Sandbox

I am working on my own site, as well as helping a friend create his site.  Being new I am trying to figure out how exactly his site should be set up.  This is what he wants, a ministry website set up (the semi-easy part...it's mostly done) and then he would like to create kind of a sub-site (think of this as a library) where people could register to become members of a resource site where lots of content would be available.  This second part of the site would be members only and cost, it would be cool to contain this second site within the context of the site as a whole, but I was wondering if I should set up a sub domain and then put a second Joomla install on the sub domain and make it actually two seperate sites?  Or should I (And can I) incorporate it all into one primary site distinguishable to the point that it actually looks like two seperate sites?  Does this make sense?  Please help me with all your idea's and suggestions.  I think I am going with an entirely different template (I understand this could be done using one site, is it easier with two sites though) with a totally new menu (ditto).

I am also wondering if there is a way to set up the sub-site as with the log in screen as the main page?  It is probably possible but I don't know how to do it.  Anyway, can the experts please help me to structure the site?  I appreciate any help you can give me.

Also, is there a way to make the main screen as long as the module list that I have on the right side of my screed?  Another words, my module list is longer than the articles (I have 3 listed, can I have more?) but where the articles are laid out kinda cut's itself off after a bit and then it is just background space between the bottom of the articles and the footer even though the right hand column is full. 

You can check out what i mean by going to thegym.mychristianconnection.org  That is a site I am working on for a friend and needed a place to put it.  To make the above post more clear, what I have been thinking about doing is having his main site gandtministries.org and then having the secondary site (or library portion that I referenced above) be the thegym.gandtministries.org.  But I wasn't sure about hosting a version of joomla for the domain and the sub-domain, or just making one site and incorporating thegym into the main site???

Personally, I would keep it all as one site; you can use a component like docman for yur library - I guess - what is the advantage to having a separate site?

If you are hoping to change template format (say, make the background a different color) you can assign a specific template to appear with certain linked items. That could accomplish what you are looking to do...

Regarding a 'subscription service' you coul make general site content available to everyone, and allow memebers to have access to your library. There are components out there which can handle this sort of thing.

Sean