What PHP based forum to use?

Hello
I am developing a new site for a client. He wants the site t o among other things have a forum.

He basically tells me "I am the web guy, I decide what forum to use". I think he should use VB... but that costs money, and only worth it if his forum is going to be suscessfull.

PHPbb forums always get hacked unless you are either lucky or update it constantly. But it is free and lots of support for it. Also look unprofesional.

MyBB, seems good, its free, not sure about secuirty (certainly seems secure), not much support for it really. Lack of themes (and doubt he will want me to make him a custom one. And MyBB themes are harder to make IMO than for example PHPbb)

Simple Machine Forum - quite secure i think? Easy to use i've found. Not used it much though so don't know much about it.

Then theres the non free ones (VB, Invision Board), but I think i'll end up choosing a free one, as it'll seem like a waste of money if the forums arn't popular.

What are your thoughts?
What would you go with?
Thanks

 

punbb... you can see one in action here http://www.goalchat.com

Why am i recommending punbb. Well it is obvious ! I am using it

get it here http://www.punbb.org and mods are here http://www.punres.org

 

I've never heard of punBB. Will have a look now

A big constraint (due to our host) is that the forum should minimise the amount of MySQL conncetions, and if possible keep one connection even over multiple pages.

 

Given what your client wants done with the site, I would suggest either mybb or punbb. They can handle many users, like phpbb, and look different from the regular phpbb boards. There may not be many styles available for them yet, but that may come with time, and as you said your client likely won't want that sort of customization. I have heard mybb is extremely secure, as well.

 

He can always go with phpBB in the earlier stages of his forum, then convet databases to vB once the community size and income justifies it.

 

I recommend Mybb. The support is actually very good. It's a small but VERY ACTIVE team. When I post a question I get a team member response in their support forums within 15 minutes or sooner normally. Security seems good and on updates I simply upload the new files in a few seconds. Mybb has very little need for mods unlike phpbb or even pun. I do like Pun but I would only recommend it for a very lite forums. It has no Private Message system. It's basically a small footprint forums that's very stable and secure but ultimately featureless.

As you state..VB costs money. Mybb imho is the closest you will get for free.

btw-Templating Mybb isn't very difficult. As a matter of fact they have good tools and help for it. They have a revert button for all the images. So if you screw them up while expirementing they can be fixed in a click. That makes it rather useful and simple imho.

 

PHPBB isnt bad,why not use it?
Also it's free!

 

I am never going to use PHPbb again to be honest. It is so insecure. Always gets hacked. And generally looks quite n00bish imo.
I think i'll use MyBB on it.

 

use http://vubb.com

Looks and feels like vBulletin but free

 

Their first line on that page ...
"Welcome to VUBB. The only interactive forum where not only administrators fix the bugs and add new features, but the users can too!"

Put me right off. (The bit about users fixing bugs ... so meants users have more rights than users on other forums...and there are plent of bugs to be fixed)

LOL.

 

But it does look kind of easy on the eyes ... You just cannot download it