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griffj3
Joined: 14 Mar 2006
Posts: 9
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 Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 3:01 am Post subject: Need advice about setting up a forum. |
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Hi All
I am thinking about setting up a forum (This one looks great by the way Allan...)
I was wondering if anyone has any advice about doing this.
I have set up phpBB and it is all ready to go.
Any advice, experience, warnings, considerations before I go live.
Thanks
Jean |
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Steve Wright
Joined: 23 Apr 2006
Posts: 114
Location: Alabama
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| Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 5:41 am Post subject: Re: Need advice about setting up a forum. |
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| griffj3 wrote: | Hi All
I am thinking about setting up a forum (This one looks great by the way Allan...)
I was wondering if anyone has any advice about doing this. I have set up phpBB and it is all ready to go.
Any advice, experience, warnings, considerations before I go live.
Thanks
Jean |
From your post, it sounds like you're looking to set up a forum, but then farther down, you say you're ready to go. So then you already have everything in place then?
I generally use vbulletin. It seems to be a bit more secure than phpbb. Although by now maybe phpbb has plugged some holes.
I also don't crank up a forum until I have anywhere from 2k to 2500 folks on my mailing list for my niche. I've seen so many forums look like absolute graveyards, so you have to make it a vibrant, busy, active place. If you don't have this or don't expect that kind of traffic, you can hire people at scriptlance or elance to post on your forum for you.
And this goes without saying, but controversy creates buzz. So sometimes it's worth it to start a topic that really is off the wall or out in left field somewhere. Anyway, just some thoughts. Good luck.
Steve
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AllanGardyne
Site Admin
Joined: 02 Jul 2003
Posts: 5839
Location: by the beach, Australia
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| Posted: Thu Aug 17, 2006 8:14 am Post subject: Re: Need advice about setting up a forum. |
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| Steve Wright wrote: | | I generally use vbulletin. It seems to be a bit more secure than phpbb. Although by now maybe phpbb has plugged some holes. |
Phpbb has been steadily plugging up holes and releasing new versions through the time we've been using it, so we've had to upgrade several times.
One complication is that if you modify the script, every time you upgrade to a new version, you have to make sure the modifications are done, too. The more modifications you do, the more things you have to change next time you upgrade. So ask yourself: "Is this modification really necessary?"
A graveyard forum creates a really bad impression. People are likely to visit only once, so it helps a lot of you already have a busy website on which you can promote your forum.
| Quote: | | You can hire people at scriptlance or elance to post on your forum for you. |
Just in case anyone is wondering and trying to spot which forum members are hired workers, we've never done that. 
I'm very grateful to the forum members who keep returning and making useful, helpful posts.
| Quote: | | ...controversy creates buzz. So sometimes it's worth it to start a topic that really is off the wall or out in left field somewhere. |
True. I'm sure people visit forums for a variety of reasons, including entertainment. Also, I reckon if you can help them improve their business in some way - or promote their business - they're likely to keep coming back.
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redhead
Joined: 14 Aug 2006
Posts: 32
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Nancy
Joined: 18 Apr 2004
Posts: 15
Location: United States
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| Posted: Sat Sep 23, 2006 9:57 pm Post subject: |
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| Quote: | | A graveyard forum creates a really bad impression. People are likely to visit only once, so it helps a lot of you already have a busy website on which you can promote your forum. |
I've noticed that "graveyard forums" can even exist on sites with enough traffic to warrant a forum.
Very often, a board is divided into so many topics that each one receives very few, if any, replies. A better impression would have been made by creating just two or three topics to get things started.
Aside from site traffic, I would think that's one of the main reasons that many forums are sunk before they even have a chance to sail.
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quest
Joined: 13 Aug 2006
Posts: 873
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| Posted: Tue Sep 26, 2006 7:07 pm Post subject: |
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Many people dont' do this but you should. Make your members list private. Nothing kills a board faster than spam.
I post spam warnings and still get spammed. You may have to turn off you html settings. PHPBB is a great products. But spammers make many of the features useless.
You'll spend a lot of time managing your boards if you set access to low. Conversely make it too difficult and no one will join.
And don't waste a lot of time on forums unless you have a really good public idea. People love to lurk, but few actually participate.
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dog_24
Joined: 29 Sep 2006
Posts: 16
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 1:14 pm Post subject: |
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Try to make the forum's design similar to your main index page, so that it will feel that visitors are still on the same page, not on the different one.
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sssan
Joined: 28 Jun 2004
Posts: 12
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| Posted: Fri Sep 29, 2006 9:54 pm Post subject: phpBB is the Best |
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As a forum user i love phpBB style , very good navigation.
In my 3 years, i have posted only on phpBB forums since then.
Many webmasters prefer vBulletin but phpBB is simple to use for users.
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unitedsharingnetwork.com
Joined: 15 Nov 2006
Posts: 3
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| Posted: Wed Nov 15, 2006 3:44 pm Post subject: |
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I have found that it is very easy when you go with a webhost that has Fantastico. It's usually a couple click install process and you don't need to know anything about MYSQL.
Fantastico has many scripts like the one that runs this forum. 
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Voasi
Joined: 22 Dec 2003
Posts: 895
Location: California, The OC
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venoka
Joined: 15 Dec 2006
Posts: 2
Location: vancouver
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| Posted: Fri Dec 15, 2006 1:28 am Post subject: |
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For some reason, I don't like phpbb because it's an open source. I usually use vbulletin, it's a paid service but I get what I pay for.
Very eaasy to use, it has rss functions, tons of emoticons, you just need php/mysql installed and you are set ready to roll.
What's your niche by the way?
if you are going to get big, might as well go with the right one which is vbulletin.
but though, I see no problem using phpbb as well as how this site is being operated nicely!
let me know thanks.
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