I want to start a forum and do not have the extra funds right now for a VB license. My question is... If I start a forum using a free script like phpbb or SMF and the forum becomes really active and I get the funds for a VB license later... Is it possible to migrate the database over to the VB forum so I do not lose my members or post? Thank you!
Yes, vB has an import system you can use. I'm not quite sure which free forum scripts are supported, however in short I'd say yes. You can check this forum out, it should help you out: http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/forumdisplay.php?f=92
Yes it will be very easy to do this, as long as your are knowledgeable in stuff of this nature and with databases. You will just have to set up the new script on the server and then migrate the databases together and set up the new forum. IT should only take a hour or so (depending on how many users and post you have at the time of the conversion that is)
Just keep in mind that you may not be able to do this depending on what type of board you are wanting to import from. I had a Proboards online community and asked the same question and I was unable to do it. Now, I'm in the process of copying over certain topics.
Well most of your low end forums won't be able to, but the ones that he posted for (phpbb and smf) are both capiable of doing this very easily.