Author: DDRtists
Simple Machines
URL: http://simplemachines.org
Price: Free
Simple Machines ( SM ) is probaly the second most used free forum system, beside PHPBB, and is highly customizable. The site provides high detailed Instructions on how to install, run, and manage your forum. It also comes with a unique “SSI.php” page that lets you incorperate the forum system into other pages of your site. That file can be used to create pages that only members can see, and vise versa.
SM also comes with a package installer, and a package browswer that can be viewed from the administrative panel of the site. The package installer is a automated system to install mods and upgrades to your site, and the easy to use package browser lets you view a list of mods, each with a “Install Now” button, to easly install new mods.
Pros:
- Easy to Install
- Easy to Upgrade and Mod
- Good Administrative Panel
- Secure
- Nice User Profile Section
Cons:
- Board Permission Page Hard to set up
- Profile pages take awhile to load on most servers
- Not too many themes compared to most forum systems
Overall: 8/10
Admin: 8/10
Easy to use: 7/10
Themes: 5/10
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PHPBB
URL: http://www.phpbb.com
Price: Free
PHPBB is the most used free forum system out of the bunch, because it is most widly known. And with that stat, its also the most exploited, because alot of sites run it. The system isn’t as safe as SM, or VB, but it has a large community of members at their forums, that help you with problems. The main problem of PHPBB, is that they system is based and made with frames. Frames, on some browsers, don’t work right. On mine, they don’t work in the admin panel, therefore I can’t run PHPB.
PHPBB is very strict on server settings, and if they arn’t JUST RIGHT, it won’t work correctly. There are also very many exploits, as stated above, that are for PHPBB. So I would only recommend PHPBB for smaller sites, and use SM or VB for larger sites.
Pros:
- Easy to Install
- Good Comunity
- Lots of themes
- Easy to use
Cons:
- Uses Frames
- Exploitable
- Very picky with server settings
- Not as fancy as the others
- Manual mod/upgrade installing
Overall: 6/10
Admin: 6/10
Easy to use: 8/10
Themes: 9/10
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VBulletin
URL: http://www.vbulletin.com/
Price: $160.00 for “owned” License, $85.00 for “Leased” License
VBulletin ( VB ) is one of the better PHP forum systems, but that comes with a price. VB is what we use here at TH, and its mostly for bigger sites, that have lots of members. The admin panel can make someone who hasen’t worked with forums before go insane, its huge, and has lots of optional options, as well as timed execution of scripts. If you are planning on starting a professional site, this would be the forum system for you.
VB also has a bunch of user controls, and a nice profile editing system, making it ideal for a site in whitch most of your members haven’t had much forum experence, or arn’t to “bright” with forums. Its one of the most easy to navigate, and use. The admin panel is wonderfull, and the community helps with any problems you might have, as long as you have a legit key.
Pros:
- Easy to Use
- Good Comunity
- Easy for users
- Help is easy to get
Cons:
- Price is high
- Hard to use the Admin panel at first
- Phone Help costs extra
- After the first year, updates are $30
Overall: 9/10
Admin: 9/10
Easy to use: 8/10
Themes: 6/10
