Designing an Online Forum

[jonathan]

Hello, my name is Jonathan. I'm new to this site, and I'm interested in taking my site to the next level. If someone could please point me in the right direction to what I need to learn to build my own online forums. If it helps any, I've mastered HTML, CSS, and I'm working on XHTML and JavaScript right now.

[NICEGUY]

Originally Posted by jonathan

Hello, my name is Jonathan. I'm new to this site, and I'm interested in taking my site to the next level. If someone could please point me in the right direction to what I need to learn to build my own online forums. If it helps any, I've mastered HTML, CSS, and I'm working on XHTML and JavaScript right now.

Well, you can check out phpbb, very simple. setup the sql, edit the config to point to the sql and off you go.

Phpbb is free, only thinkg you need to come up with is some imagination, time and users.

Now theres is vbulletin which i personally like, very nice to use, but expensive IMO.
Theres many great features but one thing ive noticed which i dont like is some of the addons go through beta testing courtesy of the users and the final product can only be purchased and the beta is no longer supported. Kinda like playing dirty pool.

Phpbb is free and well supported. Down the road, you can also run Impex and import the database if you want to upgrade.

R.

[jonathan]

Well thank you. If only someone could have told me that earlier. Thank you again, now I can focus myself in that direction and learn how to that stuff.

[nasaboy007]

most people simply use premaid forums though, youll only find a rare select few who are actually up to the challenge of making one from scratch. for forum beginners, i suggest invision power board as i think its the easiest to config. as u get more advanced, learn phpbb as its more powerful and ppl are looking to hire others who are well versed in phpbb.

[jonathan]

Boy am I glad I found this site. Thank you for you reply. I'll give it a try to use those things for the time being, but hopefully in the future I will be able to build my own from scratch.

[NICEGUY]

Originally Posted by nasaboy007

most people simply use premaid forums though, youll only find a rare select few who are actually up to the challenge of making one from scratch. for forum beginners, i suggest invision power board as i think its the easiest to config. as u get more advanced, learn phpbb as its more powerful and ppl are looking to hire others who are well versed in phpbb.

Nasa, phpbb is really easy.

Create the SQL db through your server cpanel
Upload the Phpbb board contents to the server, edit the config file and run the install.
Once you’re done the install its up to you to configure the board and tweak it out.....

Infact, IMO, Phpbb is easier to setup and run compared to the Vbulletin we run here. But VB (vbulletin) is feature rich and that’s what makes me like it...

Phpbb is free, you cant free. And its a half decent product. You can run it, develop it and once down the road upgrade to VB if you like.
But again another downside to VB is you must pay (if i remember right) $30 a year for downloads after the first year. But if your forum is generating revenue, i think VB is the way.

Once you setup a few boards you will be on your way.
There are great resources such as http://www.phpbbhacks.com/ for Phpbb and vbulletin.org for Vbulletin.

[aanande]

Mybb is coolest i ever found
its simple also
check www.mybboard.org