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Comparing versions
Version 11Current version
phpBB is getting old. There are several open source projects devoted to building the ultimate PHP-based forum. This page is a place to gather information on the various options available, and to compare and contrast the candidates. There is a forums thread and a (old TikiPro) listserv thread about this topic.

The only forums we have working at the moment are phpBB. TikiWiki forums for 1.8 (the bitweaver fork branch) were very ugly, and slow and weren't considered worthy of re-inverting "yet-another forum system". There has been some debate about "replacing" phpBB, which is a non-debate. We are looking for *alternatives*. Some people are stuck with phpBB and love it. Some can't even run it (Firebird people).

To quote a message from spider in the listserv thread above:
A framework inherently allows for multiple solutions. phpBB is very important to some, and incompatible for others. If you have a phpBB forums install with thousands of posts, someone else could make an equally founded argument.

bitweaver was founded on the principle that all needs are considered to have equal value. We must always be able to support solutions such that all needs can be addressed, and simultaneously not be forced to adopt someone else's solution.

There is nothing I would love more than to have an alternative phpBB available that we could offer. I support any initiatives in this area, though have little cycles to burn on it myself.


So, here are the contenda's:

  • PunBB - multi database support, seems to have some serious security issues
  • FUDforum - supports mysql and postgres. no other databases listed.
    (notes from Tinjaw) I installed FUDforum on my website and created some forums for some people to play with. One of the things that caught my attention is the ability to sync FUDforum with email mailing lists and newsgroups. I also has RSS feed creation available. These features alone have me thinking about abandoning phpBB where I am using phpBB stand-alone. I'll post more as I play with FUDforum.
  • MiniBB - supports any php compatible db. Small, quick and easy.
  • ProBB - ProBB is a web bulletin board written in PHP and backed by several databases, including MySQL, MsSQL, and PostgreSQL.^
  • K4BB - has many of the standard forum features, AJAX, support for MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
  • phpBB 3.0? - It looks interesting, and a huge improvement over 2.0. Will try to checkout CVS soon and play around with it. — {userlink login='jasp'}
  • TikiWiki Forums - Port the TikiWiki forums, where much work was done on 1.9, to be Liberty based. {userlink login='lsces'} is a big fan of this approach, but unsure of available cycles.
  • Build our own - {userlink login='drewslater'} did some awesome work on LibertyComments that are inherently a light-weight forum system with nested threads. libertyforums/ would make a fine package but would take a lot of work

There is a listing of forum software at The Forum Insider.
 
phpBB is getting old. There are several open source projects devoted to building the ultimate PHP-based forum. This page is a place to gather information on the various options available, and to compare and contrast the candidates. There is a forums thread and a (old TikiPro) listserv thread about this topic.

The only forums we have working at the moment are phpBB. TikiWiki forums for 1.8 (the bitweaver fork branch) were very ugly, and slow and weren't considered worthy of re-inverting "yet-another forum system". There has been some debate about "replacing" phpBB, which is a non-debate. We are looking for *alternatives*. Some people are stuck with phpBB and love it. Some can't even run it (Firebird people).

To quote a message from spider in the listserv thread above:
A framework inherently allows for multiple solutions. phpBB is very important to some, and incompatible for others. If you have a phpBB forums install with thousands of posts, someone else could make an equally founded argument.

bitweaver was founded on the principle that all needs are considered to have equal value. We must always be able to support solutions such that all needs can be addressed, and simultaneously not be forced to adopt someone else's solution.

There is nothing I would love more than to have an alternative phpBB available that we could offer. I support any initiatives in this area, though have little cycles to burn on it myself.


So, here are the contenda's:

  • PunBB - multi database support, seems to have some serious security issues
  • FUDforum - supports mysql and postgres. no other databases listed.
    (notes from Tinjaw) I installed FUDforum on my website and created some forums for some people to play with. One of the things that caught my attention is the ability to sync FUDforum with email mailing lists and newsgroups. I also has RSS feed creation available. These features alone have me thinking about abandoning phpBB where I am using phpBB stand-alone. I'll post more as I play with FUDforum.
  • MiniBB - supports any php compatible db. Small, quick and easy.
  • ProBB - ProBB is a web bulletin board written in PHP and backed by several databases, including MySQL, MsSQL, and PostgreSQL.^
  • K4BB - has many of the standard forum features, AJAX, support for MySQL, PostgreSQL and SQLite.
  • phpBB 3.0? - It looks interesting, and a huge improvement over 2.0. Will try to checkout CVS soon and play around with it. — {userlink login='jasp'}
  • TikiWiki Forums - Port the TikiWiki forums, where much work was done on 1.9, to be Liberty based. {userlink login='lsces'} is a big fan of this approach, but unsure of available cycles.
  • UNB - Only support MySQL as far as I can tell.
  • Build our own - {userlink login='drewslater'} did some awesome work on LibertyComments that are inherently a light-weight forum system with nested threads. libertyforums/ would make a fine package but would take a lot of work
  • Tight Integration - Tightly integrat any / all of the above options. Lose integration is functional but makes for a messy DB and will always make the BB system feel just not quite right.
  • Beast - Lightweight Forum

There is a listing of forum software at The Forum Insider.
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Date/CommentUserIPVersion
18 May 2008 (12:40 UTC)
laetzer85.178.62.11716
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Dj Gilcrease24.18.76.13013
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lugie143.235.144.23712
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Chaim Krause24.166.179.7310
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Chaim Krause24.166.179.739
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spiderr66.93.240.2048
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Helge Karl80.203.108.2497
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Helge Karl80.203.108.2496
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Chaim Krause69.23.127.715
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spiderr66.93.240.2044
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Chaim Krause69.23.127.712
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Chaim Krause69.23.127.711
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