What Forum Software do you use?

BluePoint · Share | #1 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 10:13 AM

What forum software do you use and why?

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Basti · #2 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 10:14 AM

well for my current forum is use phpbb
before i also used IPB once, but i havent liked it very much
i think phpbb simply has the best skins and phpbb 3 is coming out soon

b.a · #3 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:29 AM

The serious forums uses VBulletin

Yuripro84 · #4 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:38 AM

SMF. They are the best. Fast forums you host, with so many options. There aren't many hacks yet, or "downloads," (such as a cash system), but they are working on this

Thier support sucks too, but who cares, I love the forums!

JamieJelly · #5 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:54 AM

I use vbulletin because it is the goodest

KevinJB · #6 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:55 AM

SMF for the win, never used vBulletin but have heard many, many, many good things about it :-)

If you are starting forums and are looking for a free software to use, definitely go with SMF- it has tons of features out of the box and is much easier to use than phpBB (especially the backend)

If you are going for paid and I can't myself reccomend anything because I've never used any but vBulletin is apparently the best.

Hope that was useful!

(in summary, avoid phpBB, it is truly awful)

John Scott · #7 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 08:47 PM

My first forum was powered by DevBB. I don't think it even exists anymore.

BluePoint · #8 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 10:36 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by John Scott

My first forum was powered by DevBB. I don't think it even exists anymore.

I don't believe it is around anymore either. I tried doing a search for it and all I can really find is people needing to convert databases to newer software.

Yuripro84 · #9 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 10:57 PM

IF is nice though for people who can't host, you should've added that to the list. Then again, I don't know if anyone here would use IF :/

I like IF though, because they had so many coders making hacks and skins, so it was nice! I havn't been there in a while, but I am sure they have so many cool features now

It sucks how SMF is so new! They have almost no skins, or hacks. Can't wait 'till they finally expand.

I found it funny though how much SMF is charging for advertising. They charge by impressions.
100CPM - $79.99USD
200CPM - $139.98USD
500CPM - $299.95USD
1,000CPM - $499.90USD

I only saw one website, and it didn't even load correctly. I doubt they get any income from thier site yet. I don't even think advertising there is worth half those prices. That's just me though

kiviniar · #10 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:06 PM

Smf all the way.... http://free-stuff-forum.koollog.com

have been using it for say 3 weeks, no glitches, easy admin interface and ya loads of mods coming up...

Well have been lucky with support, have had my queries resolved within a day and ya the latest mod being se friendly url lile .... something.html

Have to install it though

Yuripro84 · #11 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:16 PM

Who cares if you have to install it, it's worth all the hassle. If course, all I had to do was press a button since my host has Fantastico

I love Fantastico, makes everything so much easier.

kiviniar · #12 (**permalink**) 08-05-2006, 11:20 PM

well even without the mod, my pages are getting indexed ....

but will definetely install it ;-)

Manish Pandey · #13 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 03:10 AM

Well phpBB and SMF are good... i like SMF more...

sitionweb · #14 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 03:52 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Manish Pandey

Well phpBB and SMF are good... i like SMF more...

Is it SMF for free?

Actually I use phpBB...

Manish Pandey · #15 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 02:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sitionweb

Is it SMF for free?

Actually I use phpBB...

yeah... SMF is free.. and with few mods you could have the best community going... as they have SEO mod_rewrite too which will help you with search engine friendliness...

BluePoint · #16 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 05:19 PM

Vbulletin is far superior than most of the software out there.

As b.a. stated, most of the big boards use Vbulletin.

dcole07 · #17 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 06:07 PM

My first forum was YABB Forum ... http://yabbforum.com

It's a Perl forum that uses flat file... every easy and nice. It's also not main stream so hackers don't aim for it!

Currently I'm using my own self made forum, which is the best ever

... since it was made to meet my needs

waffles · #18 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 06:22 PM

I'm using Phorum to host two different forums at my site. I tried it for a small community (about 6 people) that was passing a giant e-mail around. I really liked it, so I decided to go with it for my radio stuff too. It doesn't have a ton of templates or addons, but it works.

I try to advise people to stay away from phpBB. The support there is a bunch of asses. Say one thing wrong and they lock the thread with no attempt to fix the problem. If you ask for something and there's already a thread for it, even if it's 50 pages along the line, they get on you. It's either 'Don't ask for something when there's already a thread' or 'Don't revive old threads.' I want to hurt them.

Richie_Ni · #19 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 08:36 PM

I love Vbulletin and would like to use it when i wanna build a forum

dcole07 · #20 (**permalink**) 08-06-2006, 08:42 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by waffles

I try to advise people to stay away from phpBB. The support there is a bunch of asses. Say one thing wrong and they lock the thread with no attempt to fix the problem. If you ask for something and there's already a thread for it, even if it's 50 pages along the line, they get on you. It's either 'Don't ask for something when there's already a thread' or 'Don't revive old threads.' I want to hurt them.

I once asked why they don't give Flat File as an option and they said no good software uses it... no programs or anything. Basicly saying it was dead...

A... MySQL uses random Flat File access... all it's data is stored on Flat files, does that mean the DB you support is no good? So that also makes your forum no good I guess...