[tlug] what CMS would you recommend for FB type website?

[scott <scott@example.com>]

Hi everyone,

Ohisashiburi desu. Quick question:

I would like to set up a facebook type website on the slackisland.org
server (running in my kitchen). It's been up for 6 years now using a
variety of software- years ago I had used Phpnuke, then Joomla, but I
didn't really like working with Joomla and would like to try something
new. I'd prefer to work with the standard LAMP tools as I don't know
Ajax or anything about Ruby/Rails. For features I'd like to have users
know when other users are on, as well as possibly throw together a quick
chatroom which supports more than one user and automatically integrates
with the initial user login. Finally, I'd like it allow users to post
articles and media etc. with relative ease- limit the PEBKAC factor if
you know what I mean.  Any advice on what's hip these days? Wordpress
maybe? 

Thanks in advance for any advice.

Cheers,
Scott VanDusen in Tokyo