Dolphin smart community script

Infobox Software
name = Dolphin Smart Community Builder

latest stable release version = 6.1
operating system = Linux/Unix/Windows
platform = Apache Web Server, PHP 4.3.6 and higher compiled with XML and XSLT support, MySQL 4.0.20 and higher
genre = Internet forum software
license = CC-BY
website = http://www.boonex.com/products/dolphin/

Dolphin Smart Community Builder is a free and open source Social Networking system using the PHP scripting language and MySQL database software under the GPL license. Recent versions are able to run on Windows-based Web servers (older version required the use of CHMOD permissions and so were limited to UNIX-based systems). It was created by the 'Boonex' company and has been around for 5 years. It was built around the 'famous' (according to pr.com) internet dating script 'aeDating' although it has been superseded by Dolphin 5.0 (newest revision 6.0) as AEwebworks Dating Software Development Ltd. had now changed ownership to the BoonEx Group. The original script cost $690 however the Dolphin scripts are free due to built in adverts for Boonex products, custom templates are however allowed to remove these. Recently, after the release of version 6, Boonex have adjusted the advertising, allowing users to download the package with or without them. However the non advert package will only work when a correct licence key from Unity is obtained.Dolphin is one of five products that Boonex offer, including:
*Orca - An Ajax-based Forum script that is either standalone or built into Dolphin
*Ray - A community widget suite, including A/V messaging, MP3 player and more in a web interface
*Shark - An enterprise community platform
*Barracuda - A collaborative directory software scriptBoonex's latest build of dolphin is 6.1 released on 29 April 2008. It is codenamed 'Spunky' because of its newest features.

History

*aeDating 2.1 - June 24, 2004
*aeDating 3.1 - July 17, 2004
*aeDating 3.2 - January 21, 2005
*aeDating 4.0 - July 13, 2005
*aeDating 4.1 - November 2, 2005
*Dolphin 5.0 - April 25, 2006, This revision marks the Boonex takeover of AEwebworks
*Dolphin 5.2 - August 22, 2006
*Dolphin 6.0b1 - June 14, 2007
*Dolphin 6.0b2 - July 10, 2007
*Dolphin 6.0b2.01 - July 11, 2007
*Dolphin 6.0b2.02 - July 12, 2007
*Dolphin 6.0b2.03 - July 13, 2007
*Dolphin 6.0 - September 1, 2007

Features

Dolphin has Basic Social Networking features e.g. Profiles and blogs. The package relies on a language system that is controlled via an Administrator. The language files contain any language variables in the site so the user does not have to modify source files. This package revolves around PHP and MySQL. Reliance on MySQL has limitations when working with slower servers.

Orca

Orca Interactive Forum Script is a free and open source forum system using the PHP scripting language and MySQL database software under the GPL license which is fully integrated into Dolphin. Front end is fully AJAX - based. Orca also features self-moderation (ala Digg) features. Connects to any user's website database and can also be run as a standalone.

Unity

Unity is a free community for Boonex customers that can be used to sign up easily to any Dolphin based website. It also provides a means to advertise your site to other Dolphin users and to download widgets developed by others. Registration with Unity isn't necessary, but allows you to 'activate' your site, as it provides you with a licence key that de-activates a nag screen.

External links

* [http://www.boonex.com/ Boonex Official Site]
* [http://www.boonex.org/ Boonex Weblog]
* [http://www.boonex.net/ Boonex Development Zone]
* [http://www.boonex.us/ Boonex Community Powered By Dolphin]
* [http://www.demozzz.com/dolphin/admindemo/ Dolphin Admin Demo]
* [http://www.boonex.com/products/dolphin/ Dolphin Smart Community Builder]
* [http://www.pr.com/press-release/10684 Dolphins replacement of aeDating]
* [http://www.wdcs.org/dan/publishing.nsf/allweb/258BE106D44F832980256BA5003108F6 Lightning, the adopted Dolphin]