Which forum software to use? Which have you used?

[sclark]

Even on our own sites here, we are often faced with the challenging question of which forum software to use--vBulletin, PHPBB, an ASP-based forum, etc. Often if we've aquired a site, the site is already using some specific or even proprietary forum software with a large community already built around it.

What are your opinions about using one over the other? To me, vBulletin is the best that is currently available. It's got many options, has many addons available, is currently supported by the company that makes it, etc. I used to be a strong proponent of UBB, which took over most of the market that the old WWWBoard held, way back in the day. Eventually vBulletin took over the market that UBB once held.

I'd be interested in hearing your thoughts on the subject!

[JPnyc]

I've used most of em by this time; idealBB (asp-based), phpBB, Prospero (1 of the best), Invision PB (nearly identical to vb), and of course our vbulletin here. That's the 1 I know best since I've used it to the most extensive degree.

I don't know the back ends of the others as well as I do vb but on the front end, they've all become pretty similar. Prospero is still the only one that allows you to reply to a specific post without quoting (and making threads exponentially longer) and still the only one that lets you return replies made only to YOU. But vb probably has the best overall feature set

[Newby Webmaster]

I am searching for forum software right now to replace the stock 'web-log' that came with the hosting 'package' we just took for our new website. This is a new and interesting experience for me, too, in that a month ago, I didn't even know there was such a thing as back-end code. Man, the learning curve on this one is steep.

The forum I'm most familiar with is on Prospero, and if I'm reading things correctly, it's an .asp based forum. What I like best about it from a user's viewpoint is that you can see all the folders and threads in a nav-bar type frame on the left side of the screen, and the threads open in the main frame to the right. It's very user-friendly; very easy to know where you are at all times.

There's good photo upload and attachment functions with this setup, too; signatures, edit/reply/delete, profiles, e-mail notification of replies, blind e-mailing through the board...all the good stuff is there.

So my question is, where can I find some freeware that'll do all that? No way this non-profit, non-funded outfit I'm responsible for can afford Prospero (we can barely pay for the year's hosting, LOL).

[Brollachan]

I use Ikonboard (www.ikonboard), probably due to being one of the UK based Ikonboard team.

I'll admit the 3.1.3 was a bit buggy and the skin was ropey, though that was due to a change in owners & coders. The forthcoming 3.1.5 release sees quite a few outstanding issues fixed. Development on 3.2 is well under way (http://wiki.ikonboard.com/wiki/IB_3.2), and as someone with access to the actual dev board it is shaping up to be far better.

[Raremandan]

I have never owned a proper forum thats lasted long but I have used:


phpBB
IPB
myBB


And I have worked with them all including vBulletin and vBulletin is the best by a long way as it is so easy to work with and so good at the default usage without any hacks or modifications.

[5wayshost]

I personally would stick to vbulletin. Its the bomb man.. :)

[BrainDonor]

phpbb

[Mausau2000]

Wow i havent been here for ages! Never seen the Forum software forum before!
I use still use and stick by PHPBB cause it is free and easy to use....
Also i have had no problems at yet with it.

[Albatross]

I use SMF, available from www.simplemachines.org

It has a very active user base, strong community support, and extensions that are written by the developers themselves!

MkPortal and TinyPortal are two of the better known ones out there.

And SMF comes built in with everything you have to "mod" phpBB in order to have.

Oh, and it's FREE. Can't beat THAT price tag.

[Ventage]

I Used.. php, Ipb im currently using vb and i like it better than ipb an php

[Yellabrick]

I tried phpNuke when I first started setting up my forum but I couldn't get my head around it and the forum didn't get off the ground. Now I use phpBB - it's not perfect and there are a lot of improvements I'd like to make to my forum, but the basics work and I really like the board layout, and it's certainly working for me at the moment while I am happy for it to function without doing anything too jazzy!

[Bleed]

Vbulletin is the best, hands down.

I've used vbulletin, ipb 1.3, phpbb, mybb and a few others, and with vbulletin there's no competition.

[etechdesigns]

We have used phpBB and vBulletin for our forums and highly recommend vBulletin for a large community as it has got more features and is more secure than phpBB.

[Robert Wellock]

Use phpBB and looking into PunBB.

[Guildguru]

If you can spend the upfront cash then vbulletin is your answer. I feel the support and community has been the best to work with. By far the easiest to implement mods with limited coding knowledge. Otherwise if you have no money and want a basic forum board then get phpbb.

I currently use vbulletin. I've used ipb, przemo modded phpbb, phpbb, phpnuke, ezboard, yahoo and geocities.

[Cratima]

PHPBB is great, as long as you install some mods on it. There are quite a few things these mods can't do. But they require a costly resource: time invested in it ... :(

[Richmex]

How does VBulletin compare to Invision? Have you by any chance experimented with Invision's forums?

http://www.InvisionPower.com

[Jackanapesink]

phpBB3 is currently at RC5, and I am using it on two live forums. I am amazed at the leaps the dev team has made between phpBB2 and phpBB3. Personally, I feel they've taken a major step towards competing with any of the commercial forum software out there.

Combined with the strong support community, I'd have to say it would be foolish to try anything else...

But, I suppose I'm biased, as I've been using it for so long!

[ceaser]

phpbb3 is my favorite by far, its free, its packed with extreemly useful features, and the community support is awsome.

vb would be my favorite paid forum

[Richmex]

Many thanks for the feedback. I shy away from PHP, admittedly, because it's nice to be able to have customer support that will focus on helping with one's forums site while having a vested interest in keeping it up and hosted with them too. Ordinary hosting services don't provide that, and meanwhile advanced webmasters can sometimes create their-own-demand (perhaps not intentionally, but it has happened to me).
I've checked out VB, too, although they don't actually host forums yet...

Your feedback has been much appreciated. I don't see much if any criticism of InvisionPower.com's offerings then. That's very interesting to know.

Have a great weekend :-)

[Hellow]

My preference goes to phpbb.

The most simple and efficient to create a forum, imho ;)
If you haven't got much time, and want to see what the new phpbb3 can offer, just try it out on this host : free forums (http://www.**********.com)

Hope you will enjoy it :)