Hi!

I'm building a Forum "Server" right now. It's an DLL with some few ASP files. It's made for Win2K servers using IIS. It will support SQLServer, MySQL and Access. The nice thing is that the owner of the server installs the DLL and everyone of the server can have their own Forum. The admin area can be used as a standalone for every site or one for all, that can easy integrated with an existing controlpanel.

The server-owner can decide if people must signup for a forum or just click a link for automatic installation, depending on the configuration on the server.

The forum looks and works almost as SnitzForum or vBulletin after the first installation, BUT this forum is very different. It's possible to change 100% of the layout, tables, colors, you don't even have to use tables, you can make it look how ever you want it to. The functions are many.
This is a good way to offer your customers extra scripts for their site!

I'm also making a Webshop"Server" and a Guestbook"Server" with the same idea, to have 100% control over the layout and functions.


But now I need your input, is there any interest in products like these?
And what price are we talking about for products like these?

That would be something very interesting, and you can probably get a few clients. The only downside is that most webhosting companies use UNIX.

Yes, maybe in this forum, but IIS and Win2K is getting more usual now, the most webhosting companies are using both! And I would expect it getting more common now when .NET is released!

In Sweden it's getting very common with Win2K!

I have to disagree with you. Take a look here: http://www.netcraft.com/survey/ .

--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--*--

Developer April 2002 Percent May 2002 Percent Change
Apache 21191595 56.38 21120388 56.21 -0.17
Microsoft 12014054 31.96 11902821 31.68 -0.28
Zeus 850956 2.26 849089 2.26 0.00
iPlanet 832474 2.21 824245 2.19 -0.02

Active Sites
Developer April 2002 Percent May 2002 Percent Change
Apache 10509138 64.38 10411000 63.70 -0.68
Microsoft 4431875 27.15 4476022 27.39 0.24
iPlanet 278775 1.71 247051 1.51 -0.20
Zeus 182918 1.12 214498 1.31 0.19

What I can se from that page Microsoft IIS is going up!!!
Even Apache has "ups" and "downs"!
That page just shows that IIS is getting more close to Apache!

DON'T get me wrong! I'm not a friend of microsoft ;) I'm Just an VB and ASP programmer(and running a webhosting company(on IIS) but that doesn't mean I like'em)!

Despite what others think about Microsoft, I like Microsoft. But you said that Microsoft shares 50% of the market, but it doesn't.

No, I never said that! But at least here in Sweden it's getting more common with webhosting companies using both! I know that Apache is the most used webserver, and I wish I could use it, but my customers wants IIS and I need IIS for my ASP and VB programming. I had a look at PHP, it's not that different from ASP, but there's still a new program language to learn. And I don't have the time for that right now!

If I could use ASP on a Apache I would use that, but Chili!Soft ASP isn't good enough yet!

Originally posted by aleborg
No, I never said that! But at least here in Sweden it's getting more common with webhosting companies using both! I know that Apache is the most used webserver, and I wish I could use it, but my customers wants IIS and I need IIS for my ASP and VB programming. I had a look at PHP, it's not that different from ASP, but there's still a new program language to learn. And I don't have the time for that right now!

If I could use ASP on a Apache I would use that, but Chili!Soft ASP isn't good enough yet! Ummh, yes you did!
Originally posted by aleborg
Yes, maybe in this forum, but IIS and Win2K is getting more usual now, the most webhosting companies are using both!

no I said it's getting more common with webhosting companies using both IIS and Apache. But that wasn't the question in this thread!

Ok Ok OK, Before you guys start using this icon " :uzi: "

Hehehe, anyway. I think that your ideas are great. However, the reason those numbers on people using IIS are high is because people using microsoft are large companies such as huge datacenters. Linux is the prefered choice by most people because its more stable and its free. OpenSource software is the future. There was an article in HostingTech last month about this. Anyway, I think that I would def be instrested in your products. Because, I do provide windows hosting and my clients wish that we had more things for windows such as better control panels and pre-installed scripts.

Thanks