Hook and templates and widgets ... oh my? Which to use?

[kkinsey]

Hello,

I'm a fairly experienced programmer, but I'm pretty much a vBulletin newb; I did STF before I posted, but I didn't find much (probably don't know exactly what terms to search for) on this ... it kind of seems like you all already have it down.

I've got a design on paper in front of me and a working vB 4.1.x install. What I need to do is add advertising and "pointer tables" (which do appear similar to 'widgets') on almost every thread, page, article, etc. --- both sides of the page. I need ad space below the header on each page, and preferably a 3-column layout on every page as well - lots of sidebar content, including ads, widget-like tables of people, posts, and products for sale, etc.

So, what am I needing to learn (besides everything)?? Widgets? Hooks? Templates? All three?

So far, from my investigation, it looks like I can't do the same thing in the CMS as the forums, for example. Too bad :erm:

I've seen some flat out *awesome* looking sites out there ... for example, in the BOTM polls. But I'm pretty clueless how to replicate that with just Style Manager and the ability to modify templates ...

It might be nice if there was some way to embed the vB, but the vB is really the focus ... it's just that, as an ad agency, we gotta pay the bills

How do I get from zero to hero, preferably by, say, Thanksgiving (while devoting probably less than half my office time to it ... argh!)

Links, Pointers, Advice, Kicks in the Pants are all welcome.