First of all, thank you all for your response. To answer to some of it:
Slavic Kozyuk wrote
Your question is similar to what a garage mechanic would likely choose if he/she wanted to build a custom car. Do you start with a raw materials such as steel and plastic in order to build a car from scratch? Or you use pre-build components such as chassis from another car and assembled engine to get the job done.
You are right with your comparison. Right now we ask ourself: Even if we find the chassis we love and an assembled engine: Do they fit? Is it possible to put them together? In terms of DNN: Even if we find modules which (at least obviously) provide the functionality we are looking for, can they be integrated which each under one final system? In particular (because of financial reasons) we cannot purchase a module just to find out later that it cannot be integrated which other modules.
Thank you for providing these hints and the examples. Sounds like a nice way to integrate and connect some single modules. I was just asking myself what would happen if some module is updated and the update changed that database structure of the module (e.g. other table names, other entity relations etc.) - I guess there would be some errors.
mamlin wrote
I think the real question for you will be to define exactly how you want the different components to work together -- THAT will define how much work needs to be done to make the various chosen components appear to be a single, seamless solution.
I will write down our specified requirements a little more detailled. Although this is a little longer post, maybe some of you can comment on it (or at least some of the requirements):
1) Active Directory/Registration: As we will run an Intranet, there will not be a registration process, but the login has to be integrated with our Active Directory.
2) Multilanguage: As we are a local subsidiary of an international company, we have to provide an interface in (at least) two languages, switchable from English to Thai and vice versa.
3) Integration: As we will implement an Intranet, there will not only be Social Media tools, but e.g. Wikis, Document Management Systems etc.
4) Organizational structure: As a company, we consist of employees, departments, job descriptions etc. We need to implement this organizational structure within the system, so that on the one hand employees can simply view our organizational chart and click to a person they need, but also to define roles and rights (e.g. the finance department documents can only be viewed by finance department) and connect our organizational structure to the different applications (e.g. show all pictures from people in HR, who is online from IT etc.)
5) Blogs: User can write a blog. Additionally, there can be corporate blogs, department blogs, etc.
6) Wikis: There will be at least a corporate wiki. Additional Wikis can be crated e.g. for projects.
7) Gallery: User have their own picture and video gallery like on Facebook. Additionally, corporate or department galleries.
8) Document Management System: A DMS lets our employees store and manage file resources, assign rights etc.
9) Microblog: People can post what they are doing right now, like on Facebook and Twitter.
10) Calendar: A central calendar informs about corporate events, social activities etc. Events can be categorized, you can subscribe for an event etc.
11) Tagging: Every single piece of information (blog entry, wiki entry, picture, video, document) can be tagged with a tag.
12) Wall: Employees have a wall like on Facebook. It also shows, the users journal ("posted a new picture", "subscribed for Corporate Activity 2008" etc.) Giving Hugs or Gifts would be appreciated; if not implemented, can we develop it ourself?
13) Journal: The journal also shows when an employee posted a new blog post, uploaded something to the Document Management System, created knowledge in the Wiki etc.
14) Activity count: The user profile page shows the activity, like "posted 12 Blog posts", "has 234 pictures" etc.)
15) Bookmarks: User can set internal bookmarks (a Wiki page, a picture, a Blog post etc.)
16) User profile: The user profile can be extended by us with additional fields, to give our employees more personal information they can provide and share (e.g. Facebook profile, favorite books etc.)
17) Birthdays: A birthday list shows the upcoming birthdays.
18) Chat/Shoutbox/Who's online: People can see who is online and chat with them in a shoutbox.