A new forum

elfprince13 · Posted: 10 May 2005 01:26:20 pm Post subject:

WOW! yesterday my forum got 150 posts. we are ranked second in the programming directory of phpbbforfree.com in number of posts!!!! 858!!!

FrostFusion · Newbie Joined: 05 May 2005 Posts: 7

YEAH!!!!

NETWizz · Posted: 11 May 2005 01:01:25 am Post subject:

I am just telling you from experience to stay away from forum hosts. They typically have one program that everyone shares linked to a bunch of databases or one big db.

I recomend that instead of finding a free forum host, you find a free host.

Then, get a free forum if you don't want to pay money for one and set that up.

I do speak from experience. Having access to files and databases is key. You don't really think United-TI was the first forum I ever set up do you?

Lastly, I would like to mention that if you expect to expand and grow you will really want a forum powered by: MySQL, PostgreSQL, MS-SQL, or OracleSQL. You really need a forum that is driven by SQL.

SQL allows the forum to be up 100% of the time, show specific data to meet different conditions, and it stays fast as the database grows.

If we were running a flat file database, it would take over a second to execute the script and build the page if php had to read through a 40 MB text file!

elfprince13 · Posted: 11 May 2005 07:26:27 am Post subject:

Thanks for the warning. unforetunately I can't find a free host that lets you install Forums.

leofox · Posted: 11 May 2005 10:28:33 am Post subject:

how do you install a forum on your own host then?

elfprince13 · Posted: 11 May 2005 10:36:11 am Post subject:

thats what I want to know...

Arcane Wizard · Posted: 11 May 2005 10:56:52 am Post subject:

Well, with ipb you just upload the installation to the host and open the setup page (and follow the instructions).

elfprince13 · Posted: 11 May 2005 12:12:43 pm Post subject:

so how big is the file? where can you get it for free?

Arcane Wizard · Posted: 11 May 2005 12:35:25 pm Post subject:

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&clien...nG=Search&meta=

elfprince13 · Posted: 11 May 2005 02:14:58 pm Post subject:

thanks

AlienCC · Posted: 11 May 2005 03:02:14 pm Post subject:

Its not legal to distribute IPB 1.3 or older anymore, and IPB2.0 costs money if you wish to use it past the 15 day evaluation.

--AlienCC

elfprince13 · Posted: 11 May 2005 03:25:02 pm Post subject:

as I said earlier I don't really have the funds for that right now so I think Ill stick with phpbbforfree. Thanks anyway

NETWizz · Posted: 12 May 2005 01:35:24 am Post subject:

You can still get other free forums. IPB, the one we use we fell is the best.

Sure, it cost us $185 to buy the licence, but it is well worth it. I still owe AlienCC half the money for this forum.

There are other forums. You can get:

PHPBB for free! at http://www.phpbb.com/

I am sure it is about the same as phpbbforfree, but you install it and admin it instead of rely on someone else.

I have never installed PHPBB, but it is certainly going to be the same as any other forum.

Here is what you do:

Download the .zip or .tar.gz or whatever package directly to the server, or to a workstation.

Next, extract the appropriate files to somewhere on your webserver. e.g. a folder. If you extract them on a workstation, you will need to upload them with FTP, if you donwloaded to a server, you can just extract them.

Next, You prepare a MySQL database. Essentially, you have the MySQL Demon running on the server and you create an empty database with a DB account consisting of username and password to connect to the DB.

Now, you open a web browser and run the setup script. It is essentially a website that asks you questions such as:

1. What is the path to the files on the server.
2. What is the http URL of the forum?
3. What is the name of the DB, what is the user/password to connect to it.
4. Your username and password. It makes the Admin account for the forum.

5. It creates any necessary directory structures, makes the DB tables, populates them with some data...

That is pretty much it.

To sumarize:

Copy the files and run the setup utility.

NETWizz · Posted: 12 May 2005 01:40:02 am Post subject:

If you have just a small forum, and not a lot of activity you can host it yourself from your home computer if you have DSL or Cable.

Just setup a windows or linux computer with Apache, PHP, and MySQL.

Forward port 80 though your router, and install some dynamic DNS service if you have a non static IP.

Install PHPBB... and you are done.

PHPBB is slower than Invision, has fewer features, doesn't look as appealing to the eye, and is not as secure.

Over all, PHPBB is very mature and popular! It is well supported, and an all around good, free product.

elfprince13 · Posted: 12 May 2005 07:25:47 am Post subject:

That is actually what my friend and I plan to do once we get our junker computer up and running since he just got DSL. I also found some better webhosting services that are still free. for now though Im sticking with phpbbforfree since I dont want to have to make all our users move right after we just got started

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