Hey everyone. I've got a website about dancing. Users create an account to use the website. I currently have about 300 users, so I have their email addresses. Now I'm thinking about creating a forum on the same website. I just wanted to ask, where should I start in creating this forum?
first download a forum script. If i were you i should start with a free one otherwise you end up with a $150 costing script which was a mistak go for SMF or MyBB those are good free forum softwares (do a search on google to find their sites). The you'll have to install the forum, if you can't do it i'll do it for you for $5 But it's really easy. Open readme.txt and follow the instructions. Once you've uploaded the script you need to install it. Go to yourwebsite.com/forum or whatever you've named it and follow the installation steps. Well after that your forum is ready for use. You only need to add forums, categories, smilies, user ranks, permissions, groups and change preferences to your needs and install a theme/template that fits your site. You can either download one or create one yourself. If you're done with that you can put a link on your site to the forum and hope that people will start posting
I'd personally go for vBulletin instead of any free bulletin software. It just feels more supported and has a massive database of usable modifications. If not vBulletin then SMF.
I'd say look at some scripts: test the IPB and VB (I hear they've got some testing features on the main forums). Download phpBB, SMF and myBB and test them too. The one you feel more comfortable using is the one to use. We all have our opinions: I dislike myBB and SMF since their template system is hard to use as compared to phpBB and I like to skin my forums the most I can. But you can discover the one you like yourself
If you're serious about a forum and your site then you need to be serious about your software you choose and this usually means you're going to have to spend time and money on your site for it to work. I'd suggest going with vBulletin.
I agree, I first installed free forum software, but soon realised Vbulletin was by far the best, and I had a nightmare transferring all my posts and accounts. If you can, go for Vbulletin.
vBulletin FTW. You should really get that. The amount of plug-ins for it etc, and sites for modifying your copy.
I'm using phpBB, but I wish I had started out with vBulletin. If cost is not an issue, i'd start out with that. If you take a look around the net, most of the large successful forums use it. Although there are some great implementations of phpBB, they are usually heavily modified.
vB is the only way to go. I started with vB and have been very happy. Way more secure, way more options.
I have 3 forums. All with PHPBB and all doing well. I was talked into trying VB and I bought one. It is worth the money and know all three of my forums are VB. The support is great, installation was simple, many many more options, better security features and installing "extras" is 100% easier than PHPBB. I am glad I switched.