I just discovered this site. I hope that this is the correct place to post my pre-purchase questions.

My client has a customized instance of VirtueMart (v1.1.3) running on Joomla 1.5.10. They are introducing a new product line selling somewhat similar items but with a different branding identity. The new website will be using a separate domain.

My intent is to allow the client to administer the products and customers of both sites from one existing VirtueMart Control Panel.

I've scanned the forum and watched some of the videos but I still have a few questions as to the feasibility of what I want to accomplish. Here are my questions:

1. I assume that the current site will be considered the Master and the new site the Slave? Does each site need to have JMS Multi-Site installed on it? Would I install JMS M-S v1.2?
2. Do both sites need to be the same Joomla version number? For example, I'd like to consider building the new site with Joomla 1.6.x. I could build the site using Joomla version 1.5.23, but want to know my options.
3. Does VirtueMart need to be installed on both of the sites? Do the version numbers need to be the same?
4. Will the new site retain the SSL designation of the current site during Checkout?
5. Customers from the new site need to be User tables of the Master database.

1) NO - Jms Multisites is only installed on the website that will become the
master.
The slave site does not need the JMS Multisites.

2) YES as you share the same Joomla PHP code.

3) YES as you share the same PHP code.
In fact, the master website contain the extension that will be re-isntalled
in the slave site.

4) YES.
You just have to configure the VM configuration to specify the "secure" URL

5) No if you don't share the VM content.
Yes if you share the VM content (case of video 16)