I checked it out and found it unsuitable for anything where you'll be
doing additional development yourself.
Basically, DNN intends you to set it up as the entire web site, and any
additional functionality you want to add needs to be DotNetNuke
Modules. So your Solution will include ALL the DNN source code, along
with your modification. In other words, your project will essentially
need to be an extension of the existing DNN codebase.
The unfortunate thing is that there's no real way to use the Content
Management portions of DNN in your own project and leave out the pieces
you don't use. In fact, there is no native way in DNN to even redirect
to a page outside the CMS, so you couldn't even get to "MyPage.aspx"
from the site navigation without adding a custom component to
DotNetNuke that allows you do so.
As a final straw, DNN is written in VB.NET, and it was the author's
first attempt at writing an ASP.NET app. That should say enough right
there. (Remember your first ASP.NET application? Can you honestly say
you wouldn't wince a bit if you had to go look at the source?)
Sadly, I can't recommend an alternative. I went ahead and built a
standalone CMS component that I've been plugging into client sites.
I'd love to point you at it along with claims of fantasticness, but I
couldn't really say it's ready for public consumption at this point.
Good luck with your search!
Jason Kester
Expat Software Consulting Services
http://www.expatsoftware.com/