Web Forum software

[stlewis]

I've done a search here for phpbb and nothing came up so...

I've come across some very promising php software for running forums. It's at http://www.phpbb.com/ .

If you have MySQL, the install runs easily. The format customisation is short of documentation - but there are tips in the forum on their site - which shows well how good it is. The admin side is nicely done too.

www.bricksandbrass.co.uk

[Jen Worden]

Thanks for the heads up, Simon!

Any ideas on how it compares to say, TalkGraphics (which uses Coldfusion, I believe) or UBB (which is Perl/CGI based)? Performance wise? Space wise? Configurability?

cfn ... Jen

Jen Worden
Web Developer
www.meadoworks.com

[pduggan]

I'd take a look at YaBB SE as well if a PHP/MySQL backend appeals. See earlier thread in this forum! [img]/infopop/emoticons/icon_smile.gif[/img]



Peter</p>

Peat Stack or Pete's Tack?</p>

[stlewis]

You can tailor a little or a lot. The easiest to change are the graphics. They do not seem have size tags so you can change them without having to look for the matching references in the templates. The overall look of the forum is set via CSS from an Admin form.

To change things more drastically, you have to delve into the 45 template files (plus 38 more for the admin side). These only handle the presentation layer - they are built by the php scripts.

If you have more than one style set up, the users can change the one they use.

On the admin side, you can set:
- permissions eg do you have to register before posting?
- automatic pruning of old postings
- censored words
- moderators
- banned users
- smilies

I don't think it handles Talkgraphics-like attachments - but you can have links.

The databases supported are:

A SQL database system, one of:
MySQL (3.22 or higher)
PostgreSQL 7.0.3 or higher (preferably 7.1.x or 7.2.x)
MS SQL Server (7 or 2000) directly or via ODBC
MS Access (2000 or XP) via ODBC


Speed and size will be, I guess, largely a database/server constraint. I am certainly impressed with MySQL.

www.bricksandbrass.co.uk