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I want to start a forum, Which platform to go with

by Delboy Trotter
11 replies
hello everybody , I was thinking to start a forum but kinda confused what plateform to go with .
vbulletin seems the best but heard phpbb is good also, the difference I see is the fees !
also If I may ask, what version of vbulletin warriorforum use ?
thanks
#forum #platform #start
  • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
    Banned
    I've always used phpBB 3.x, which has so many capabilities and so much flexibility that I've only ever used a small fraction of them (for a niche forum, now with just under 8,000 members in total - not all active, of course).

    You can easily buy some very nice "skins" for phpBB, as well, to make it look a bit different, if you want.

    .
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    • Profile picture of the author Delboy Trotter
      thanks alexa, between, does it have some special requirements to install it on my host ? and also I will make a forum in french , are the language packs inclueded in it ?
      thanks again
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      • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
        Banned
        I'm not good with techie questions, and I bought mine already installed as a "small going concern", but I think the answer is that if there are any requirements, they're certainly not onerous or obscure ones. Mine runs perfectly well on normal, shared hosting. (Not exactly "cheap hosting", but it doesn't need its own server, anyway).

        There are language packs available for it, yes ...

        https://www.phpbb.com/languages/

        https://www.phpbb.com/customise/db/translation/french/


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  • Profile picture of the author ebird
    I think, SimpleMachines.

    Take a look.
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  • Profile picture of the author gjabiz
    Originally Posted by Delboy Trotter View Post

    hello everybody , I was thinking to start a forum but kinda confused what plateform to go with .
    vbulletin seems the best but heard phpbb is good also, the difference I see is the fees !
    also If I may ask, what version of vbulletin warriorforum use ?
    thanks
    I've used almost all of them over the years, if you want to grow a giant site like WF, vBulletin is ahrd to beat.

    phbbb is good for .into the thousands...

    but Simple Machines and others are all about the same for small, under 5,000 members.

    Again, I think it depends on your goals and ther numbers you want.

    gjabiz
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  • Profile picture of the author dvduval
    I personally prefer xenforo. after vBulletin was bought out by Internet Brands, I felt they ran their business in a way that just wasn't as ethical and helpful towards their users. I'm still looking for a forum that is going to have a facebook like timeline. I think that would do very well.
    Signature
    It is okay to contact me! I have been developing software since 1999, creating many popular products like phpLD.
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  • Profile picture of the author Delboy Trotter
    Thanks everyone. I have another question.
    I'll start now with phpbb, my question is : can I switch from phpbb to vbulletin without loosing data??
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    • Profile picture of the author Alexa Smith
      Banned
      Originally Posted by Delboy Trotter View Post

      can I switch from phpbb to vbulletin without loosing data??
      You can, and there are businesses to whom you can outsource such services, but it's not cheap or easy (or, typically, quick), and there are also ways that things can go wrong.

      For myself, I definitely wouldn't start off a forum using one type of software and intending at the time of starting it to transfer it to another type later. It's the kind of thing which is "perfectly possible" in theory, but when one actually comes to do it, it typically turns out to be quite a bit more problematic than one expects.


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      • Profile picture of the author Enfusia
        I would like to cast a vote for BuddyPress.

        You get a platform you already know and it just works.

        Not to mention all the themes and plugins that WP has going for it.

        Plus, if you have an issue, you can go to many forums to find answers not just one propriatary forum of which a few look like ghost towns.

        Just my 2 cents.

        Patrick
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        Free eBook =>
        The Secret To Success In Any Business
        Yes, Any Business!
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  • Profile picture of the author crebo
    Another question would be which version to use. Is it the tried and tested vB4 or should one jump into vB5?
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  • Profile picture of the author vtotheyouknow
    Hi @Delboy Trotter,

    How long is a piece of string...?

    Without knowing what kind of project you have in mind, it would be impossible to recommend a good solution for you.

    It would be like saying, what's a good antibiotic to take? Well, it depends on the bacteria you're trying to fight!

    A good free Wordpress forum plugin is SimplePress.

    Then there are the heavyweight forums like XenForo and vBulletin which are more for ambitious projects.

    And a forum script that I really like that doesn't get nearly enough love is myBB.

    Also, if you want your forum to be a paid forum, you'll have to consider whether or not the forum itself has payment processor integration and content protection functionality, and if not, which membership plugin will be able to do this for you?

    If you'd like a better answer, please ask a more detailed question.

    Best,
    Vic
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