I am short on money, (as well as experience) so I am going w/ a free forum. So far, I have focused on SMF. (Mainly b/c it looks cool, + requires less updating than phpbb) I hate how the search feature looks. Really gross. Anyway, before I get going, I'd like some reasons why I shouldn't use SMF. Every product has its pros and cons, so while SMF may very well be the best free forum out there, I still would like to know some flaws SMF has. What I am looking for from SMF (or any better alternative): I will create a forum which is key part of a website. I would like to have ads in the forum, as well as good security. I would like people to sign in on the main page of my website (this will also sign them in to the forum). A clear "quote feature" so you can clearly see who said what. Easy to use/install/update (I am a total noob, imagine a 95 year old person using a computer, that is kind of like me). Vbulletin and IPS are the coolest forums out there, so any features that they have would be a +. Free. Good SEO if that is possible.
The only negative about SMF is the search feature. You're probably better if you put google search on your site. But there are many positive things about SMF that make you forget about the not so good search feature. Good security, easy mod installation, there is a very good SEO mod available (completly free), easy integration with existing sites, 2 clicks to install small security updates,... If you want to use a free script, SMF is the way to go
SMF is definetly one great free script, I tried it before and I really felt it had somewhat of a vbulletin feel.
What I can tell you fast at 2 in the morning: you'll hate the template system. As a plus the CSS styling is awesome: they have a CSS preview thinggy that actually lets you see how it's gonna look before you click submit. That's a plus. But the actual template files are a nightmare to mod. I tried on www.talkingaboutmovies.com and I almost failed. The nice wrapper you see there wasn't mean for SMF. It was on phpBB. Then I converted since people praised SMF so much and I want to have a SMF in my portfolio too (I design skins, I need to show off). But I spent many hours trying to put those header tables in the script. I even deleted the forum out of rage and after few hours, when I calmed down, I tried it again. But with a different approach. I downloaded a free skin (psp I think it's called) that emulates VB skin. I used that to be able to implement my design since the default skin just wouldn't let me mod it. I am not a php specialist .. that's my issue. But I am a VB skinner, I design skins for phpBB and myBB and IPB. I have some work in my portfolio I am not ashamed and still .. SMF put me on my knees. Try the script, it's not bad at all. But prepare for some serious template battles. if you're not such a heavy theme modder as I am, you'll love it. If you do want more from that skin you are either gonna be a php specialist or just hate it
To be honest I like that SMF templating system. And I'm not much of a php coder either... But it's true that you do need a bit php understanding to be able to change it. But if you know a bit, you can change a lot and there are lots of possibilities.
SMF is the most crappy forum software I ever used. It has an ugly web 0.9-esque design. Also, just take a look at their official support, they are children. Try the new phpBB 3 beta, it's the best free forums you'll ever find!
Their support is actually one of the best I've ever seen. And the design isn't much different from eg vBulletin or any other forum system.
I like their support actually.. why do you say they are children? Can you give one running forum using this phpBB 3 beta?
Diether, the design IS VERY different from all the others. If you want comparison: MyBB and VB have similar design. IPB is close to these two. but SMF is another thing altogether. The link to the images is different, the way you deal with the elements is different. In any other script once you mess the design you have some broken tables. in SMF you have parse errors. And no, they are not pleasant at all
The parse erros are just because a wrong placed ' or . And I was talking about the way the design looks. Menu at the top, then the category with subforums (with a description), next to each subforum the amount of topics/posts, last post... The way the design is made is indeed different (output html in an echo, html templates,...). Both have their advantages and disadvantages though.
The benefit of SMF's template engine is, it allows you do to stuff like h**p://docs.simplemachines.org/ (replace ** with tt obviously - stupid forum) fairly easilly.
I have no coding, no HTML and no PHP skill. Will this be a problem? I just want to install a few free addons to the SMF (like ad rotator, etc..) the phpbb beat looks awesome! I would love to run it, although I don't feel like getting hacked every month I will read the support forum and see if it requires as much maintenance as the other phpbb.
You won't get hacked any month. That's a stupid myth. If you're getting hacked any script can have the pleasure. I had all my scripts hacked till now (VB, IPB, phpBB, etomite, indexu and phpld to name some of them). Keep database backups and FILE BACKUPS. All my hackings meant changing either the config file or the index. With a backup of the files I restored them in 2 minutes. Install your script, add some hacks (any script needs security mods installed. Hackings are the smallest problem you'll deal with. Spammers and some VERY explicit porn images would really make you kill someone. You'll need some anti-spam hacks installed ASAP). As for the lack of knowledge in modding a theme: if you go with SMF then it's the end. You won't be able to make a decent theme, just use the default one or a stock theme used by hundreds of other sites. But you can always pay a skinner. It's an expense indeed, but a unique look is important, no matter the forums. PhpBB would be easier to mod as theme since you need to change the HTML codes in the .tpl files (overall_header.tpl, overall_footer.tpl, index_body.tpl they control the header, footer and index for instance. most of the design is done in the header and footer and carried through the entire site).