to my block" button to web links, topics, articles, etc. would enable users to have a block with what they want where they want it (of course, a sub-set of the module config tool should be made for them).
4.-Frequently used links: Giving a user access to the last 20 or so links he has selected from Web Links would help them a lot, since a lot of them use the portal system as a sort of main repository for frequently used links, especially when they are not in their own page (just log in and have your links at hand)
5.-Past days: This should be a very easy one: In the past articles block, the headers for each day should be a link to a listing of all the news for that day or, if there are less than the maximum amount of articles for the day, fill it with the most recent ones starting on that day up to the configured number).
6.-Communication: Have comments be searchable, forums be searchable, forums be assigned to specific users and areas (see above for user data). Have users choose if they want to be emailed when their posts or articles have been replied to or commented upon. While on this, email notices on new submissions should include the data for the submission and a link for automatic approval.
7.-Let users and/or groups have their own pages, where they can configure a set of things and have their own forums. Stuff like pictures, links, messages, articles could be applied to a subset of users to form a sub-community. These could be subjected to a different color-scheme, if the user so desires (to indicate change of context for the user)
8.-Adopt a stable forum, pictures, chat modules and stick with them.
9.-Document the different forms for making themes so as to make it easier on developers. Nowadays I still don't know how to make an "article-headers only" theme, or a "two-column" theme.
10.-Themes should have a preview, the graphic for this preview would be part of the theme and asked theme developers to include in their packages.
I am trying to develop a smallish remote-control type of module, which could be launched into a small window and stay open as long as the user wants it to. From this module users could search in the different modules (links, articles, users) and have the results right back in the module, and then be able to click on them to open in the main window. They could also return to the main portal page if they so wanted. I have no idea if there is need for this sort of module. Is there?
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