Any suggestion, i like the phpb2 and digital points forum. Where i can download them so i can use it for my forum ?
PHPbb its free software available here: http://www.phpbb.com sometimes one-click away if you are hosted on a service with Cpanel along with other forums like www.simplemachines.org this is vBulletin and it's not free as not longer IPB (Invision Power Board) either, but you can purchase them here: www.vbulletin.com www.invisionboard.com
Digital Point uses vBulletin -- www.vbulletin.com -- it's a fee to buy it, but it's well worth it. I've already bought 3 licenses for it. edit: mystique: Drat! You beat me to it
If you're going free, go with SMF before phpBB...if paid, research vB and IPB - both ultimately have the same features
If you're not happy with either phpBB or SMF, you may want to look into punBB as well (Free). Hope that helps.
I like vBulletin. I used to use phpBB for awhile. It was ok, but installing the mods and updates was time consuming.
I use both phpbb and vbulletin. Vbulletin is better for long-term sites, IMO, and phpbb is better for the short term.
Actually i think i will do like you guys, ill try phpbb a while and ill put myself on vbulletin after... But whats cool about phpbb is that its free!! Vbulettin license is about a hundred fifty bucks... da sucks
I have now converted three forums from phpBB to SMF (Simple Machines). phpBB is currently a lame duck, in my opinion. They are patching security issues in version 2.x with a hybrid of version 2 and version 3, the long overdue successor to 2.x which still has no release date in sight. The last two update releases have been dogs, with the most recent introducing a serious security flaw. My advice (and this is coming from a previous fan of phpBB) is stay the hell away from phpBB. When or if they ever release version 3, it might be worth another look but as it stands now it's a disaster. If you're looking for open source/freeware, I strongly advise you to take a look at SMF.
may be i should use vbulletin... Thanks for all those advices lol I'll take a look at the SMF i dont know whats that lol
I am actually looking into mybb http://www.mybboard.org It seems to have a very similar look and feel the VB. I have also toyed with punbb and find it VERY nice. It's streamlined like crazy for easy simple sites. I still have my phpbb sites but what a pain in the butt they are with their updates. I suggest you steer clear of phpbb until 3.0 is out.
I agree about phpBB, labrocca - there really is no support for 2.x any more. And unfortunately no indication of when 3.0 will be ready - that might not be for another year or more.
Yeah Mistrel. I actually know of one of their support staff and he is a teenager. I just think the people running the show over there are clueless and I think 3.0 will NEVER happen. Every single hack for phpbb will be useless. I submitted a bug on the first of Feb. http://www.phpbb.com/bugs/viewreport.php?b=936 They have yet to look at it or assign it. It's ridiculous too. They just have to include a tmp directory in the package. I am kinda pissed I have all my big forums in PHPBB and now feel I have no choice but to stick with them. I am at a crux now personally between starting from scratch with all my sites or just keep on trucking with phpbb. What I know I won't do is recommend them anymore. I had a tiff with some members at their site after the last update. Personally I think the 'community' of phpbb is a bunch of geeky kids now. There is no professionalism there imho. Steer clear of phpbb is my new moto. I am still NOT a fan of VB as I think it's way overpriced.
I've converted three to SMF so far. Two more to go. The installation and conversion was a breeze in each case. I had the same experience when I raised some concerns about the release of the 2.0.18 update. It almost felt like the Resource Zone in there with all the attacking, backpedalling, and smokescreening. Then they followed that one up with 2.0.19 with the brilliant system that allows a malicious member to lock the Admin out of his own forum. Brilliant. I am at the point where I am not only not recommending phpBB - I am actively recommending AGAINST anyone using phpBB at this point. I used to be a big fan.
Has anyone heard of minibb? I have been using it on my site and it's great! phpbb and vbulletin are too bulky and contain features most small-mid forums might not ever need it. Tha pages generated by these forums too are bulky and not that search engine friendly.
vBulletin is the best reasonable commercial option (in otherwords, the best paid BBS that doesn't cost thousands of dollars like Fusetalk or IdealBB.Net), though IPB is a good option as well. If its more of a corperate/business forum, IPB has the edge because of forthcoming officially supported hacks. Generally though, vB has a much strongger modding community. In terms of free options, SMF or PunBB are the best choices.
I intend to buy it it's just 150 bucks. And it is very popular, i just have to look at digital point to understand
How heavily modified were your sites? The problem I have is that I have done a lot of my own customizing on phpbb. I have now about 8 forums on my own custom version. There is so much added just on the admin side it's sick. I am getting more proficient with updating them as I have created my own template name even though all 8 sites look different they all have same template name and structure. I have revenue generating mods too like subscription hack, cash mod, and shop. I actually make money selling my site points now. I have about 220 paid subscribers just on one forums. To convert these would be psychotic for me. So I am stuck. But I know exactly what you mean and agree 100%. After the 2.0.19 update I was also attacked by the majority for stating my concerns. It's pretty pathetic over there at this point and I think the project has lost it's direction much the same for OSC. Once you allow the mods/hacks to overtake the default package then you can't update. They are insane if they think phpbb 3.0 can be released at this point. The entire community would go ape. Every mod will be broken. imho their biggest mistake was NOT incorporating more of the great mods into core package..oh well it's their problem