Mathom Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 OK, I'd like some basic info on how to set up a forum. No, I'm not planning a challenge to SF, I've an idea for one on another topic entirely (don't ask - it's nerdy), and potential members ready to go, and to help out. But I know nowt about how to set one up. So, I'd like some advice if poss please! I'd just like to know about level of work involved - though delegating would be likely - what sort of software (like the V Bulletin look of SF), what it costs, do you need a host, what one is, what it costs. Just basics. For someone who's not terribly techie, but has set up basic sites and blogs before. Cheers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 PHPbb is one of the better free forum software apps available, it's PHP based so doesn't take that much installing, hell even I can do it so it must be easy. There's also VBulletin which this forum runs on, quite powerful, and obviously has an improvement over PHPbb where Mods are allowed access to the banning stick, on PHPbb only admins can ban. If you want no fuss and a ready hosted forum, have a look at Forumup.com which offers free hosted PHPbb forums, my own forum (see my sig for linkage) is hosted by them. Hope all that helps. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 This all sounds good Rich, cheers! I'll have a good look at these. I like the look of threads, with posts easy to read all at once as we have here, rather than the kind of forum where you have to click again to look at the next reply. Plus the kind of forum it'll be will odds on have lengthy posts & convos to read, and people wanting to quote others - bit like we do here really! Plus some members will want to post their funny pics etc. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 This all sounds good Rich, cheers! I'll have a good look at these. I like the look of threads, with posts easy to read all at once as we have here, rather than the kind of forum where you have to click again to look at the next reply. Plus the kind of forum it'll be will odds on have lengthy posts & convos to read, and people wanting to quote others - bit like we do here really! Plus some members will want to post their funny pics etc. Only thing with posting pics though is that it eats bandwidth, and users on dial up will whinge that it takes about 2 years to download the pics (slight exaggeration there but you get my point right?). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 So mainly it would affect users? All I'm thinking is that the gang who are interested already post quite a few pics (not a lot, just to make funny caption contests on them) on an existing site and don't have a problem. Though of course I guess a limit could be set on size of pic, size of avatar & sig etc that could be used? I know SF's limit on avatars is quite tiny from trying to resize old Rommel here. Hmmm, would I need a more powerful PC? I'd have thought just having a good broadband link would be enough if its all done online? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Yeah it would affect users, which is probably why we aren't allowed to post actual pics on here, that and the fact of it being a "family" forum. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 Yep, I guess you could 'allow' posting pics only in certain circumstances, e.g. for a caption contest. One tihng that does drag users away from sites is if they are slow so thats worth bearing in mind! I can't belive some of that software is free, actually. Where's the catch? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rich Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 Surprisingly in most cases there's no catch. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cgksheff Posted October 5, 2006 Share Posted October 5, 2006 errrr.. They place the adverts, dont they? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mathom Posted October 5, 2006 Author Share Posted October 5, 2006 You get ads on here though, and they're not a problem as long as they're small. Any real-life stories of what its like to admin a site? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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