I've had CB and have purchased the documentation subscription for about two years.  I've installed it on a few sites, but really haven't attempted to 'use' it.  The main reason I purchased the documentation was I felt the application had/has alot of merit.  Having been online for longer than I care to talk about, I've seen OpenSource applications come and go. Most of the ones that are gone now, left us for financial reasons. By supporting CB financially, regardless of how small, it just gave me a warm and fuzzy feeling all over. The added benefit obviously is that I could at least look at the documentation should/when I ran into an issue.

On the sites that I installed it, most of the users found it too difficult or too time consuming.  This could be attributed to their technical abilities...or my committment to the application.  By commitment I mean taking the time to learn how to implement it's features, as well as becoming familiar with the user interface. Either way, the application has sat on these sites...wasting away.  This is not a reflection of the application, but I believe it to be because of timing, user skillsets, and economical conditions.

I've known, configured and halfway used Social Networking applications for a while.  When Blogger first appeared, I set up my first blog.  I wrote computer help newspaper articles for about 5 years, and in are far back as 1989 I began writing and telling associates about the changes their business models would see over the next 25 years. I played around with as much of it as I could. I learned as much as I could.  ICQ arrived and I had/have one of the first 10,000 accounts.  Frappr, Twitter, WAYN, LinkedIn, Plaxo, blah blah blah.  I can publish via email, ftp, http, Windows Editor, OneNote, Word, or any most anything else that comes along. But I haven't taken my own advice and used that to expand my business.

With the current economic situation people are depending more an more on these types of applications, and my inbox/message window/chat is inundated with people.  I have multiple projects and opportunities (about 60 sites currently...and that's just 'in house' ) that are going to require implementing something for a solution.

JomSocial made quite a stir when it was announced...and I purchased it as well, and pretty much for the same reasons . I have installed it, spent some time with it and have decided on using it for some of the projects.  I'm in the same position with it as I am with CB....pretty much a newbie on steroids.

I plan on using this blog to help me keep track of issues, experiences, and triumphs using CB.  The plans are to spend and hour a day going thru documentation and implementing what I can.  I won't be posting the documentation... because that would be a violation of the subscription agreement.   I'll post questions in the forum when I'm stumped to the point of frustration... and I'll probably write about areas that I'm having problems with... but that's about the extent of it.   I'll be doing the same thing on JomSocial.

The site I've put CB on is http://www.salestrainingandnetworking.com .  It's on GoDaddy hosting.  I do have my own Ubuntu, Win2000/2003/2008 servers on static IP's, publicly facing...etc... ...but I only use those for learning stuff anymore.  I quit the hosting business about three years ago.   I don't think it would be prudent to put the JomSocial site URL here... but that's just me.

The applications were installed on Thurs, Jan 15, 2009.  I removed/deleted all previous users from a standard Joomla install and started all over.  Not a big deal, since I never really used the domain anyway..   The applications I used are:

• Joomla
• RT - Populus (I used the Rocket Launcher install...and created a document on all the steps to do this on a GoDaddy Server.... be aware that if you do this though... the automoatic upgrades from the backend of your GD control panel.. will NOT work)
• CB - the version that came with the Rocket Launcher package.

Since installation, in order to get current...  I had to perform the following steps.

• Upgrade from the 1.5.1 Joomla version in the package... to the most current 1.5.9
• Upgrade from the 1.? version of CB to the most current...subscription version... of 1.2 RC4, using steps described in the readme file.
• Downloaded the latest documentation...and spent a few hours reading it.

The plans on this site are to provide documentation/how to/tutorials/videos on various applications for my clients and friends.  Some info will be public, some will not...

I've overshot my hour by 15 minutes...

That's my story and I'm stickin to it.