It may sound brutal but you really should be updating WordPress whether you are using BuddyPress or not. If your theme is limiting you then I’m afraid you do have to consider an alternative or update to it. Upgrades when done right shouldn’t effect your blog posts – it all depends though how far you’ve gotten behind though as to this task (and it won’t get less leaving it).
In saying this I do understand sometimes restrictions and issues happen that mean upgrading isn’t easy or as frequent. I usually find though that the issues in doing are out weighed by the benefits.
i do update it but haven’t added too much to it except a catacha and few other tools that help me, but not my readers. So I thought about using buddypress as a way to help my readers out. Now my theme on the website has only been up for like six to 8 months. Yes it has had updates and i installed them. But as far as upgrades are concerned that benefit the readers, and members i haven’t done much at all. I did install a spam blocker, to help them out too. I have never used buddypress, and if i do use it then I will because of the benefits to my members and readers. But I think I will be losing my theme. After looking at buddypress I think it will effect my whole site layout.
If you don’t already use free hosting you might like to consider using http://www,000hosting.com or http://www.cixx6.com for prototyping changes they both have fairly easy WP installation which might enable you to set up a duplicate/development site (minus members and using their provided domain) to see how installing Buddypress will affect your theme without affecting your production site.
Just a thought.
Ah sorry thought by you saying older site no updates you meant you’d not updated WordPress either.
Well there is the template pack you can use for BuddyPress https://wordpress.org/extend/plugins/bp-template-pack/. Or yes, you can go with making a child of Bp-default and that as your basis. I’d recommend creating a child theme.
Personally I’d be very sceptical over ‘free’ hosting. You are putting maybe your data on their site and personally I’d be sceptical about a free service like that. But, that’s my opinion everyone has their own.
I agree about scepticism on free hosting – I wasn’t suggesting moving the data simply trying the WP configuration with the established theme then adding Buddypress and looking at the result.
However as a newcomer to WP and BP perhaps my thinking is a bit woolly.
I dont trust my data to free hosting either but I am finding it a good way to learn what seems to fit together for my purposes.
I don’t have a free account anywhere. I have three domains might be fixing to own four. I am pretty good at fixing things on websites, but in the same breath I have had bloopers too. Joomla has crashed, so has Pligg twice, and WordPress so far has done well. I run an education blog, and a website, plus have a Tech based website.
The education blog is most important because it is for teachers and students. Would buddypress be a good tool for teachers and students? Because changing out and losing my theme would not be worth it unless Buddypress has good offering tools for my teachers and students. Judging from what I have seen I would definitely lose my theme. How also does buddypress handle the blog portion of the wordpress site? Would I lose my blog also?
