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Poll

As a user, which WWW BBS software do you prefer?

SMF (free) - used by this forum, etc (see below)
- 8 (44.4%)
vBulletin ($160) - used by RPF, etc
- 4 (22.2%)
phpBB (free) - very popular, older version used by IWF, etc
- 3 (16.7%)
Invision ($150+) - used by CC, etc
- 0 (0%)
MyBB (free)
- 1 (5.6%)
Vanilla (free)
- 0 (0%)
PunBB (free)
- 0 (0%)
OTHER - please post
- 1 (5.6%)
Drupal (free) - added late
- 1 (5.6%)

Total Members Voted: 9


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Author Topic: Best Web Forum Software  (Read 8363 times)

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Alex Libman

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Best Web Forum Software
« on: April 07, 2008, 12:07:21 PM »

It will probably be a landslide, but I'm still curious...

SMF is used by some of the best libertarian forums I know of: FTL, NHFree, FSP, LU, NHLA, PP, PM, NHTeaParty etc.  Post other libertarian forums you like and which software they use.
« Last Edit: April 11, 2008, 04:39:11 PM by Alex Libman »
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minex

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #1 on: April 07, 2008, 01:33:00 PM »

I personally prefer phpBB, but thats only because I'm familiar with it from an admin standpoint.
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Kevin Freeheart

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #2 on: April 07, 2008, 01:34:11 PM »

I'm torn here.

I only use software if I have the source code, the right to edit that code and share it. This means that Simple Machine's Forum isn't for me since it can't be shared. I also HATE the SMF admin interface and I think the user side layout sucks but that can be handled with themes.

vBulletin is, IMO, the best forum as far as interface, features and stability. The downside there is that it also doesn't provide the freedoms I require in software that I run.

So phpBB is probably my "favorite" given all of the tradeoffs.

As to SMF being used on so many libertarian forums... That MAY be that there's a very active, core group of people with technical inclination and those people have favorites. I've noticed that Drupal is also fairly common among certain libertarian sites and I think that can very directly be attributed to having a "resident Drupal expert" in the club. :P
« Last Edit: April 07, 2008, 01:36:12 PM by Kevin Dean »
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jimmed

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #3 on: April 07, 2008, 01:38:57 PM »

I love SMF, if only for the Babylon theme.
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Alex Libman

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #4 on: April 07, 2008, 02:10:19 PM »

As to SMF being used on so many libertarian forums... That MAY be that there's a very active, core group of people with technical inclination and those people have favorites. I've noticed that Drupal is also fairly common among certain libertarian sites and I think that can very directly be attributed to having a "resident Drupal expert" in the club. :P

Added Drupal to the poll.  Can you list some good libertarian forums that use it?
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sillyperson

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #5 on: April 07, 2008, 03:13:09 PM »

I like SMF. A lot.

Drupal's Forum module sucks fucking ass.
Far better to do what NHLA did, and use the plugin that syncs Drupal<->SMF accounts. It's quite nifty.

phpBB is fugly and has crummy APIs and a crummy (virtually nonexistent) extension mechanism.

As for SMF being "closed", yeah, but the APIs are well-documented and well-supported, and the extension mechanism is VERY wide-open. I'd like some more basic functionality APIs to be exposed, but that's picking nits. They chose not to release the source code, too bad. With the APIs as open as they are, it's better in some ways than GPL'd stuff. 99% of the time you want to add a feature, not plumb the undocumented depths of the implementation.

Alex Libman

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #6 on: April 07, 2008, 03:36:41 PM »

I can see a Drupal mysql error page right now on http://nhliberty.org/   :lol:
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sillyperson

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #7 on: April 07, 2008, 06:02:07 PM »

I can see a Drupal mysql error page right now on http://nhliberty.org/   :lol:
Yeah, Site5 has been flaking hard on my the last few weeks.
MySQL goes bye-bye for an hour or so and then comes back.
Opening a ticket with their tech support is more or less useless.

Got any suggestions for a kickass web hosting outfit?

Sam Gunn (since nobody got Admiral Naismith)

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #8 on: April 07, 2008, 06:04:08 PM »

I voted for myBB because I like the admin interface that its got on the forum I administrate, but then I remembered a couple forums I surfed that run on phpBB and damn that has a lot of good software, I am just not experienced at all in coding in perl and liked the simplicity and advanced features that came packaged with myBB
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Alex Libman

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #9 on: April 07, 2008, 06:34:25 PM »

Got any suggestions for a kickass web hosting outfit?

I've been using DigitalSpace.net because they were the best in cheap shared PHP/CGI hosting in late 1990s.  Haven't comparison-shopped in ages because I mostly do in-house Intranet work nowadays...
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hellbilly

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #10 on: April 07, 2008, 07:19:41 PM »

i use VB Advanced on a forum i run. chose that for stability and the good support forum. if i had more time to perform updates and keep track of various add-ons, i would have stayed with phpBB. but for the $160.00 - i thought it was worth it. you own the license for one BBS with that purchase price, and you can resell it whenever you want. you are required to pay an extra annual fee if you want to receive tech support though.
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rabidfurby

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #11 on: April 07, 2008, 07:42:11 PM »

Got any suggestions for a kickass web hosting outfit?

I hearts teh Dreamhost.
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jimmed

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #12 on: April 07, 2008, 07:47:10 PM »

Got any suggestions for a kickass web hosting outfit?

I hearts teh Dreamhost.

Don't forget to search for promo codes. You can get $97 off of a year of hosting if you look for one.
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rabidfurby

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #13 on: April 08, 2008, 12:48:26 AM »

Got any suggestions for a kickass web hosting outfit?

I hearts teh Dreamhost.

Don't forget to search for promo codes. You can get $97 off of a year of hosting if you look for one.

Hell, you can create new promo codes in the Panel. Denis, if you decide to use Dreamhost, PM me and I can create one for you - they have a bunch of different options for the promo code bonuses, like free domain names (they pay the $10/year fee as long as you have the account), free unique IPs (necessary for an SSL certificate), more disk space or monthly bandwidth, etc.
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Alex Libman

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Re: Best Web Forum Software
« Reply #14 on: April 11, 2008, 05:03:56 PM »

Just discovered the Free Minds TV forum, which uses phpBB.
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