As far as I can tell, bridging simply allows my phpbb users to log into the gallery at the same time the log into the phpbb, right? Are there other reasons to bridge?
Bridging is a huge advantage which allows you to use only one database instead of two.
Your users don't have to register and login twice, you can use their details that they put in their profile in both forum/gallery, you can use the same usergroups for forum and gallery,, etc.
This means that by logging into your forum, a user can vote, add comments and upload images with the same username. Maybe now the options look a little limited but the portential of a bridge is practically endless.
You can show images uploaded by a user in your forum, link the user's profile to his gallery. If you're a programmer this is very useful, and if not, you have to wait for others to create this stuff for you but from a programmer's prespective, this is one of the best things for someone who uses coppermine along with a CMS or a Bulletin Board.
Amir W.
bridging simply enhances the experience of your site's visitors: they have no idea that you're using different apps for different things (a gallery and a forum), so they don't understand why they should log in twice. Using bridging, they don't have to log in twice, but share a common logon for your overal site.
Don't get me wrong amirw2k - just being able to sign into both at the same time is a big advantage. I just didn't know if there were others that I couldn't see. Obviously I'm not a programmer. I'm just a truck driver :D