Hello,

I've been looking for a good bulletin board. I have 40GB to spare per month. I know that CGI boards usually use too much CPU power causing some servers to crash. But, are there any available alternatives? I was thinking of getting a PHP/MySQL board but I'm a newbie in PHP. Please advice. Thank you. BTW, I will be hosted in tera-byte.

vBulletin uses PHP. I just dunno if this is available on the free version. :D

Try PHPBB, it is free and (obviously) PHP based - http://www.phpbb.com

How about ikonboard.com, i've tried it before their pretty good..

I'll say it again: I highly recommend vBulletin.

It's easy to use, it's really fast, the support is great.

It'll cost you, though, depending on what kind of license you choose to get, but in my humble opinion, there's no other board out there that even comes close to its abilities.

Check my BB out here:

http://www.spaceagecomics.com/fora

vBulletin's web site:

http://www.vbulletin.com

Their support site:

http://www.vbulletin.com/forum/

Originally posted by bigmattyh
I'll say it again: I highly recommend vBulletin.


I agree, vBulletin is truely a piece of ***** software, but if one's idea is to get a BB free, then look in hotscripts.com for other options.

Yea, VB is superb, if you want a good PHP forum and don't mind paying, VB is your thing. If you are short of cash, PHPBB is your best bet.

Originally posted by greatgraddage
Try PHPBB, it is free and (obviously) PHP based - http://www.phpbb.com

too bad phpbb.com is down. try it.:bawling:

bncph if you want I can send you the last release.
You can see PhpBB working at http://www.downtownhost.com/forums
THIS IS NOT ADVERTISE :)

Jedito, 404.

My Mistake :stickout
http://www.downtownhost.com/forum
sorry

Originally posted by Jedito
My Mistake :stickout
http://www.downtownhost.com/forum
sorry

Jedito, is it easy to install? i'm a newbie in PHP. actually this is the first PHP script im gonna install. can you customize the fonts/layout?

Is really easy to install... Actually you don't have to know anything about PHP, and is fully customizable as you can see in my site.
If you need some help installing it, just tell me.... I really love PhpBB :)

Originally posted by Jedito
Is really easy to install... Actually you don't have to know anything about PHP, and is fully customizable as you can see in my site.
If you need some help installing it, just tell me.... I really love PhpBB :)

how do i install it? are there any read-me files? installation guide?

Yep.. it comes with a readme... do you need the tarball?
I can send it to you

Agreed.. vB is your answer.. installed once for a client on a tera-byte server.. you'll have no problems. It's developed to be nice and simple (to use). ;)

PHPbb= Free
Vbulletin= Leased License - $85 - Owned License - $160

Originally posted by Adam@OpenHosting
Agreed.. vB is your answer.. installed once for a client on a tera-byte server.. you'll have no problems. It's developed to be nice and simple (to use). ;)

Did you have to call support team of tera-byte for the MySQL database creation?

I spent the past month or so installing and test-driving bulletin boards--ASP, PHP and Perl.

As far as PHP, I would definitely say that V-Bulletin is the best. But it ain't free. It's worth the price if you have it (which I don't). I have to say that with all the people raving about PHPBB I had higher expectations than what I got. But that's me.

For ASP, Snitz is great! Easy to install, customize and administer. http://www.forums.snitz.com

For CGI (Perl), I like Ikonboard, which is what I finally went with. I found it the most customizable and easiest to get going. You can see mine at http://www.mylewisburg.com/self/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi and http://www.ross-macleod.com/cgi/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi

Brad

Cheated.. dedicated servers..

Worth asking them though, very nice people there.. very friendly.. they'll try sort most things out for you.

Originally posted by BRossMac
I spent the past month or so installing and test-driving bulletin boards--ASP, PHP and Perl.

As far as PHP, I would definitely say that V-Bulletin is the best. But it ain't free. It's worth the price if you have it (which I don't). I have to say that with all the people raving about PHPBB I had higher expectations than what I got. But that's me.

For ASP, Snitz is great! Easy to install, customize and administer. http://www.forums.snitz.com

For CGI (Perl), I like Ikonboard, which is what I finally went with. I found it the most customizable and easiest to get going. You can see mine at http://www.mylewisburg.com/self/cgi-bin/forum/ikonboard.cgi and http://www.ross-macleod.com/cgi/ikonboard/ikonboard.cgi

Brad

but isn't it true that CGI forums usually take too much CPU resources? aren't you afraid that they'll (your host) shut down your board?

i think ill go with PHP and mysql. less load on the server.

Oh, I'm using Ikonboard right now for my site. It's the closest free thing to VB for me.

Their v.3. is coming soon and I can hardly wait for that.

i use a board called tforum which is a freeware board based on this board. it doesn't have all of the cool features this does, but works just as good, just as fast, and i haven't had any problems with it.

if you'd like you can see it in action, you can email me and i'll send you the url. :stickout

Ikonboard is nice, don't even have to mind about getting more MySQL db (as most host limit to only one), and there're plentiful of hacks/add-ons to change the functioning and look of it.. Just like the both BB BRossMac owned, the "member list" section doesn't comes default, and also there's a little changes in the default appearence.. It's quite fun to work on it..


Originally posted by bncph


but isn't it true that CGI forums usually take too much CPU resources? aren't you afraid that they'll (your host) shut down your board?



I not quite sure if CGI BB would utilise much system resource, it works quite fine for me and i didn't notice much difference. But if you aiming for a high traffic BB, then you could probably consider paying for the license fee for a vbulletin, more reliable i believe.

Originally posted by jonelin
i use a board called tforum which is a freeware board based on this board. it doesn't have all of the cool features this does, but works just as good, just as fast, and i haven't had any problems with it.

if you'd like you can see it in action, you can email me and i'll send you the url. :stickout

whats d URL of the tforum?:o

http://titan.spaceports.com/~typus/tforum

However, the development of tForum has been put on hold indefinitely (at least for the next few months) anyway....... :(

look at http://phorum.org/
is very simple but use php:D

I think that most top position boards have been mentioned, but just to add my opinion to it.

My first coice would be phpBB, free and a very good PHP/mySQL board. Easy installation and quite ok to customize.

vBulletin as a second choice, even if it comes with a pricetag. As a second runner up I will actually put Ikonboard, no mySQL but a very nice board if you can't use mySQL.

Have installed all of these and tried some others, like phorum, but I will stick with the above as my choice:)

Enjoy

Nordic

Funny,

No one here mentioned UBB (Ultimate Bulletin Board).
Are they losing ground that fast?

Anyways, I like VB a lot and we have bought our own license. Too bad the license is for one site only wich I really don't like at all.

It's like buying a mouse for your computer but only for the one in your bedroom. Don't you dare install it on the one in your living room because you don't own a license for that one.

So stupid... :mad:

UBB with its latest release and current upgrade in prices has fallen short of all expectations. They currently have a special on for pricing, I think this is because of lack of sales.

To get UBB up to the level of vBulletin you must do alot of hacking, and many people are not perl experts, not saying people have to be a perl expert to hack UBB its just the fact that you must have some background knowledge to be able to make a hackwork.

6 months ago, I'd have 10-12 employeers asking me to install UBB now I get none and all are now asking for vBulletin..

In my opion its worth $83 bucks to pay for a year or $160 for a owned licence. Your buying quality and you don't have to pay $250+ like you would with UBB.....