Message Boards

[Maljonic]

I'm starting a new site soon that will be almost entirely message board based, like this one; in the past I've always used PHPBB, which is pretty good in my opinion - but I'd like to know people's thoughts on vBulletin for instance, why does FreddysHouse use it and what advantages does it have? What do people think of other paid for boards such as infopop etc?

 

[xane]

I've used MyBB in the past, although the decision is normally based on what scripting and database the web host can provide, although I'd assume most can run on MySQL nowdays.

Don't you have to pay for vBulletin ?

 

[Maljonic]

Yes you do have to pay for vBulletin; it's more the paid boards that I'm curious about, especially vBulletin - what makes them worth paying for? I'd just like to know what advantages I would have if I paid for vBulletin (or whatever) over using PHPBB or any other free boards?

 

[wyrd_fish]

apparantly the admin controles for vB far ou reach that of any free board

this is only hear say though

 

[Maljonic]

Is that the main reason? Would you say that the main features are equalled in say PHPNuke with intergrated PHPBB for instance? Or is this format (FreddysHouse) better, as in better for the users?

 

[Shovel]

I've heard good things about PunBB. Standards based, produces semantic mark-up and very well trimmed for features makes it very clean and pleasant to behold.

Comparing the admin interfaces of PHPNuke to anything is something I find mildly scary, since the concept of interface design hadn't reached PHPNuke's repertoire when I last used it.

 

[MKJ]

I've tried lots of forums and the best (apart from vbulletin) was a modified phpBB2 one. I am currently using 2 'mylittleforums' which I find quite nice. I have altered the code a little to make them a little neater. They don't have enough features though for the job you want them to do. I have started to enter content now in the form of articles.

You can see the forum here:

Forum.

I have other links to various forum scripts which you can see here:

Scripts

Take a good look at the Azbb link if I were you. Very interesting and well constructed forum that is unusual to say the least.

I will be adding some scripts to the above page (if you are interested) that I have modified soon that can be downloaded, such as the counter you can see on the lower left. I altered it so that the annoying click that was occuring whenever it scanned my site looking for guests was removed. It scans silently now.

 

[Maljonic]

I think I know my way around phpbb2 so well by now that it's difficult to consider trying anything else; the only one I've seen that looks any better, to me anyway, is vBulletin - but then you have to pay for it, which I don't think is worth it for me right now.

 

[Penguin]

I've been looking around at message boards recently too. PHPBB looks like a nice option, it's very popular. I've also been looking at Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org/) - They look nice too and i intend to try that rather soon.

What about IPB - Any thoughts on that?

Penguin.

 

[Penguin]

Entire list here of forums - Found it on my hosts website:

* phpBB2 (PHP, mySQL) http://www.phpbb.com
wbb1 (PHP, MySQL) http://woltlab.de
YaBB SE (PHP, MySQL) http://yabb.info
OpenBB2 (PHP,MySQL) http://openbb.com
* IBforums (PHP,MySQL AND CGI) http://www.invisionboard.com
gBB (PHP, MySQL) http://german-bulletin-board.de
Phorum (PHP + MySQL; open source) http://www.phorum.org/
XMB (PHP + MySQL) http://www.xmbforum.com/
MiniBB (PHP + MySQL) http://www.minibb.net/
MyBB/DevBB (PHP, MySQL) http://www.mybboard.com/
XMB (PHP, MySQL) http://www.xmbforum.com/
lokwaBB (PHP, Mysql) http://www.lokwa.com/
MurcuryBoard (PHP, MySQL) http://www.mercuryboard.com/
EBoard (PHP) http://edge-programming.com/eboard/
SmartBB (PHP, MySQL) http://www.smartbb.net/
myBoard (PHP, MySQL) http://www.myboard.co.uk/
DevBB (PHP, MySQL) http://mybboard.com
IkonBoard http://www.ikonboard.com/
evolution BB - (PHP, MySQL) http://www.evobb.com/

* = Most popular forums/bulletin boards

Might be worth checking a few, myboard looked quite nice.

Penguin.

 

[TheJkWhoSaysNi]

I've been looking around at message boards recently too. PHPBB looks like a nice option, it's very popular. I've also been looking at Simple Machines (http://www.simplemachines.org/) - They look nice too and i intend to try that rather soon.

What about IPB - Any thoughts on that?

Penguin.

Simplemachines is nice. I've used it for a while now.

 

[Penguin]

I've just started mine, they look nice, some great features, i tried PHPBB - Smaller upload, but way way less features i found, and you can't have a custom banner it's just a massive PHPBB logo?

Are you using any nice packages with your forums JK? or anything you'd reccommend?

Penguin.

 

[MKJ]

My bloody eyes are killing me after that. Just converted a phpBB2 forum that has the Categories Hierarchy (sub-forums) mod installed. Altered the forum to accept my menus - graphics etc. After that converted the board to use a different theme BBTech. Bit odd doing this the way I do it because I overwrite images and take out bits of code here and there until the theme settles. You just can't install a different theme with the Categories Hierarchy mod installed unless it is based on the very simple Subsilver one. Anyways the forum is settling nicely. Not sure about my choice of font colour yet but just little alterations to make now. Finally I can relax a little and play my geeeetarrrr now .

Notta bad job if you ask me.

Adapted phpBB2 forum