Mustang
Premium
join:2005-06-27
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Best forum software
Want to add a forum onto an exisitng site. Not that web savvy and the current website uses microsoft extensions, so I figured it would be easier and less maintenance to use a forum hosting site such as siteground.
They offer phpBB :: SMF Forum :: Ikonboard :: AEF Bulletin Board software.
Which is easier to customize (bearing in mind limited web ablilities) and least amount of work to maintain. The forum is intended for a discussion area for news and articles featured on the main website, hence I would link over to topic discussions etc.
Looking for feedback on general premise, hosting company and software.
Everyone here has always been so helpful in the past.
Thanks! |
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Jafo232
You Can't Spell Democrat Without Rat.
Premium
join:2002-10-17
Boonville, NY | Well, it you want a professional, scalable forum, try Vbulletin. Hands down blows those others away. |
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twizlar
I dont think so.
Premium
join:2003-12-24
Brantford, ON | reply to Mustang
I would take a look at Invision Board (IPB). Its administrative side is worlds better than vbull or phpbb.
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Broadline Networks Inc. |
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stevephl
join:2000-11-27
Colorado Springs, CO
| reply to Mustang
I have a joomla site and recently decided I wanted to add a forum to the site, I decided against using a joomla extension and instead installed phpbb on the site and placed a link to the forum in a joomla menu.
As a new comer to the world of forum software, setup and administration I found that I was able to successfully add forum topics and set permissions, setup forum registration all fairly quickly. If I can install and setup phpbb I see no reason you or anyone else for that matter wouldn't also be able to do so.
I do not generate any income from the forum or website so I went with "free-ware". I also tend to purchase software of this sort from this side of the pond.
Your question will probably generate a lot of interesting replies. Note I have no experienced with any other forum software, so I'm biased towards phpbb.
Lot's of luck in your quest.
Steve in Colorado
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Mustang
Premium
join:2005-06-27
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Because the current site is run using microsoft extensions, PHP is out of the question. I did find 'Yet another forum software' that used ASP, but between the database code and difficult webhosting standards for those DB's I thought this route might be easier. The forum hosting company sets up the software, I just have to customize it.
Like you Steve, this isn't being done as a revenue generater, just a feedback forum.
Appreciate the responses so far though. |
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Jafo232
You Can't Spell Democrat Without Rat.
Premium
join:2002-10-17
Boonville, NY
 ·RoadRunner Cable
| Your going to find a limited amount of applications if you throw PHP out the window. Good luck on your hunt.
As for PHPBB, this is probably the most attacked forum software on the net. I see more PHPBB sites hacked than just about anything else out there.
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Custom PHP/Perl Development. Vbulletin And Wordpress Mods Too! |
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Mustang
Premium
join:2005-06-27
Fort Lauderdale, FL
| Okay. I am not throwing PHP out the window. The reason I'm setting up the forum on a forum hosting service is so I can use PHP (as outlined in my first post). My discussion about the ASP based forum software was in reply to asking why I didn't host my own forum software on the current domain.
I'm expecting to make a choice over the next week between the forum programs mentioned in my original post and am glad to have everyones input:):) |
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Guisbar
join:2009-02-02
| reply to Mustang
My personal favorite free forum script is phpBB, but you'll need to have mySQL on your server to run it, and if you're not familiar with the database structure of your server, you'll want to have a MySQL administration console... it makes it a lot easier to manage your databases (free as well, but your webhost may charge for that service).
Demo : free forum hosting |
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