Forum Software?

[Ballyhoo]

I'm would eventially like to install a forum on one of my sites (non-hosting). Which forum has the best features and support?

Also, which forums should I not consider in your opinion?

[Brangwyn]

HSphere has PHPBB2 already available for install, if you don't want to evaluate the other couple of dozen reasonable forums I could suggest I'd say just go with it. Make sure you upgrade to the latest version.

Other PHP ones I like include vBulletin (this forums runs on it) and Invision.

And some other ASP based forums in case you do feel like doing some evaluating here http://www.aspin.com/home/webapps/bbs

[Ballyhoo]

Thanks for your recommendations.

Most helpful and appreciated as always!

[cambodia]

as he used invision already

[Brangwyn]

I think I've used or installed almost every bloomin piece of forum software out there in the last 12 months (small forum hosting is one of my target markets) .. not to mention converting databases between one forum and another.

[Brian]

I really like InvisionBoard for its features, price, speed, etc.

V2 is just around the corner, and will have lots of new goodies. One of the things I really like about Invision is the direction they are headed in. They will be using a separate database for user tables. Then, all their apps will use that database for user authentication. They also have plans to issue a white paper for making other apps use the database as well, so they are headed in the single sign-on direction, which I think will make many site visitors happy.

[dpyers]

I like Invision, and on the ASP side, WebWiz

[cambodia]

i though on asp site is snitz forum .

[maytricks]

vbulletin has the largest mod/skin community on the net. They also seem to have a lot more useful admin features than most. If you can get past the price tag it is not a bad deal.

[generic]

tried them all too, and found phpbb was the easiest to skin with a header and footer to look and feel like a clients site.

[Mike Bell]

It's a little more $$ but personally I don't think vBulletin can be beat. My .02

[Brangwyn]

I think Invision V2 might just come close to beating it many of the handy dandy features in vBulletin seem to have crept into IPB.

[Mike Bell]

Sorry. You're wrong. J/k ;-) Well... I only have a couple invision boards I go to... and they don't look that impressive. I've never seen the admin side of IPB though, only VB. Was very impressed with VB's.

[Brangwyn]

IPB V2 admin's had a bit of an overhaul .. features like vBulletins cool Replace function have been included etc, I've always found that a really handy feature when converting posts into vBulletin from other forum software.

[Silverbug]

yeah however thats not really something that happends very often tho...