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How to set up my own forum

dragonfly2008 Posts: 103 Forumite

9 June 2008 at 8:27PM in Techie Stuff

Don’t worry its not going to take anything away from this site at all, it’s a completely different topic matter.

Basically I want to set up reliable, secure, simple forum I can control at no cost if possible. I’ve had a look at things myself so I’ve got a very rough idea but I’m still no further down the line tbh.
Can someone give me a VERY

...simple, no-nonsense guide on doing it and any tips, I’d really appreciate it. thanks

Comments

iwanttosave_2 Posts: 34,292 Forumite

9 June 2008 at 8:30PM

You can make one easily at http://www.myfastforum.org/

You don't have FTP access but you can change the skin and various things on it though.

Work like you don't need money,

Love like you've never been hurt,

And dance like no one's watching

Save the cheerleader, save the world!

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foreversomeday Posts: 1,011 Forumite

9 June 2008 at 8:39PM

This software for forums is supposed to be great and it's free, and I think it does not include ads. (Although you could presumably add Google adwords or similar if you wanted to generate revenue from ads.)

http://www.simplemachines.org/

Sorry I don't have any simple instructions as to how to set it up, but it does have support documents and there are lots of web forums available relating to website designs etc.

I don't believe and I never did that two wrongs make a right

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dragonfly2008 Posts: 103 Forumite

9 June 2008 at 8:40PM

iwanttosave wrote: »

You can make one easily at http://www.myfastforum.org/

You don't have FTP access but you can change the skin and various things on it though.

Thanks i'll have a look. Take it you've used that in the past, much downtime etc ?

Will i not need a web host and that ?

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smileyjohn Posts: 67 Forumite

10 June 2008 at 7:33AM

phpBB is free and is very customizable, you can see the information here http://www.phpbb.com/

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orange_gerbera Posts: 17 Forumite

10 June 2008 at 8:15AM

As the previous replies have stated, there are a number of free forum packages available.

If you want the best, vBulletin (which the MSE forum uses) is the cat's pyjamas. It's not free, but very well maintained and supported.

Quidco : £1,869.63
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Sput2001 Posts: 1,206 Forumite

10 June 2008 at 1:22PM

I've used www.conforums.com for quite a while now.

Never had any problems!

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chunter Posts: 2,028 Forumite

10 June 2008 at 1:59PM

Probably too expensive, but the forum you're using now (MSE) runs Vbulletin
55 quid a year
https://www.vbulletin.com/order/index.php?step=1

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