Use Django User-Model or create a own Model?

Question

I'm currently designing a Django based site. For simplicity lets assume that it is a simple community site where users can log in and write messages to other users.

My current choice is wether to use the buildin User-Model or to build something my own. I don't need much from the buildin User: there will be no username (you e-mail address is you username), but you an set an internal Name of your choice which can be used by multiple users (like Facebook). Additionally, I don't need the permission system, since access to others will not be based on groups. So I would end up using only the email, firstname, lastname and password fields from the buildin User and everything else would be placed in a UserProfile. On the other hand, the buildin User system will come handy on the backend of the site, since there is the chance I will need a group based permission system there.

All in all, it looks to me, that I rather build my one User Model and use the buildin only for access to the admin backend.

Is there anything wrong with my reflections?

Answer 1

Is there anything wrong with my reflections?

Yes.

My current choice is wether to use the buildin User-Model or to build something my own.

There is a third choice.

http://docs.djangoproject.com/en/1.2/topics/auth/#storing-additional-information-about-users

everything else would be placed in a UserProfile

Correct.

build my one User Model and use the buildin only for access to the admin backend

Don't build your own.

Do this:

If you'd like to store additional information related to your users, Django provides a method to specify a site-specific related model -- termed a "user profile" -- for this purpose.