How to create a forum site?

[mojoflyer]

Hi all, i'm also a newbie webmaster. Wanted to learn how to create a forum site.

Been looking around,found 2 options, would like your opinion

1)Use Joomla and add Fireboard extension
2)Use phpBB

Some questions:
1)Not sure about the cost though?
2)any license fee required?
3)Hosting requirement?
4)Which one is easier to maintain?
5)Which one has better nice looking free theme?

will appreciate all webmasters opinion.

thank you very much.

[Betmenko]

if you have hosting,go to cpanel - fantastico ..
and just follow directions
but i would advise you to do this if you don't know what you're doing

[&Ingonyama]

If you only want a forum and nothing else go with phpbb Joomla has moduals for other things like blogs etc..

1)Not sure about the cost though?
Both open source so they are free.

2)any license fee required?
no

3)Hosting requirement?
server with php + mysql

4)Which one is easier to maintain?
phpbb if you just want a forum

5)Which one has better nice looking free theme?
maby Joomla..

[corneo]

The main downside to those types of forums. (which they are good) is they are free. Which means "hacker heaven" basically, you'll will get hit every day with spam post.

In other words. Free means you have to stay on top of it for upgrades and security features. Forums you buy do it for you.

[witchdocda]

mmmmmm.... cookies...

[teampower]

phpbb is easy to maintain but i love smf more

[skyscraper]

i'm using smf, installation from cpanel, fantastico.
free and so far no problem with hosting and application

[jakeruston]

phpbb is probably the easiest script to use and manage...

[chetan1]

PHPBB is easy to understand.U should go for PHPBB








[url removed]

[Yankee85]

Yes, go with phpBB

[TravisT]

I also use phpBB. I don't use the newer version though, perhaps becausei 'm just familiar with the old one. I don't know if the new one is better, but the old one definitely requires some work for SEO purposes.

[Yankee85]

I think that vBulletin is the best forum software ever, but it comes with a price

[firezz]

ya me too.. i am using phpbb too easy to maintain as well

[prabinpebam]

I've found it easier to find free smf themes than phbb themes.
Mayb if getting a good theme is a very strong requirement, u may try out smf. But phbb as a forum is very good.

If it is just a forum u want, go for either phbb or smf. But if u want to put in other stuffs like blogs, chats communities etc, u should go for Joomla.

Regarding one of the comments which said something about spamming, well there are plugins for joomla which introduces captcha verification for any posts in Joomla. So it literally prevents spamming 100%. So don't worry about spamming. I'm at present maintianing a site in joomla with fireboard as the forum and there's not even a single spams.
All the best! Let us know wen u've set up ur forum site. I would like to visit it.

[Yankee85]

SMF is nice and customizable if you go with a free forum