Setting up a forum based website

babiebeany

I am thinking about setting up a forum based website for approx 250 users and want some info on how easy/hard it will be and the costs.

I was thinking of it being for specific users only who will have a username and password, possibly a webcam and photo gallery.

Does anyone have any ideas on ease/cost.

Flexible_Friend

First of all you will need a domain name.

http://www.123-reg.co.uk/

Then a web host.

http://www.dataflame.co.uk/index.html

Choose one of their Linux hosting packages.

http://www.dataflame.co.uk/hostingmain.html

http://www.dataflame.co.uk/hostinglinux_all.html

As part of the package you will get a cPanel Admin Control Panel. This comes with Fantasico. As part of the deal you will get access to FREE forum software and photo gallery software.

The web hosting package will give you PHP and MySQL databases. You will need 1 database for the Forum and another for the photogallery. 2 in total. So you will need at least the NL250 £4.99 a month package.

Standalone Forum is phpBB:-

http://www.phpbb.com/

Standalone Photo gallery is Coppermine:-

http://coppermine-gallery.net/index.php

Or if you want a combined piece of software (phpBB and Coppermine) then you need Dragonfly CMS:-

http://www.cpgnuke.com/

One more thing. Check with your web host that as well as PHP and MySql they also run GD or Imagemagick which is an imaging software that manipulates images/resizes them on the server (creates thumbnails etc.,.). The photo gallery won't work without it.

Remember, all this software comes as part of your hosting package - free scripts enable you to set things up with ease. Then you just need to master the Admin configuration panels/menus within the software.

Good luck.

babiebeany

thanks for that quick reply, I'll start to have a look at it over the next few days.

Would you say that it is easy to operate?

Astaroth

They are easy to operate and fairly easy to get a nice feel to them. It is obviously more difficult to get a unique look and feel to them as they off the shelf products but at the same time, phpBB is the most common forum software and so people are comfortable using it.

babiebeany

Not really too bothered about being original. I just want to keep in touch and swap info with other interested parties.

Can the whole forum website be restricted to registered members only - so that no one else can even look at the posts?

Flexible_Friend

Yes, you can restrict the whole forum to registered users only. Likewise, the photo gallery if you like. It's all in the Admin configuration menus/settings.

babiebeany

That's the info on the system that I needed - I will come back for more help as I set it up.

On a site like this one, there are moderators and I have seen them on numerous sites. I think that it would be a good idea to have someone helping me out as I can't be there 24/7. Are there any guidelines or anything else I should be thinking about.

MyBigToe_2

babiebeany wrote:

That's the info on the system that I needed - I will come back for more help as I set it up.

On a site like this one, there are moderators and I have seen them on numerous sites. I think that it would be a good idea to have someone helping me out as I can't be there 24/7. Are there any guidelines or anything else I should be thinking about.

Only advice I can suggest is, keep the number of admin to the least number possible (for a small board, keep it as just you) and use moderators/super moderators to moderate each forum
Its pretty simple to do with phpBB, but only assign moderating jobs to people you trust.

babiebeany

Last question for now I think, but it's a big one - I have used some websites which you can click on a flag to choose the language to view in - is this possible with a forum as I think I've only seen it on static sites.

I will definitely need Spanish and some Scandanavian language which I'm not sure of at the moment.

Possible ??

MyBigToe_2

yes, you can change the language the board is in. not the text people post though.

Its used, and im talking about phpBB here, by using language files that need to be updated when and if you install anything extra on the board.

Im an admin at a board that uses phpBB, so if you need any help, just ask here

Flexible_Friend

Coppermine and Dragonfly photo galleries/community sites come with various language files as well so the website navigation links appear in the chosen language etc.,. But the forum is probably where they come into play the most and as MyBigToe has already said, phpBB uses language files as well.