forum script

[RFH Reseller: Space Cowboy]

what type of forum scripts do you guys run on your sites?

I have been using SNITZ (an asp) script for 3 years now. Had its ups and downs but generally its been good. Love the interface.

At the moment im in the process of upgrading to phpbb....but im making the interface a lot more like that of snitz.

what are your experiences with different forum scripts?

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Hello Gareth,
My favourites are:

VBulletin (this) - www.vbulletin.com
Its PHP based, and isnt free, but its feature packed and incredibly fast because its well coded.

InstantForum - www.instantasp.co.uk
A .NET based forum (one of only a fee), and isnt free, but it has nice features and well coded. You also get the .NET source code.

Of course, PHPBB is OK too, tough its only basic, because its free.

Regards

[RFH Reseller: Space Cowboy]

I have just discovered another from http://www.simplemachines.org/ not sure if its paid or free, but my university has just installed it for our course forum.

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

I have just discovered another from http://www.simplemachines.org/ not sure if its paid or free, but my university has just installed it for our course forum.

Says its free

[RFH Reseller: Mark Voss]

It's developed from YaBB SE and it's pretty good.

I've tried it on a Linux host and it's easy to configure/customise.
Never tried it on Windows though.

[RFH Customer: terraqueotenaz]

Hi,

asp based I´ve used:

http://www.aspwebsoft.com

ASP-DEv XM Forum (the best)
http://www.webwizguide.com/ (very good)

php based:

phpbb

[RFH Customer: Jon Freeman]

Although perhaps it is too limited for some, I really do like phpbb http://www.phpbb.com/ I think it is the best of the freebies I have looked at.

My own history with forums is a little odd. I started off with a free one from asp-dev.net or something like that. It got us goining but it didn't really fit our needs (the forum I had started was a sort of offshoot from Mudcat [a folk music forum] and people were more used to and preffered an all lumped together view as opposed to one like this where froums are separate areas, and I didn't like the way some bits worked, eg. I dissagree with the approach where the first post goes in the topic table and all other posts in the post table.

I ended up with a more or less complete rewrite to suit or needs better and when I started up another site, I think having my own code became even more sesirable for me as I wanted to integrate with a database of traditional folk songs, etc.

More recently, my previous host dissapeared overnight and that caused another rethink. The "chat" forum is running here in ASP but will move to a rewrite in php that I am working on (slightly cut down/with some bits unused) for the traditional folk. music, a forum I'm toying with the idea of running from home.

It has a long way to go but my efforts on the new design, complete with some broken links! can be found at http://home.folkinfo.org/forum

[RFH Customer: Jon Freeman]

PS: Cool smilies on here! :D

What is this thing people have with smilies? I can just about put up with a grin or a wink but still prefer the text based ones like ;-)

As for the excessive use of them, I think "smilie abuse" should be declared an "Internet offense" punishable by having to walk round all day in busy public places with ones tongue hanging out while maintaining a stupid grin.

[RFH Customer: AndyHearne]

Lol :p

I like using PHPBB myself though if i had the money I'd probably go for VBulletin later - though don't know what the differences in Admin is yet though

[Staff: Warren Ashcroft]

Lol :p

I like using PHPBB myself though if i had the money I'd probably go for VBulletin later - though don't know what the differences in Admin is yet though

http://www.vbulletin.com/admindemo.php